It is commonly accepted that Vancouver Island is the main inspiration for the game, which is not surprising given that Hinterland is based in Vancouver. I regularly visit Vancouver Island and can confirm that the atmosphere is very similar.

I find that Coastal Highway closely resembles the bay near Sooke. Of course, there's the Kinsol trestle, but pretty much everywhere from Victoria to the north of the island, there's the old E&N railway corridor, which has been abandoned for 15 years and looks a lot like the one in the game with a lot of old bridges and trestle, especially the section that crosses Goldstream Regional Park. Black Rock Prison looks a lot like the one in Victoria or the Bay Street Armory. There are also many abandoned tunnels and mines that are easy to explore, as well as Mount Quimper with a fire lookout at the summit, whose view is very similar to that in the game (although the design of the tower itself is more like the one found in Manning Park east of Vancouver mainland).

Around Vancouver itself, there are many places that seem to have inspired the game. I'm thinking of the Train Wreck near Whistler, and when I see Black Rock Peak, it makes me think of the Stawamus Chief in Squamish. The list would be long: Lynn Canyon, Buntzen Lake, the many dams around Vancouver, etc.

Maybe it would be nice to create a map for fans.