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Franklin Range

The Franklin Range is a small mountain range located south of the Johnstone Strait and Robson Bight, Vancouver Island. It has an area of 200 sq km (77.2 sq miles).
The Franklin Range is a subrange of Vancouver Island, offering a beautiful area for nature enthusiasts and mountaineers intending to experience perfect mountain climbing.
The range was named after eminent Admiral Sir John Franklin, who died exploring the arctic and his wife, Lady Franklin, by Captain Richards in 1861. The Johnstone Strait offers perfect paddling while enjoying watching whales passing by and salmon run, making adventurers fascinated. Visitors can start a fantastic adventure by launching a boat at Telegraph Cove, having fun exploring the water. Pleasant hiking through gorgeous forest and the Franklin Range's breathtaking ambiance shrouded with clouds hovering on mountains and trees covering hillsides make mountaineers and hikers visit the range again and again.


Franklin Range Location

The Franklin Range is located north of Vancouver Island, south of the Johnstone Strait and Robson Bight. The 200 sq km (77.2 sq miles) range offers perfect hiking and climbing. They can be done in the beautiful area of the range covered with gorgeous trees dotted with lakes and tarns for mountaineers to have a soul-refreshing tour.
Telegraph Cove is located to the northwest of Franklin Range, and the nearby Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park is to the north of the range, where you can have some nice time spending by the water.
The Bonanza Range is south of the Franklin Range near Bonanza Lake, where visitors can camp on the northeast end of the lake with two boat launches to put your boat into the water and enjoy the lake's breathtaking view.
At Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park to the southwest of the Franklin Range, visitors would be entertained by several activities near the gorgeous Nimpkish Lake. Franklin Range's nearby town and regions are Telegraph Cove and Port McNeill to the northwest and Woss to the south.


How to Get to the Franklin Range by Car

Access to the Franklin Range is possible from Tsitika Mountain.

From Nanaimo:
The fastest route to get to Tsitika Mountain from Nanaimo is via BC-19 N, a 352km (218.7 miles) route that takes about 4 hours and 8 minutes of driving.
Take Third St to BC-19 N for 3.3 km (2 miles). Turn right onto BC-19 N (signs for Campbell R) and continue for 302 km (187.6 miles). Continue onto Upper Steel Rd for 46.9 km (29.1 miles) to your destination in Garden Bay.

From Victoria:
The fastest route to get to Tsitika Mountain is BC-19 N. It is 462 km (287 miles) and takes almost 5 hours and 26 minutes.
Take Government St to Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N. after driving 1.2 km (0.7 miles), Take BC-19 N to Steele Creek Rd/Upper Steel Rd in Woss for 449km (278.9miles). Continue on Upper Steel Rd to your destination in Garden Bay.


The Hike to Get to the Franklin Range

There is no designated hiking trail to get to the Franklin Range.


History of the Franklin Range

The Franklin Range is home to the traditional territory of Namgis First Nation. The deep and rich legends and culture of Namgis People are rooted in the area and mountains.


Things to do around the Franklin Range Area

While visiting the Franklin Range, several activities would be entertaining at the range and nearby Lower Tsitika River and Nimpkish Lake Provincial Parks. Mountaineers will experience perfect climbing offered by the range's peaks with spectacular sights of mountains and hillsides covered by trees.
Have a visit to the beautiful Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park and be amused by fishing, cycling, and backcountry camping in the wilderness. There at the park, roadways are provided to have enjoyable cycling. Bicycle helmets are mandatory. Random camping is allowed in the park with no facilities for enthusiasts to have a great time camping in the rustic wilderness.
To the west of the range at Nimpkish River Provincial Park and Nimpkish Lake, you would be entertained by activities such as canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and windsurfing outside of the park in the lake. Also, fishing is available at the park and lake besides biking, hunting, and skiing in the park, lake, and mountains' beautiful ambiance.
While winding your way through the forest surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks to Bonanza Lake, enthusiasts would spend some recreational time camping on the northeast end of the lake. Two boat launches are provided for boaters to put their boat into the water and get fascinated by the breathtaking lake's atmosphere.

