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. However, during my research I found out that the best West Coast Trail itinerary was the standard 7-day itinerary that most hikers use. In fact it was nearly identical to the itinerary I ended up with on my 2004 hike.
But lots more options are possible including slower trips for beginner walkers, faster trips for strong hikers, and trips that take in only part of the trail by starting at Nitinaht Narrows.
I’ve set out a few sample itineraries below so you can pick the one that works best for you. To help you decide, I’ve also included some factors you should consider when picking a West Coast Trail itinerary including the best campsites, which direction to hike, when to take the orientation session, the tides and the ferry schedule.
WANT MORE WEST COAST TRAIL INFO? Check out these posts:
- West Coast Trail Basics
- Section-By-Section Overview
- Packing List: Everything You Need to Bring
- Complete Guide to Every Campground
- Transportation: How to Get There, Where to Stay Near the Trailheads
- Coastal Hiking Tips: Advice for Beach Backpacking
Choosing Your West Coast Trail Itinerary
When you are planning your West Coast Trail hike there are a few factors to consider when choosing how many days to take.
First, consider your fitness. How many hours a day can you comfortably walk? How do you do on climbs? Read my section-by-section overview of the West Coast Trail to get an idea of what to expect along the way. Then read my guide to West Coast Trail campgrounds to decide which ones look nicest.
Next figure out your priorities. Do you want to spend lots of time exploring the beaches? Do you want to a rest day where you stay at the same camp for two nights? Is completing the trail in fast-and-light style more your thing? Just because the standard itinerary is 7-days doesn’t mean you need to stick to it.
Lastly, plan for the weather. West Coast Trail weather is notoriously fickle, even in the middle of summer. Keep in mind that any itinerary you choose needs to account for poor weather. On a tight itinerary, you will have to keep walking through heavy rain, which makes everything slippery and dangerous.
But if you opt for a longer itinerary, you have the flexibility to wait out storms a little bit more. (But then of course you’ll have a heavier pack since you have to carry more food.)
Which Direction Should You Hike the West Coast Trail
There are three different places to start the West Coast Trail: In the north at Pachena Bay near Bamfield, in the south at Gordon River near Port Renfrew, and in the middle at Nitinaht Narrows. (If you start in the middle at Nitinaht you can hike either north or south from there, or double back and do both.)
When you make your WCT reservation, you’ll need to pick one of these three starting points. (See the section on West Coast Trail reservations in my Guide to the West Coast Trail for more info on booking.)
In 2004 I hiked the trail south to north. In 2019 I hiked it north to south. Many people I’ve talked to have a clear preference for one direction over the other. Having done it both ways, I have a slight preference for south to north. But honestly, I don’t think it makes a big difference.
Which entrance point and direction you pick will depend on two things: personal preference and availability. The West Coast trail is really popular so you may not be able to book your first choice of start location. Here are the pros and cons of each option.
South to North (Gordon River/Port Renfrew to Pachena Bay/Bamfield)
Pros:
- Get the harder sections out of the way first when you have fresh legs
- Start by taking the ferry so you don’t have to worry about the ferry schedule when you finish
- Easier to arrange transportation with the Trail Bus schedule
Cons:
- Have to hike the hardest sections at the southern end with a heavy pack
North to South (Pachena Bay/Bamfield to Gordon River/Port Renfrew)
Pros:
- Do the easier sections first to warm up
- Hike the harder southern end of the trail with a lighter pack
Cons:
- Have to hike the hardest sections at the southern end when you’re tired. (And you might spend the entire first half of the trail worrying about how hard the second half will be.)
- Arranging transportation with the Trail Bus is less convenient due to their schedule
- You have to catch the ferry across the Gordon River to finish, which only runs a few times a day.
Starting at Nitinaht Narrows
There are two reasons you may want to start at Nitinaht Narrows: you only have the time or fitness to hike a portion of the trail OR the other entrances are booked up for your dates.
However, keep in mind that the only way to reach the Nitinaht Narrows starting point is via water taxi, which makes it more expensive than any of the other starting options. If you start from Nitinaht you can go south, north or both. Here’s the breakdown on each of those options:
Nitinaht Narrows north to Pachena Bay/Bamfield: The shortest and easiest option on the West Coast Trail. Best for less experienced backpackers. Typically takes 3 days to hike the 33km-long section.
Nitinaht Narrows south to Gordon River/Port Renfrew: Includes all the tough sections at the southern end of the trail, plus some of the beautiful beach sections in the middle. Best for experienced backpackers who don’t have the time to complete the whole trail. Typically takes 4-5 days to hike the 43km-long section.
Nitinaht Narrows to one trailhead, then to the other: The only way to complete the whole trail when starting at Nitinaht. You can have two options: The first is to start at Nitinaht, hike to one trailhead, then hike the entire trail back through Nitinaht to the other trailhead. The other is to start at Nitinaht, hike to one trailhead, take the shuttle and water taxi back to Nitinaht Narrows, then hike to the other trailhead. The first option requires more days on the trail while the second requires a lot more money spent on transportation.
