Bonanza Beach Features:
Pristine sandy beaches
Interesting tidal pools
Surfer waves
NOTE: Rennell Sound is subject to variable weather conditions, heavy rainfall, and landslide risk, particularly from September thru May. Be prepared for emergencies and road closures during weather events.
ABOUT
Located within Rennell Sound and the Duu Guusd Conservancy, Bonanza Beach offers perhaps the finest sandy beach on all of Haida Gwaii. At the beach’s south end you will find Bonanza Creek, which is home to spawning salmon in August and September. While remote and difficult to get to, Bonanza Beach is worth the effort and should be on everybody’s Haida Gwaii-themed bucket list.
If traveling from Daajing Giids, drive approximately 22 kilometers along the QC Mainline (use appropriate caution as these are active logging roads). You will come upon a blue sign with white text pointing you WEST towards the Duu Guusd Conservancy and Rennell Sound.
You are now on the Rennell Sound Forest Service Road. From here, it is a 15 kilometer drive towards the Sound. Along the way, you will drive through Rennell Pass, including Rennell Hill with its steep 25% grade (one of the steepest public roads in all of Canada). While there is no longer active logging in this area, it is strongly recommended that you still drive with caution because the Rennell FSR is narrow and filled with significant potholes. For this reason, a high clearance vehicle is suggested.
LOCATING THE TRAILHEAD
Once at the bottom of Rennell Hill, you will come upon the Rennell Sound Recreation Site. From here, drive north for approximately 14 kilometers along the Rennell FSR. You will pass the trailhead signs for Five Mile Beach, Riley Creek and Gregory Beach before coming upon the Bonanza River Bridge. While the bridge has been closed since August 2022 “for safety issues,” locals have pushed the barricade aside to allow for vehicle access. The bridge remains structurally sound but, for those wishing to err on the side of caution, you can park your vehicle here and walk the 650 meters to the Bonanza Beach trailhead. Welcome to the Bonanza Beach Trail!
HIKING THE TRAIL
The trail to Bonanza Beach is brief @ only 400 meters one-way. As you hike towards the beach, you will be treated to second-growth forest, giant spruce burls, dense salal, and some beautiful old growth cedars as you approach the beach. It should take less than ten minutes for one to reach one of Haida Gwaii’s crown jewels: Bonanza Beach.
Once you emerge from the dense salal, it’s easy to see why the Daily Hive (2018), Love Exploring (2021) and MSN (2023), amongst others, have all listed Bonanza Beach as one of the top beaches in Canada. With its attractive crescent shape, Bonanza Beach is exposed to the powerful waves of the open Pacific Ocean. The relentless wave action has resulted in some of the finest sand on any beach in the world. It has also made this area attractive for surfers and beachcombers. Because Bonanza Beach is quite literally the “last stop” on the way to Japan, it is not uncommon to find unique items along Bonanza’s shore, including the much sought after glass floats from Japanese fishing vessels.
Lastly, we’d be remiss if we failed to mention the tidal pools: On very low tides, Bonanza Beach is home to many attractive tidal pools, each teaming with life, including colourful sea anemones, beach crabs, mussels, life-giving seaweed and kelp. Indeed, the tidal pools offer a stunning microcosm of Duu Guusd’s complex and rich marine environment.
Bonanza Beach is – undoubtedly – a special place. For us, it highlights some of the best to be found within Duu Guusd: A short hiking trail with second and old growth forest; Haida cultural values; pristine
beaches; epic views of Conehead and the open Pacific; and bountiful marine life, including salmon, King Fishers, bald eagles and even the odd seal. Having the opportunity to relax on the beach or swim in the ocean is just the icing on the cake.
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TOTAL DISTANCE: 400 meters (one-way)
TIME: 7 minutes
TYPE: Out-and-Back
ELEVATION GAIN: None