Georgie’s Wanderlust

An absolutely stunning trail on the wet and rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia: The West Coast Trail. This is a very versatile trail in terms of length. My friend, Mac, and I completed it in 5 days and 4 nights. We met a girl completing it over two weeks! She was really soaking it in and making the most of this beautiful part of the world. The average time taken on the trail is 6-7 days. It is 75km on the markers, but expect to do about 85km in total as the trail markers aren’t entirely accurate.

Where does the west coast trail start and finish and how do I get there?

You have two options. You can begin in Bamfield at Pachena Bay, or Port Renfrew. Bamfield to Port Renfrew is north to south, Mac and I completed it in this direction and really enjoyed it! The Bamfield end of the trail is more “mellow”, with the toughest, wettest, and rootiest (tree roots sticking out of the ground) kms of the hike being closest to Port Renfrew. We enjoyed beginning easier and finishing harder, although I wouldn’t classify this as an easy hike!
There is parking at both trailheads, Bamfield is free, and Port Renfrew was $50 for 5 nights. There are shuttle buses from Victoria or Nanaimo to both trailheads. Check out west coast trail express for schedule and pricing.

How many days is it and how many kms?

The trail is possible in 5 days, up to 14. The Parks Canada website won’t let you book less than 5 nights/6 days. The average time taken is 6-7 days.
The trail is marked at 75kms, however our gps and everyone else we met had higher kms. Expect up to 85kms in total.

Best time of year?

The trail is actually only open to the public from May 1 – September 30 every year. This is for the most part due to the extreme weather the west coast of Vancouver Island experiences every winter, it’s neither fun nor safe to be out there outside of these months.
Mack and I went in early August 2022, we had a mix of sun and cloud for most of our hiking and one moderate/light rain day.

How much does it cost?

Check Parks Canada’s website for up to date cost information as this can change year to year. In August 2022 we spent about $350 each for park entry fees, ferry fees (you get two on the trail!), camping fees, and all of our food and transportation there. Book ahead as the trail books out every year!

What’s the camping like?

As long as you have your own good gear, I’d say it’s pretty comfy! Check my favourite gear list here. The campsites themselves are some of the best I’ve stayed at. They all have bear lockers (metal cubes to store your food and garbage safely away from the bears), drop toilets, and cleared areas or simply the sand on the beach to camp above high tide. You are directly on the beach for most of them, my favourite was Bonilla Creek, absolutely magic. No matter what month you do this in you will want warm clothing, and some rain protection! It is called the wet coast for a reason..

How difficult is the trail?

Do not be deceived by the low elevation of the west coast trail. This is a challenging hike that people are evacuated from every year. It is full of giant ladders, muddy pits and very long walks on the beach made up of flat sandy stretches or car sized boulders to scramble over – quite the adventure! That being said, it is also completed by even more people every year. There were many different people on the trail of all ages and fitness levels when Mac and I were there. Everyone was doing great and having an even better time. However, always know your own limits and go prepared. And check the tide times!!!

Thanks for reading, like and share if you found this guide useful, have fun out there and be safe!