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Factoring in the Mandatory West Coast Trail Orientation Session
Every person hiking the West Coast Trail must attend an orientation session. You’ll need to factor the orientation session into your West Coast Trail itinerary.
2024 West Coast Trail Orientation Information
West Coast Trail orientations are a little different than in pre-pandemic years. Parks Canada will send you an email one week before your trip with a link to an orientation video. The video is a narrated power point presentation about the trail that is very similar to the in-person power point presentation given in normal years. All hikers in your group must watch the video before travelling to the trail.
If you are starting the trail from Gordon River or Pachena Bay, you must also also attend a short in-person briefing. Briefings are offered at 10am and 2pm. You can attend the briefing on the day you start or the day before you start.
If you are starting the trail at Nitinaht you must check in at 7am the day you start your hike or before 3:30pm the day before your hike.
When you check in, Parks Canada staff will test each member of your group to make sure you understood the orientation video. Staff will also give short updates on tides, weather, wildlife, and trail conditions.
If you are using the West Coast Express trail bus, their schedule may dictate which orientation you can do. In general, I think it’s best to do your orientation the day before you start or the morning that you start. If you do the afternoon orientation, you won’t have very much time for hiking before it gets dark. This is especially true if you are starting from Gordon River and need to tackle the difficult section with heavy packs.
Factoring in the Tides
Another consideration is the tides. If you have flexibility in your schedule, consult the Tofino tide tables. Try to find dates where the low tide is in the middle of the day so you can maximize the time you spend walking on the beach, rather than in the forest. If you want to take the Owen Point coastal route between Camper Bay and Thrasher Cove, make sure you look at the tide tables for the day you plan to hike that section.
Factoring in the Ferry and Water Taxi Schedules
There are two ferries on the West Coast Trail. The first is across Nitinaht Narrows near KM32. The second is across the Gordon River at the southern trailhead. These ferries have limited schedules so you need keep them in mind when planning your itinerary.
Nitinaht Ferry Schedule: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on an as needed basis (Yell across to the operator if you are coming from the north side.)
Gordon River Ferry Schedule: 8:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. (If you are coming from the north, raise the buoy next to the ladder so the operator knows you want a pickup.)
If you are starting or finishing the trail at Nitinaht Narrows, you’ll need to take a water taxi from the narrows to Nitinaht Village. There is only one trip per day in each direction.
Nitinaht Lake Water Taxi Schedule: 9 am from Nitinaht Village to Nitinaht Narrows. 5 pm: from Nitinaht Narrows to Nitinaht Village.
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Standard 7-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary
This is the itinerary that most people who hike the West Coast Trail do. It doesn’t matter which direction you start your trip from, most hikers complete the West Coast Trail in 7 days and stay at these campsites:
Day 1: Pachena Bay to Michigan Creek or Darling River; 12-14km; 4-6 hours.
Day 2: Michigan Creek OR Darling River to Tsusiat Falls; 11-13km; 4-6 hours.
Day 3: Tsusiat Falls to Cribs Creek; 16.5km; 7-9 hours.
Day 4: Cribs Creek to Walbran Creek; 11km; 4-6 hours.
Day 5: Walbran Creek to Camper Bay; 9.2km; 4-6 hours.
Day 6: Camper Bay to Thrasher Cove; 8.8km; 4-5 hours.
Day 7: Thrasher Cover to Gordon River; 6km; 4-5 hours.
Standard 6-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary
Strong hikers can shave a day off their hike by skipping a night at Thrasher Cove. If you don’t have the tides to go around Owen Point, you can skip the 1km side trail into Thrasher Cove entirely. That will save you time, and save your knees!
Keep in mind that the sections between Camper Bay and Gordon River is very tough. Only very fit and experienced hikers will want to tackle it all in one day. On my first West Coast Trail trip in 2004, we started our trip by doing that section all at once. It was REALLY HARD. I cried.
That being said, now that I have more fitness and experience, I would consider tackling it. (See my section-by-section overview for more info on this part of the trail.)
If you plan to use this itinerary, you’ll need to keep the ferry schedule and orientation session schedule in mind. If you are starting the trail at Gordon River you should do your orientation the night before and then get on the first ferry of the day at 8:30 am.
When I did it, we did the 10 am orientation so we weren’t on the trail until 11:30 am. We staggered into Camper Bay as it was starting to get dark! If you are finishing in Gordon River, keep in mind that the last ferry of the day is at 3:30 pm.
Day 1: Pachena Bay to Michigan Creek or Darling River; 12-14km; 4-6 hours.
Day 2: Michigan Creek OR Darling River to Tsusiat Falls; 11-13km; 4-6 hours.
Day 3: Tsusiat Falls to Cribs Creek; 16.5km; 7-9 hours.
