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 …
Backpacking Guides
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 …
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 …
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 …
Organizing transportation to the West Coast Trail can be one of the most complicated parts of the hike. There are a few different options for getting to the start and getting back from the finish, and it can be hard to figure out which one makes the most sense for you. I have also talked …
The West Coast Trail is a wilderness experience: each night you’ll pitch your tent on a remote beach and listen to the waves crash as you fall asleep. I’ve hiked the West Coast Trail twice and visited all of the campgrounds. And I can tell you… some of them are definitely nicer than others. (And …
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 …
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. …
The West Coast Trail is a 75km multi-day backpacking trip along the West Coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Along the way, you’ll hike through the rainforest on rough trail, boardwalks and mud bogs, walk along sandy beaches, boulders, and slippery coastal shelf, cross rivers on high bridges and cable cars, and climb in …
If you’re looking to explore some of Olympic National Park’s rugged coastline, I recommend hiking to Toleak Point from Third Beach. It’s a moderately challenging trail that travels along beaches and across steep headlands. The area around Toleak Point is dotted with dozens of offshore islands and sea stacks, making it really picturesque. Plus there …