It's one of the great alternatives to the WCT. You do need to be prepared for an encounter. Becoming a Patron through Patreon unlocks all sorts of membership benefits and rewards. We checked into an Airbnb near Sooke. Sunset at Bear Beach. Fires are not permitted at these sites. The trail started out easy enough. (I don’t really count that as a day because it was so short and easy terrain). The answer, I discovered, is to hike the lesser known Juan de Fuca Marine trail, established in 1995, which runs 30 miles along the same coast line from Sooke to Port Renfrew. Know how to minimize your chance of an encounter, and how to behave if you see bears, wolves, or cougars. The waterfall was one of the top highlights of the trail. SEATTLE-Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Victoria. There was probably 30 people maybe. All three are fantastic. The Juan de Fuca Trail is open year round and reservations are not required for backcountry camping. Bear to mystic: sure it’s an easier day objectively, but this was the last leg of our trip and we were pretty tired. If the lockers are full, hang your food in a tree, away from your tent. For the most part the trail is well marked, however there were a few places where there seemed to be a few paths that you could take and it wasn’t always clear which was the best route. As you start and end at sea level in both directions, it won’t really matter too much which direction you hike. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from May until October. waterproof shoes, gaiters & poles highly recommended. For much of this distance the trail is slightly inland, following the abandoned path of an old telegraph line installed for the safety of shipwrecked sailors. First time using them and am glad I watched a YouTube tutorial on proper use! Featuring over 110 hiking trails around Vancouver, this eBook produced by Outdoor Vancouver is your guide to the best hikes in southwest British Columbia. Gaiters will probably be very helpful with the mud, especially in the spring and early summer. We went South to North. Thank you! Leave nothing valuable in your car. Bear Beach in the morning The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a rugged 47 kilometres (29 mi) wilderness hiking trail located within Juan de Fuca Provincial Park along the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island. Saw no whales but some river otters, sea lions and seals. Driving Time from Vancouver: Half-dayTrailhead Coordinates: Botanical Beach: 48.533435, -124.443411, China Beach: 48.437935, -124.092814. Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, about an hour drive north of Sooke, is the popular and challenging 47 km Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, the southern extension to the famous West Coast Trail. There are 6 high tide cut off points. Distance by the map for day 1: 18 km.Total hiking time: 10 hours. We made sure to check out the incredible waterfall tucked inside a slot canyon just off the beach. Right next door is the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Logistics are much easier. A few of these sections have inland routes you can take if you get cut off by the high tide. Got stung by a wasp which was insanely painful, so bring some antihistamines and afterbite. As we were having our breakfast and packing up, we saw a humpback whale and just after a dolphin in the waters just in front of our campsite. To get an idea of the difficult nature of the trail, consider this: The trail reaches its highest point at about 180 m. Yet the total cumulative elevation gain (estimated) is about 1,700 m! Go with the flow. Cover the hole. Amazing trail. You are encouraged to camp at designated campsites and on the beach when possible to prevent degradation of the inland forest environment. Join us at patreon.com/outdoorvancouver. We made it to Bear Beach around 4:30 in the afternoon and set up our campsite right on the beach. When finished with the fire, fully extinguish it with water. For the Juan de Fuca, use the Port Renfrew Tides. The trail lies just south of the popular West Coast Trail and is often hiked as a more-accessible alternative. Ferry or by airplane (Victoria has an international airport). Taking a break along the trail No trace of the fire should be left behind. The Fees are $5.00 per night based on self-registration (as of 2016 and is subject to change. Located at kilometer 37.6 of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, Parkinson Creek trailhead provides access to a 10 kilometre 4 to 6 hour hike west to Botanical Beach or a 9 kilometre 4 to 5 hour hike east to Sombrio Beach. We were thankful for a shorter day and celebrated being over halfway along the Juan de Fuca. Unfortunately sombrio was insanely busy with front country campers, at least 200 ppl camping on the beach so we kept going another 4km to Kutshie camp and found an amazing beach front spot to camp for the night, outside of the designated camping area. Enjoy the waterfall (which we took a rinse in) at Mystic, and don’t underestimate the final /km to the parking lot - it felt a lot longer for some reason. Lots of ups and downs as there are many water outflows to go through. Campsites are first come, first served with the exception of China Beach Campground – which isn’t really on the trail anyway. Reduce weight at every possible chance. Our pace slowed down so much we began to wonder if we’d make it to Sombrio Beach, which was our desired campsite for the first night. Multiple hikers including us got stung. You can do the hike in two days if you are used to hiking but I would recommend using three days especially if the whole trail is open. As always, it is best to hike by Leave No Trace principles (link in the resources section for more info). Earlier this summer I hiked the 180km Sunshine Coast Trail over 10 days. Throw your raincoat on ASAP when it starts to pour bc the water soaked my tshirt, dripped down my pants, past my gaiters and into my socks and boots... Started Aug 21; 4 days 3 nights. The China