Some of the best hiking anywhere in the world is found on and around Vancouver Island. The landscapes are varied and beautiful, with sandy beaches, temperate rainforest, caves, waterfalls and rugged mountains. The trails here range from easy one-hour strolls to grinding seven-day treks.
British Columbia's most renowned trail is the West Coast Trail, situated in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on the southwest coast. Considered by some to be the toughest trek in North America, the trail traverses 75km/47mi of wild and remote coastal areas, cedar, hemlock and spruce forests, cliffs, beaches, sandstone ledges and suspension bridges spanning rivers and streams. It's pure wilderness all the way, so hikers must be fit and well equipped for the backcountry.
Further south, the 47km/29mi Juan de Fuca Marine Trail boasts scenery similar to the West Coast Trail, but with several vehicle accessible points en route, making it a favourite for novices and day hikers.
Alpine Hikes on Vancouver Island
The Insular Mountains of Vancouver Island stretch along the entire length of its interior, reaching heights of more than 2,000m/6,562ft. Strathcona Provincial Park, near Comox and Campbell River, is BC's oldest provincial park, and is dominated by snowcapped peaks, alpine meadows and tarns – as well as Canada's highest waterfall. Trails here cater to all ability levels.
Also near Comox, Mount Washington Alpine Resort has chairlift-accessed hiking, complete with panoramic views of Strathcona Park, the Comox Glacier, Mt. Arrowsmith, and the Strait of Georgia.
Easy, Intermediate, Advanced and Highlight Trails in Vancouver Island:
Wildlife on the Hiking Trails
On the coast, keep watch for whales, sea lions, otters, and harbour seals as well as tidal pool inhabitants such as red, purple and orange sea stars, sea urchins, blue mussels, green sea anemones and sea cucumbers. Up in the mountains, hikers may sight elk, black tailed deer, squirrels and marmot. Bears, cougars and wolves may be present in any part of the island.
Getting to the Trails
While having a car will give hikers access to a larger number of trails, coach buses service a variety of Vancouver Island parks and communities, including Tofino and Ucluelet on the west coast.
Shuttle services are available to transport hikers to and from the trailheads of the West Coast and Juan de Fuca trails from either Nanaimo or Victoria. This option is actually more convenient than taking a car.
Practical Points and Hiking Safety
Along the coast, there is always the risk of hypothermia in the event of heavy fog and wind, and hikers must be equipped with the proper rain and safety gear. Remember the following:
- Sections of some coastal trails may be impassable at high tide. Consult and familiarize yourself with tide tables before proceeding.
- Weather can change quickly in the mountains, so dress in layers.
- Even the most popular, well-maintained trails can be rocky, tangled with roots, muddy and slippery. Wear hiking boots with good ankle and arch support and be prepared to get muddy.
- At higher elevations, snow and mud may linger on trails until late June or even early July. Prepare accordingly.
- Please carry out garbage, and be aware that cougars, bears and other wildlife inhabit the region. Do not get too close to or attempt to feed wild animals.
Choose a Trail
Easy
Intermediate
Advanced
Hiking Area Highlights
Cape Scott Trail
See remnants of 19th-century Danish settlements along the 48km/30mi return trip Cape Scott Trail, which traces an old telegraph line to Cape Scott Lighthouse. Old-growth Sitka spruce dominate portions of this challenging route, while rocky promontories, salt marshes, jagged headlands and white sand beaches punctuate the coastline. Coastal wildlife includes sea birds, seals, sea lions and sea otters.
The trail is located at the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island, 64km/40mi west from Port Hardy via a combination of provincial highways and logging roads.
- Rated: moderate to difficult
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: June to September
- Please check the BC Parks website for current trail conditions
- Cape Scott Park website
Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
The 47km/29mi Juan de Fuca Marine Trail stretches along the western shoreline of southern Vancouver Island, from China Beach to Botanical Beach. Exceptionally beautiful and endlessly interesting, the trail features spectacular ocean and mountain views, waterfalls, grottos, old-growth forests, curious rock formations and estuaries. It also provides many opportunities to view a wealth of intertidal flora and fauna at close range. While remote, the trail is well equipped with wilderness campsites and sanitary facilities. It is accessible by car at multiple points. Both casual and experienced hikers will enjoy this trail. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is accessible from multiple points along Highway 14, between Jordan River and Port Renfrew.
- Rated: Intermediate
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: June to September
- Juan de Fuca Park website
Mount Washington Alpine Resort
Mount Washington offers a number of exceptional trails for hikers of all levels of ability. Experienced hikers who climb the rugged West Summit Ridge Trail (advanced) to the 1,588m/5,210ft summit are rewarded by spectacular, 360-degree views of Strathcona Provincial Park, the Comox Glacier, Mount Arrowsmith, the Strait of Georgia and Mount Baker in Washington State. The summit is also easily accessible via the Eagle Express, a soaring chairlift ride.
