Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
Rathtrevor Beach near Nanaimo is the most popular Provincial Park on Vancouver Island.
I walk there most mornings at dawn, with coffee.
Year round.
The scenery is different every day.
At low tide, you can walk the ocean bottom nearly a kilometre out into the Straight of Georgia.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
The kea is a species of large parrot found in the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. …
Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment.
Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective.
They have been filmed preparing and using tools. …
Called “the clown of the mountains”, it will investigate backpacks, boots, skis, snowboards, and even cars, often causing damage or flying off with smaller items.
Beware.
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Dawn March 16, 2024 at Rathtrevor Beach, Vancouver Island.
Each spring, peaking in March, the Pacific Herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) return to protected inlets on the coast of British Columbia to spawn.
Female herring lay up to 20,000 eggs, which are fertilized when they are laid. On contact with water, the eggs become very sticky, and attach themselves to whatever they come into contact with.
The event draws thousands of marine birds and mammals to feed on the nutritious bounty.
VancouverIsland.com – Pacific Herring Spawning
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
The Overland Track in Tasmania is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.
Click PLAY or watch a 1 minute introduction on YouTube.
The best & most famous walk in Australia.
Read more on our Overland Information page.
Around Christmas each year, Bald Eagles arrive in Parksville on Vancouver Island.
I see at least 25 around the dump. More around town.
Crows and ravens are seen throughout the year.
Ravens and Bald Eagles don’t seem to like each other. Perhaps they are territorial.
Over the dump the skies are crowded. Birds tend to chase each other.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
The Long Range Traverse is the best route in remote Gros Morne National Park.
Thomas Coldwell documented his summer 2022 adventure, along with 4 others. And put together this VERY useful document for anyone wanting to plan a Traverse for themselves:
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Rockies
Spectacular vistas, frequent wildlife encounters, the best wild flowers we’ve ever seen. Hot springs, quaint mountain towns, perhaps the best long distance hikes on the planet.
There are options to scramble ridges and peaks virtually everywhere.
“You can’t lose in the Rockies.”
… so says frequent contributor Rob Glaser who hiked here all his life.
Trails are safe and well managed. The infrastructure excellent. (In fact, it’s hard to imagine there are two regions in the world we rate better.)
The weather and conditions are variable to say the least, but in many parts of the Rockies Aug-Sept are the best months. A very short window! On the other hand, if you ski or board, you’ll never lack for adventure in the Rocky Mountains.
More information on our Rockies information page.
Our favourite trip in the Canadian Rockies is Sunshine to Assiniboine, our #5 hike in the world.
Our Assiniboine Information page.
Just a short drive away is our favourite trail in the USA Rockies, Glacier North Circle, our #6 hike in the world. One of the best places in the world to see wildlife.
Our North Circle Information page.
Leave a comment if you have your own favourite hike in the Rockies.
Solo.
Approximately 800km / 500miles
She saw no other hikers outside the 2 provincial parks.
There are multiple route options, but here’s the gist.
Carly Wiechnik:
The two higher elevation mountainous sections, the Beauforts and Strathcona, can be snow covered until the end of June, and snow can begin to fall again around the month of October.
A thru-hike might take a month (fast) to six weeks (slower), which can easily fit into the window of July-September.
The best month to hike would probably be August, as by then the snow is mostly gone in the higher elevations, precipitation is low and it is warm and dry. (However, campfire bans are common around this time to prevent wildfires). Coastal trails are also less muddy. …
Resupply: A cool thing about the VIT is that it goes straight through towns at reasonable intervals, so it’s easy to hit up a grocery store every 3-6 days …
Vancouver Island Trail: Recap (and Tips!)
The Overland Track in Tasmania is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.
Click PLAY or watch a 1 minute introduction on YouTube.
The best & most famous walk in Australia.
Read more on our Overland Information page.
