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Heads up: The Juan de Fuca Trail is closed in summer 2025 due to significant storm damage. It is not possible to hike the entire trail, but you can visit Mystic Beach and East Sombrio Beach. The Juan de Fuca Trail covers 47 challenging kilometres along the coast of southwestern Vancouver Island. I’ve hiked the …

Read More about Juan de Fuca Trail Itinerary and Section-by-Section Overview

Heads up: The Juan de Fuca Trail is closed in summer 2025 due to significant storm damage. It is not possible to hike the entire trail, but you can visit Mystic Beach and East Sombrio Beach. The Juan de Fuca Trail is a multi-day hike along the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, …

Read More about Juan De Fuca Trail Guide: Backpacking on Vancouver Island

The North Coast Trail is a challenging 43km multi-day backpacking trip along the northern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. I hiked the trail twice (to research my book, Backpacking on Vancouver Island). I’ve put together a section-by-section overview of the North Coast Trail to give you a taste of the trail and help …

Read More about North Coast Trail Itinerary and Section-By-Section Overview

The North Coast Trail is a multi-day wilderness hike across the very northern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It’s a challenging and remote hike through old-growth rainforest, along beaches, and across muddy coastal bogs. The 43-kilometre-long hike is difficult but beautiful. I hiked the trail twice (to research my book Backpacking on …

Read More about North Coast Trail: Backpacking on Vancouver Island

If you aren’t used to backpacking in the Canadian Rockies, it can be tough to figure out what to pack for the Rockwall Trail. It’s a high elevation route that crosses lots of windy, treeless mountain passes. But the camps are deep in shady valley bottoms. I hiked it in mid-August last year and came …

Read More about Rockwall Trail Packing List: Everything You Need to Bring

Cape Scott Provincial Park is at the very northern tip of Vancouver Island. It’s a remote but beautiful place: old-growth rainforest, coastal bog, gorgeous white sand beaches, and lots of historical sites. It’s a 23.6km hike from the trailhead to the lighthouse at Cape Scott, so most visitors do it as a backpacking trip, staying …

Read More about Cape Scott Trail Guide: Hiking and Camping on Northern Vancouver Island

Packing for the West Coast Trail can be a little bit confusing. Your pack needs to be light, but it also needs to contain everything you need, including lots of food and waterproof gear. The first time I hiked the West Coast Trail in 2004 I was really inexperienced and used mostly borrowed gear. My …

Read More about West Coast Trail Packing List: Everything You Need to Bring

Due to the way the campgrounds are spaced out, and the placement of the difficult trail sections, most people use a 6 or 7 day West Coast Trail itinerary. When I first hiked the trail in 2004, we just winged it. But when I was planning my 2019 trip I worked out tons of options. …

Read More about 7-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary (Plus More Itinerary Options)