Top of the World Trails (intermediate), found at the top of the chairlift, are a quick yet invigorating 0.7km/0.4mi; Linton's Trail (intermediate) is a 2.1km/1.3mi route – and Giv'r Trail (advanced) challenges hikers for a steep 1.3km/0.8mi. Interpretive signs along these higher routes identify the unique flora and fauna found in this "mile-high" alpine. Lodge Trails (easy) and Memory Lane (easy) each ramble a pleasant 0.4km/0.25mi on bark mulch from the base of the mountain.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is easily accessible from Vancouver by car via the Horseshoe Bay-Nanaimo ferry route. The Comox Valley and Campbell River airports are both serviced daily from Vancouver.
- Rated: easy to advanced
- Best Time: trails open once the snow melts, usually by late June
- Approximate time required: Varies by route
- Be aware: mountain weather may change suddenly.
Nootka Island Trail
The 35km/22mi Nootka Island Trail follows an ancient route used by Aboriginal people for at least 4,000 years before Captain Cook first set foot on the island in 1778. Ancient village sites, a totem pole and the remains of a shipwreck are poignant visual reminders of this island's storied past.
Today, this trail is an unpatrolled wilderness route that in places can only be traversed at low tide. Natural highlights include old-growth forest, waterfalls, sea caves, remote beaches and abundant wildlife. Hikers must be experienced and geared for extreme weather, and should check in with the Gold River RCMP (police) before setting out.
Nootka Island Trail is accessible from Gold River year-round by water taxi or charter plane and seasonally by ferry.
- Rated: intermediate
- Approximate time required: 5 to 6 day
- Best time: May to October
- Maps and tide tables are essential
Strathcona Provincial Park
Strathcona Provincial Park is an immense mountain wilderness of over 250,000ha/617,763ac. The scenery along its many trails is distinctly alpine. At 440m/1,444ft, Della Falls is one of Canada's highest waterfalls and is found in the southern part of the park.
Strathcona Provincial Park is located in central Vancouver Island. There are two main access points to the park: in the south via Highway 19 and Mount Washington Road, a 30-40-minute drive from Courtenay and in the north via Highway 28, a 30-minute drive from Campbell River.
- Rated: easy to advance
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: May to October (expect snowfall on mountain slopes November to March)
West Coast Trail
The 75km/47mi West Coast Trail is wild, remote and not for the faint of heart. It was carved out of the rainforest in 1906 to provide a refuge and way out for mariners shipwrecked along a stretch of coastline so dangerous it was dubbed, "The Graveyard of the Pacific." Highlights of the route include sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, caves, sea arches, sea stacks, secluded beaches and abundant wildlife.
The trail stretches between Bamfield and Port Renfrew. There are two trailhead access points: Pachena Bay at the north end, 3km/1.9mi from Bamfield, and Gordon River in the south, which is accessed by twice-daily water taxi from Port Renfrew (fees apply). Maps and tide tables are absolutely essential here.
There are two gateway points to the trailheads: Port Alberni, 102km/63mi from Bamfield via a passenger/cargo ship, or a logging road from Port Renfrew, 70km/43mi north of Sooke.
- Rated: advanced
- Approximate time required: 5 to 7 days
- Open: May 1 to September 30
- Reservations strongly recommended: June 15 to September 15. Call 1-866-727-5722. Trail use permit required.
- Pacific Rim West Coast Trail website
Ahousaht Wildside Heritage Trail
This full-day, guided adventure begins in Tofino with a 30-minute water taxi ride to Flores Island. The Nuu-chah-nulth community of Ahousaht is the starting point of this 11km/6.8mi hike along white sand beaches and through the forests of Flores Island.
- Rated: intermediate
- Approximate time required: 1 day
- Best time: April to November
Cowichan River Footpath
A beautiful trail along one of Vancouver Island's most picturesque rivers (the Cowichan is a designated provincial heritage river), the Cowichan River Footpath stretches 20km/12mi from just west of Duncan to Skutz Falls.
- Rated: easy to intermediat
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: year round
Mount Arrowsmith
Just west of Coombs/Errington in Oceanside, the Mount Arrowsmith area offers several moderate to difficult hiking trails, including a five-hour hike from the Cameron Lake picnic site. Mount Arrowsmith Regional Park is accessible from Hwy 4. The area between Mount Arrowsmith and the shores of Oceanside has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
- Rated: intermediate to advance
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: June to September
Log Train Trail
Once a rail bed for logging trains, this 20km/12mi hiking and cycling trail begins at the Visitor Information Centre in Port Alberni and meanders through the forests of the Alberni Valley to the McLean Mill National Historic Site. This historic mill can also be reached by an equally impressive restored steam train.
- Rated: intermediate
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: year round
Wild Pacific Trail
This spectacularly scenic trail in Ucluelet has two sections: an easy 2.5km/1.5mi section that includes Amphitrite Point and Lighthouse, and a more difficult section that traces the shoreline for almost 5km/3.1mi.
- Rated: easy to intermediate
- Approximate time required: varies by route
- Best time: year round
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