The Goodspeed River Estuary is located 42 km west of Port Hardy, at the head of Holberg Inlet. At the turn of the century, Danish settlers headed inland to build a new life. They settled Holberg, naming it after Baron Ludwig Holberg, a famous playwright.
Back in the early ’70s, l worked in Holberg & stayed in what was then, the largest floating logging camp in the world. The camp is much smaller now, and the floats are all gone. The area was once the biggest military base on the north island and had over 1000 personal living and working here, the base is long gone now. It was still going strong when l worked here in the 70s.
The drive to Holberg goes past many lakes and rivers. These waterways are great for canoeing and kayaking. The Goodspeed River Estuary is an incredible site – full of rare plants, and lots of wildlife. The views from here are just breathtaking & awe-inspiring. Bring your camera when you visit. There is an excellent chance of seeing bears & deer on the drive-in. Once here, you will want to capture scenes of the estuary, to show your friends just how beautiful this spot is!
You can reach the trails to both Cape Scott and San Josef Bay, just a short drive from Holberg. You will pass Ronning’s Garden on the way – a place you do not want to miss. There are so many other awesome places to visit and explore within a short distance of the estuary and when you are played out and hungry, you can go to the Scarlet Ibis restaurant and pub for some incredible and very reasonably priced food along with a beer. It’s a great place to end an awesome day.
On your way to the estuary, look for the Shoe Tree, a place where hikers retire what’s left of their boots & shoes after they hike to Cape Scott!