List of Mountain Ranges Near the Franklin Range

Karmutzen Range

Karmutzen Range

Hankin Range

Hankin Range

Franklin Range

Franklin Range

Bonanza Range

Bonanza Range

Franklin Range Activities

Swimming

While having excellent recreational time in the Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park, you may want to swim in the fresh crystal water of Nimpkish Lake. There are no lifeguards on duty.

Fishing

Perfect fishing opportunities are available in the fresh waters of Tlakwa Creek within Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park, Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park, and Nimpkish Lake. Before fishing, check regulations issued by fisheries and oceans Canada. An appropriate license for angling is required.

Boating

While visiting the nearby Bonanza Lake, boaters can access the water by two boat launches to stroll on the lake, enjoying the beautiful lake.

Kayaking, Canoeing

In the Nimpkish Lake, opportunities for canoeing and kayaking exist on the crystal clear water to enjoy the lake's peace and quietness while strolling along the Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park.

Windsurfing

Windsurfers have possibilities for windsurfing in the Nimpkish Lake outside of the park, which is a popular spot for this thrilling activity. Access to the lake for windsurfers is available from the Western Forest Products recreation site via Hwy19.

Cycling

Visitors have an excellent time biking at Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park, in which bikers must keep on roadways and Nimpkish Provincial Park with no developed trails. Helmets are mandatory.

Skiing

The gorgeous mountains of Tlakwa and Karmutzen offer exciting backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering in Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park's beautiful area. Access to these areas is from Western Forest Products logging roads.

Hunting

Hunting is possible in some portions of the Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park for specific species. For closures and regulations, refer to the current Hunting and Trapping Regulations and Synopsis publication.

Climbing

The Franklin Range is a paradise offering a pleasant experience climbing snow-capped mountains enjoying the awe-inspiring atmosphere and natural beauty of the area winding through beautiful forest, overlooking lakes and tarns.

What you Can Expect to Do Near the Franklin Range

Port Hardy Whale Watching

Port Hardy Whale Watching

Telegraph Cove Whale Watching

Telegraph Cove Whale Watching

Camping in Cluxewe Resort

Camping in Cluxewe Resort

Camping in Telegraph Cove Campground

Camping in Telegraph Cove Campground

Camping in Broughton Strait Campsite

Camping in Broughton Strait Campsite

Camping in Wildwoods Campsite

Camping in Wildwoods Campsite

Camping in Quatse River Campground

Camping in Quatse River Campground

Camping in Port Hardy RV Resort and Log Cabins

Camping in Port Hardy RV Resort and Log Cabins

Telegraph Cove Kayaking

Telegraph Cove Kayaking

Port McNeill Kayaking and Canoeing

Port McNeill Kayaking and Canoeing

Camping in the Alder Bay RV Park & Marina

Camping in the Alder Bay RV Park & Marina

Nimpkish Lake Windsurfing

Nimpkish Lake Windsurfing

Franklin Range Outline

Specifications

Peaks and Heights

Climate

Timing

Get There



1. Temperatures are related to The Lower Tsitika River Provincial Park and estimated on average.
2. Franklin Range experiences comfortable, partly cloudy summers. Winters are snowy and partly cloudy.
3. Be well-equipped for climate conditions and check the weather reports before heading out.


What you Can Expect to See Near the Franklin Range

Telegraph Cove

Telegraph Cove

Port McNeill

Port McNeill

Mount Elliot Ecological Reserve

Mount Elliot Ecological Reserve

Minigill Cave

Minigill Cave

Artlish Caves

Artlish Caves

Little Huson Caves

Little Huson Caves

Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park

Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park

Karmutzen Range

Karmutzen Range

Hankin Range

Hankin Range

Little Huson Cave Regional Park

Little Huson Cave Regional Park

Franklin Range

Franklin Range

Bonanza Range

Bonanza Range

Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park

Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park

Nimpkish River

Nimpkish River

Nimpkish Lake

Nimpkish Lake

Planning for the Franklin Range

Suitability

Camping & Resort

Services

Tips

Packing




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