UPDATE – After being closed in 2020 due to COVID, reservations open April 30th, 2021. However … only Canadians will be eligible and no standby spaces will be available for walk-on hikers.

World → North America → Pacific NW → Canada → West Coast Trail

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The BEST hike in the world is the

West Coast Trail

The very BEST hike in the world. That’s right. The BEST. In 2014 a new access point was opened, Nitinat Narrows. Instead of 60 hiking permits / day, we’re now allowed up to 75 / day. Exiting or entering via Nitinat make shorter WCT adventures possible.

AT A GLANCE

75 km (47 mi), 5-7 days traditional route Pachena Bay <> Gordon River
3-5 day routes possible via Nitinaht Village trailhead
southwestern edge of Vancouver Island
Pacific Rim National Park
Permits required May 1 – ~~September 16~~ September 30
Trail closed October 1st to April 30th
- essential ferries across Gordon River and Nitinat Narrows only run May 1st to October 7th.
extremely rugged, requires a high level of fitness
6,000+ backpackers / year
permits limited and in high demand — WCT Trail reservations
- The reservation system opens 8am on a specific day in early January, for example. Reserve online or be ON the phone at 8am.
- only 75 overnight hikers allowed to start each day. There are no longer any “standby” spots. All spaces are reservable.
… most expensive hiking permit in Canada

Why We Like This Hike

#1 on our top 10 hikes in the world
it’s a near perfect hiking experience in pristine Canadian wilderness
very careful Trail management
on no other trek have we taken as many photos
mystic dawns and mind-blowing sunsets
pretty beaches, cool caves, hidden pocket coves, weird cliffs and coastal geology
WCT is in a well protected National Park, but access is easy from Victoria or Vancouver
it’s challenging — though 99% of those who start (somehow) finish
evacuation in case of disaster is efficient
thrilling boulder and log walking between Thrasher & Owen Point
scrambling up slippery Sandstone Creek
playing at Hole in the Wall

impossibly situated, gorgeous Tsusiat Falls
walking impressive old growth forest
share the trip with whales, sea lions, mink. Maybe bear and cougar. Or even wolves!
ship wrecks and other historical artifacts
cable cars and ladders can be “fun”

campfires below the tide line
few biting insects
excellent hiking guidebooks available
optional side-trip up to see the Canada’s tallest tree, the Carmanah Giant, at 95.836 m (314 ft)

Considerations

quota system limits the number of people (75 / day in 2018)
get the 24 hour emergency phone number from Rangers. Use that only. Not 911.
some cell phones work on the beaches. A safer option is a marine VHF radio.
hikers have died on the West Coast Trail
rogue waves and surge channels pose the greatest risks
this is not a good hike for those who have never done a long multi-day trip
though the WCT is improved a little each season, it is still tough
slippery footing causes almost everyone to fall multiple times
few finish this adventure pain-free
you must carry your own heavy pack

you may need to climb as many as 50 HUGE ladders
miserably exposed, rain and wind is the norm. You need a good tent.
can you handle 6 inches of rain in 12 hours?
mud

summer highs around 14C (57F)
risks of both hypothermia and heat stroke
river crossing are normally no problem
food is available to purchase about half way through at km 44.5
bring rope to hang food away from bears in case lockers are full
more bear-proof food caches have been added in recent years
footwear is critical. Most carry at least 2 pairs of trusted walking shoes, one suitable for water.

NOW are you having doubts?

Try not to be one of those evacuated.

Cost

This is the most expensive hike in Canada. Costs shown are full the full hike Pachena Bay <> Gordon River.

2016 Reservation Fee C$24.50 (non-refundable)
2016 TOTAL including Reservation Fee = C$184

(If accessing or exiting the trail from the Nitinaht Narrows, the Nitinaht Water Taxi fee was $62.50 per person one way in 2018.)

Even if you’ve got the money, it is difficult and a hassle to get a reservation to hike in July and August as only up to 75 Trail Use Permits are available starting each day.

If you simply show up at one of the two trailheads — with luck — you might get on the WCT after waiting a day or two. You MIGHT replace a reserved hiker who does not show up. This works well if you are hiking solo or two together, but not for large groups.

If you have plenty of money for the WCT, consider making a reservation for the Ditidaht First Nation luxury 4-person tents at Tsuquadra.

Does this sound too expensive?

The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail immediately south of the West Coast Trail is a brilliant alternative hike. We often recommend people stand by to get on the WCT at Port Renfrew and — if they do not get on — hike Juan de Fuca instead which heads off in the opposite direction from Port Renfrew trailhead.

We have also done shorter hikes on the easier Bamfield end of the WCT exiting at Nitinat Narrows.

Other WCT alternatives on Vancouver Island include the far less developed Nootka Trail. And the much newer North Coast Trail.

Nearby over on the mainland is the Sunshine Coast Trail.

