REGION History

“The West Coast Trail, originally called the Dominion Lifesaving Trail, is a 75 km (47 mi) long backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of survivors of shipwrecks along the coast, part of the treacherous Graveyard of the Pacific. It is now part of Pacific Rim National Park and is often rated by hiking guides as one of the world’s top hiking trails.”

Wikipedia
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Tripadvisor

Raving Reviews

tripadvisor.com – West Coast Trail five stars

Graham L

“A walk in paradise”

Listening to the whales and sea lions while hiking proved to be some of the best trail I have ever been on. Each part of the world is a bit different for hiking adventures and this trail is not to be missed. It is not an overly difficult trail and one that should be completed at an easy pace to maximize its beauty.

Reviewed 23 July 2015

Clark P

“Amazing trail.”

Went from May 3-9th. Soloed it. It was an amazing experience. Avoid anything green/ red on any rock surfaces and you should be fine. Tread lightly. Hiking poles are your best friends. Great scenery, great campsites, great people. Do it, if you have a chance.

Reviewed 15 May 2015

Digerati_Cypher

“Bucket list hike – a must do”

Challenging yes, but the rewards FAR outweigh the challenge. If you search for pictures of the WCT online it will give you a good idea of the hike; the scenery, the ladders, the cable cars etc. Your mind will be blown by the beauty of this hike. Prepare physically for it, take time to prepare your kit for it ( keep it as light as possible!), then enjoy! …

Reviewed 25 July 2015

The West Coast Trail

Bucket List Hike

The West Coast Trail is a seventy kilometres (forty-seven miles) long backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of survivors of shipwrecks along the coast, part of the treacherous Graveyard of the Pacific. It is now part of Pacific Rim National Park and is often rated by hiking guides as one of the world’s top hiking trails.
Take a Closer Look ›

168hrs
Avg time To Complete
75KM
47 miles
1907
established
May –
Sept

open Season

Hiking The Coast

“Soft sandy beaches, rainforests, and the sound of the Pacific Ocean await hikers along the Vancouver Island coast. Tide pools burst with marine life at Botanical Beach along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail.”

HelloBC.com

First Nations

Heritage

“The Ditidaht First Nation, along with the Pacheddaht and Huu-ay-aht people, has always lived along the west coast of Vancouver Island. Our ancestors created many of the hiking trails and paddling routes in this land for the purpose of trade and travel. Some of our traditional communities and cultural places, along with a once life saving trail established for survivors of ship wrecks along the coast, became part of the newly created Pacific Rim National Park in 1973.”

westcoasttrail.com

Coastal Experiences

Make sure you experience these wild coast array of things to tempt and taunt the senses.

  1. Distinctively Canadian

    Indulge your senses by viewing the most impressive Canadian Art collections, sampling uniquely local flavours, and experiencing our diverse history.

  2. Stay with us

    Whether you want to stay in a cozy bed & breakfast, cottage or inn, or upgrade to one of the many extraordinary resorts or vacation homes – we have it all. It’s easy to spend a relaxing or invigorating vacation here.

  3. Attend a Festival

    Art, music, and culture. Our region is a hot bed of activity year round. With the Tall Trees Festival, Bluegrass Festival, Sooke Fine Arts Show, our many Art festivals, Canada Day, Festival of trees and the Pacific Rim Whale Festival we celebrate our Island culture and environment.

  1. Hike the WCT

    The West Coast Trail is a world renowned backpacking trail. Open from May 1st until September 30th, this gruelling 75 km (47 mi) trek is well worth the challenge for the breathtaking examples of the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

  2. Sea To Sky Hiking

    Discover the raw beauty and uncharted nature of the CRD. From seasoned backpackers to amateur day hikers you can traverse up to the tallest peaks and back down to the rocky shores of the Juan de Fuca by hiking historical trails.

  3. Going Coastal

    Our Coast has long been inspiration to all kinds of musicians, writers and painters. It is not hard to see why – take a walk through ancient forests with gnarled trees and green canopies, explore hidden creeks and spot eagles taking flight or bears ambling through the undergrowth.