VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Here is my opinion of the three roads into Nitinat.
Port road: I give it a rating of 9 out of 10. It is mainly smooth with some sections of low grade potholes, and lots of loose rocks when you get out of the tracks on the corners. There is lots of traffic on this road including logging trucks. If you are taking this road for the first time, drive slow of the paved section. It is smooth but, very uneven.

Youbou Section: 6.5 out of 10. It was graded a few weeks back but, there are still many sections of potholes. The potholes are not that deep, so there are only a few areas where you have to slow right down.

Honeymoonbay Section: 7.5 out of 10. Only a few sections of potholes but, you have 5 km more of gravel road. For that reason I will still be going on the Youbou side.

End of the lake to the Nitinat turn: 5 out of 10. This is the worse part of the drive with many sections of potholes where you have slow right down. The gates are open on the old shortcut road at the end of the lake and this is the best way to go.

From the turn to Nitinat: 9 out of 10. Very smooth but, lots of large rocks on the road.

So if I am correct, the only difference between the Youbou way and Honeymoon bay way is 5 km of gravel? Is it 5km shorter, or just 5km is paved on the youbou side, but gravel on the honeymoon bay side?

I agree with your assessment, from the end of Lake Cow to the Nitinat turnoff it is BAD, very BAD at times.

I have never seen the road from Nitinat to Port in such good shape. The Bamfield to Port part is like a gravel freeway. What's up with that? Something happening in Bamfield?

Here's a new update on the road.

As of last weekend the Honeymoon bay side of the lake was just graded, and the end of the road the last 7 km going into Nitinat was just graded. The middle is another story, it has not seen a grader for a very long time. If you think you see a large pot hole up ahead in the road, slow down because it is a large pot hole with a bunch of smaller one all around it.

I have not been on the Youbou side, but I hear that it is not much better.

It is 24 km of grave road from Honeymoon bay to the end of the lake. I'm not sure what it is on the Youbou side.

Hi,

I have a pick-up truck....and got my first flat tire ever (Port Alberni route) last week.

I did see a couple of graders working on the Port Alberni road as I drove out on Monday.

KC

go through cowichan south, its good.

I passed a grader on the south road at the 11km marker heading towards Lake Cowichan Monday evening. It sure was making a mess of the nicest part of the road leaving massive, sharp pieces of rock in the center, although on its next pass I assume those would be in the ditch.

The center section still sucks, though I can't say it is any worse than back in May... and if you forget to take the short cut section through the gates (whoops!) well, that part really, I mean really, sucks.

Where's the short cut?? We're camping at Gordon Bay this weekend and will be heading to Nitinat after. We'll be taking the south route around Lk Cow. which we haven't done in years. Any hints would be most welcome
Thanks!
Rob

Coming from the south side take the left through the gate at the very end of Cowichan Lk which is just a few hundred yards before Heather campsite (at end of lake). You'll go for a short bit (1-2km?) then come to another gate and go left again at this point. You are now on the road to Nitnat again. Basically you bypass the big loop that goes by Kissinger campsite. Make sure you are at the end of the lake, there is a gate a few km's before the end of lake that you can go through to the left and it's very enticing - DO NOT take it, go right and proceed to end of lake!

From Youbou side instead of heading straight at end of lake (and past Kissinger campsite) you go left past Heather campsite, past the boat launch, then right at the gate, short bit, then left at gate back onto nitty road.

Hey Rob, how come you guys have been choosing the Youbou way?

And here a rookie knew something a vet did not!

- Tony

My fault, Tony. Those hair raising, drop-off cliffs next to my door make me a scaredy cat on that route. Nice scenery otherwise.

I've never been the other way, what is it like? I always sort of figured it was the same thing, except right curves were lefts and vice versa.

The real secret Nanmoo is the nude beaches

when i came out to nitinat after the last big rainfall i was considering calling the department of geography to have some of the bodies of water on the road given lake names

Southway (Lake Cowichan) much better on the vehicle, but still the worst part is the common end of the journey to the rainbow.