Routes

traditional route is a coastal hike of 75km (47mi)
trailheads near towns of Port Renfrew (Gordon River) and Bamfield (Pachena Bay)
all campsites are first-come, first-served
decide as you go where you want to camp. An “open” itinerary is best.
we recommend 7 nights on the trail for an optimal experience. Take time to enjoy this beautiful place.
fit hikers can easily do it in 5 nights
often you can choose between an inland path or a coastal route. The coast is almost always better.
you need study a tide chart to plot your best itinerary, hitting specific points at low tide
if this sounds too daunting, consider doing just half the WCT entering or exiting via Nitinat

Trekking Guides

Ecosummer Expeditions (CAN $2,190.00 + 5% GST in 2021)
Coastal Bliss
Sea to Sky

Logistics

You should be on the phone in early January (exact date varies year-to-year) making your reservation for the following season:

1-877-737-3783 (toll-free within Canada & US)
1-519-826-5391 (international)

buy fuel & rent gear, if needed, at MEC in Victoria
this is a complex hike — get yourself a hiking guidebook as early as possible
look closely at how to get a reservation.
a big decision you need to make is whether to start from Port Renfrew or Bamfield. (Much argued is which is the better direction to hike.)

many have that decision made for them when they make a reservation
if one trailhead is fully booked, pick the other. If both are booked, consider starting at Nitinat.
once you know where you are starting, organize transportation to get to and from your trailheads
Pachena Bay is the name of the northern trailhead (5 km south of Bamfield)
easiest is to drive your own vehicle, but public transport is fairly convenient too
you can park at one trailhead, book with the convenient West Coast Trail Express bus to get back ($80 one way 3hrs in 2013). This company can store your excess luggage until you finish the hike. Confirm that.
~~boat transport is also available between the two trailheads by tour boat~~, weather permitting — UPDATE – JUAN DE FUCA EXPRESS Water Taxi closed March 2015.

Local Information

Information Centres
Tel: 250-728-3234 (Pachena Bay)
Tel: 250-647-5434 (Gordon River)

Parks Canada – West Coast Trail – Planning Your Hike
Victoria Club Tread
Bamfield

Best Trekking Guidebooks

Blisters & Bliss: The Trekker’s Guide to the West Coast Trail – northbound and southbound. Get the most recent edition
Tim Leadem – Hiking the West Coast of Vancouver Island
Robert J. Bannon – The West Coast Trail: One Step at a Time 2008

Blisters and Bliss is the classic. We’d recommend carrying that and Leadem both, at minimum. This is one adventure where you really, really appreciate advance information.

Best Travel Guidebooks

Lonely Planet – British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies. Get the most recent edition.

Other Recommended Books

Plants of the West Coast Trail
Soaring with the Eagles on Canada’s West Coast Trail – Al Brawn
Timeless Shore

Best Maps

Every hiker gets the free CanMap West Coast Trail (1:50,000). This is either mailed or handed to you at Orientation. It is somewhat water resistant, but we recommend you put it in a waterproof Ziploc bag.

West Coast Trail & Carmanah Valley map 2010

Better to carry hiking guidebooks than a map on this trek, in any case. You’re not going to get lost. But you MIGHT make the wrong decision on whether or not to take the coastal route — or the inland trail.

Online

West Coast Trail B.C.

Best Web Pages

MB Guiding NEW
Parks Canada Planning your Hike on the West Coast Trail
2018 HIKER PREPARATION GUIDE (pdf)
West Coast Trail Experience & Transport
wikipedia
How not to die on the West Coast Trail
Lady Rose ferry – Bamfield to Port Alberni
~~Juan De Fuca Express water taxi Bamfield – Port Renfrew~~ – cancelled
Air Tofino – fly Tofino to WCT trailheads

Best Trip Reports

MB Guiding NEW
Emylene VanderVelden – evacuated from her 2017 hike
Emily – See Her Travel
20 Takeaways from Hiking Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail
Brad – Bike Hike Safari (got a cancellation permit at the trailhead)
BarbaraB 2012:

They have a new map out and every campsite that is marked with a “T” (for toilet) has a composting toilet (or two or three) AND bear lockers. Unless you really get off the beaten path for a camping spot, you will not need to hang your food. …One used to always hear about Chez Monique’s, but now there’s a number of spots that offer you stuff on the trail:- km 44.5 – Chez Monique’s – as much food as you need
– km 30 – Crabs ($20) and salmon ($25) at Nitinat Narrows ferry
West Coast Trail – site editor Rick McCharles, 2013
West Coast Trail Suffer-Fest – Flying up side up (2012)
BluePeak WCT photos – 2003
Without Baggage trip & photos 2008 Hank Leukart
West Coast Trail Trip Report – Brett on Stuff
My West Coast Trail Adventure! – Wolfman
Guy Jones photos – May 2006
FormerFatGuy.com – 2004
Soggy Bottom Boys – 2005
WCT trip report – Janet Wilson, 2007
Saskatoon Does the West Coast Trail – Warren Long, 1999
stodmyk – 2005