Smugglers Cove is tiny but its ease of access makes it far more attractive, in our view than the more popular Secret Cove. Smugglers Cove is literally right off the road whereas, with Secret Cove, you have to drive nearly an hour on rough logging roads and then hike a short trail.
Author: Robert Williams
The Three Mile Creek Trail is found deep within the Tlall Conservancy. Accessing it in the current day requires a bit of effort because the original point of entry – Survey Forest Service Road – was formally decommissioned in 2016 after years of disuse.
It might seem silly to write about the three Haida Gwaii Government Docks as trails – and believe me, I do feel kind of silly – but they are identified as “trails” in the Haida Gwaii Trails Strategy document (2011). I suspect this was probably done for funding purposes and to inflate the number of trails on the archipelago, though I’m not sure why one would need to do that.
Secret Cove Trail is relatively flat and an easy hike. After making your way through lush ferns, alders, and beautiful spruce trees, you’ll come upon the trail’s namesake cove. Once here, take a dip in the Pacific Ocean; however, we do advise you to keep your clothes on!