Beach day-use and parking area We are committed to keeping Outdoor Vancouver free and independent, but we need to find other ways to continue operating this site.If you like our hiking guides, and would like to help, please consider making a contribution – any amount helps! Mystic Beach looking north You may not be able to pass along the beach during high tide at these points. Outdoor Vancouver © 2020Disclaimer: The information in this website should not be taken as accurate, complete or up-to-date. Use the metal food lockers provided at the campsites to store your food and deter wildlife. Glad i brought my gators due to significant muck. We hiked from Botanical Beach to China Beach over 3 nights and 4 days. The biggest factor may be for logistical reasons of how you plan to get onto and off the trail, and the times of the bus. Got hit with roaming charges since we were so close to the US border, so make sure your roaming settings are turned off. 90% of the trail was dry with about 10% being muddy with a few really bad sections among that. Do not remove rocks, shells, wood, plants, or any other natural items from the park. Join the Outdoor Vancouver Slack Channel to chat about trail suggestions, current hiking conditions, and all things related to hiking around Vancouver and B.C. There will be ongoing constructions and upgrading of … Allows dogs, on-leash (though it is not recommended to bring them due to the difficulty of the trail). You should check this information yourself. Super happy we cut it short since the mud slowed us down big time and also we got hit with an insane rainstorm where we had to hide out at Kuitsche camp for 10 min. Follow the creek inland and upstream and within a few minutes you will see the waterfall! The trail is located in the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park offering scenic beauty, spectacular hiking, wildlife viewing and roaring surf along the Pacific coastline of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is ideal for day hikes. Help keep the drinking water sterile. 11: VICTORIA-Strait of Juan de Fuca east of Victoria; Haro Strait; Boundary Passage; Gulf Islands; Strait of Georgia. As we progressed along the trail, however, it quickly became clear there was indeed a lot of mud on the trail, which significantly slowed down our expected pace. It is a nice beach, and we saw a humpback whale and a dolphin here. If no outhouse is near, dig a hole 7 inches deep, 100 feet away from any water source, and off the trail. pingback: juan de fuca marine trail: china beach to bear beach – al was here. With the Juan de Fuca, you will have your choice of campsites, how many days you wish to hike, and some choices between inland and beach routes. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is found on the southwest of Vancouver Island, and offers beautiful coastal hiking and opportunities for viewing a large … Best not to look at the km markers since it feels like watching a pot boil! The past few days it had been raining so the mud puddles were some of the worst I’ve experienced, so glad I had poles and gaiters. There was one big climb about 2 km before Bear Beach which had about 100 m of elevation, which really tired us out. It is easiest to pay in advance online, but there are self-registration forms at the Botanical Beach and China Beach Trailheads. Use caution. If you have any questions, or advice for future travellers, let’s hear it in the comments below! We did 4 days/ 4 nights. You won’t miss them once you’re out on the trail, and you’ll be thankful your bag is that much lighter. Little Kuitshe Creek leaves something to be desired compared to the other campsites. There is a drive-in campsite at the China Beach area. Plan a route and agree upon everything with your hiking partners. You will receive the file immediately in your email, and will also gain access to the monthly Outdoor Vancouver newsletter. There is a fantastic waterfall at East Sombrio. We left Vancouver early in the morning and caught the ferry from Tsawwassen to Victoria. Think carefully about much food you’ll need. Vancouver Island is… an island. Although most of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is designed for strenuous day or multi-day hiking/camping in this rugged and isolated area, some easy to moderate day hiking opportunities to the beach or along the trail are available starting from the trailheads. But the 26 km we’d already covered had taken a toll, leaving us blistered, wet, sore, and fatigued. The trail from Sombrio Beach to Chin Beach – our targeted campsite for the night – was all inland, and had one huge climb. If that happened, we’d have to double-back to get onto the inland trail, and would surely be hiking into the darkness. Enter your email to receive the free PDF version of this guide, including the gear checklist. Always carry The Essentials and fill out a trip plan. Our hike was mostly uneventful and enjoyable as the trail was so much easier than the previous few days. Payzant Creek is greener and nicer than Little Kuitshe but there is no beach access from this campsite. As we made our way towards Parkinson Creek, however, the trail went inland and became progressively more difficult. Did it in 4 nights. By providing this information, Bottletop Media does not assume any liability for the use of this information by our readers.Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions. did Parkinson to China 4 days with the homies. Took my 11 year old girls on it and they did great. Absolutely outstanding! *For a better understanding of the stats and difficulty rating, check out the Hiking Guides page for details. The trail carries alongside and over beautiful pebble beaches, waterfalls, suspension bridges, and the occasional pit of mud. Entrance to Botanical was completely closed off yesterday due to a “problem bear”/ bear trap set up... which we learned from signage after exiting the park. We stopped in Victoria to grab a few things from MEC and have lunch. 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