Day 4: Cribs Creek to Walbran Creek; 11km; 4-6 hours.
Day 5: Walbran Creek to Camper Bay; 9.2km; 4-6 hours.
Day 6: Camper Bay to Gordon River; 13km; 7-10 hours.
Off-Beaten-Path 6-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary
This itinerary maximizes the use of less popular campsites so you get more solitude on the trail. However, it does include staying a night at Nitinaht Narrows, which will add to your budget.
As well, it includes a stay at Orange Juice Creek, which doesn’t have a toilet or food cache. If you feel more comfortable with those amenities, adjust the itinerary to stay at Tscowis Creek (KM17) or Darling River (KM14)
Day 1: Pachena Bay to Orange Juice Creek; 15km 5-6 hours
Day 2: Orange Juice Creek to Nitnaht Narrows (paid cabins or camping); 17km; 5-7 hours
Day 3: Nitinaht Narrows to Bonilla Point: 16km; 6-8 hours
Day 4: Bonilla Point to Cullite Creek: 10km; 4-5 hours
Day 5: Cullite Creek to Thrasher Cove: 13km; 6-8 hours
Day 6: Thrasher Cove to Gordon River: 6km; 4-5 hours
Fast 5-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary
This itinerary lets you do the trail in 4 nights and 5 days, perfect for fit and experienced hikers who want to carry less food. It includes some long days on the trail. It also includes the notorious Camper Bay to Gordon River section all at once, so the same cautions I mentioned in the Standard 6-Day itinerary above apply here.
Day 1: Pachena Bay to Klanawa River; 23km; 7-9 hours
Day 2: Klanawa River to Cribs Creek; 18.5km; 8-10 hours
Day 3: Cribs Creek to Walbran Creek; 11km; 4-6 hours.
Day 4: Walbran Creek to Camper Bay; 9.2km; 4-6 hours.
Day 5: Camper Bay to Gordon River; 13km; 7-10 hours.
Super-Fast 4-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary
This 4-day itinerary features some really long days on the trail, but it wouldn’t be too painful for hikers in good shape. Honestly, I think an itinerary like this is a bit fast since you won’t get to savour the West Coast Trail scenery. But I know some people would rather complete the trail in less time.
Day 1: Pachena Bay to Klanawa River: 23km; 7-9 hours
Day 2: Klanawa River to Carmanah Creek: 23km; 7-9 hours
Day 3: Carmanah Creek to Camper Bay: 16km; 6-8 hours
Day 4: Camper Bay to Gordon River; 13km; 7-10 hours.
Relaxed 8-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary
If the long day in the middle of the standard itinerary scares you, plan for 8 days on the trail instead. You can pay to stay in a cabin or camp at Nitinaht Narrows. Another option for an 8-day itinerary would be to use the standard 7-day itinerary, then take a rest day somewhere. Tsusiat Falls is a popular spot to do that.
Day 1: Pachena Bay to Michigan Creek or Darling River; 12-14km; 4-6 hours.
Day 2: Michigan Creek OR Darling River to Tsusiat Falls; 11-13km; 4-6 hours.
Day 3: Tsusiat Falls to Nitinaht Narrows (paid): 7km; 3-4 hours
Day 4: Nitinaht Narrows to Cribs Creek: 11km; 4-5 hours
Day 5: Cribs Creek to Walbran Creek; 11km; 4-6 hours.
Day 6: Walbran Creek to Camper Bay; 9.2km; 4-6 hours.
Day 7: Camper Bay to Thrasher Cove; 8.8km; 4-5 hours.
Day 8: Thrasher Cover to Gordon River; 6km; 4-5 hours.
Beginner-Friendly 10-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary
This beginner friendly itinerary has lots of short days to avoid fatigue. However, it is a 10-day itinerary, which means your pack might get heavy with all the extra food. Plan to eat lunch and dinner at The Crab Shack at Nitinaht Narrows on day 3, then breakfast there on day 4 to save food weight.
Day 1: Pachena Bay to Michigan Creek or Darling River; 12-14km; 4-6 hours.
Day 2: Michigan Creek OR Darling River to Tsusiat Falls; 11-13km; 4-6 hours.
Day 3: Tsusiat Falls to Nitinaht Narrows (paid): 7km; 3-4 hours
Day 4: Nitinaht Narrows to Cribs Creek: 11km; 4-5 hours
Day 5: Cribs Creek to Bonilla Point: 6.5km; 2-3 hours
Day 6: Bonilla Point to Walbran Creek: 5km; 2-3 hours
Day 7: Walbran Creek to Cullite Creek: 5km; 2-3 hours
Day 8: Cullite Creek to Camper Bay: 4km; 2-3 hours
Day 9: Camper Bay to Thrasher Cove; 8.8km; 4-5 hours.
Day 10: Thrasher Cover to Gordon River; 6km; 4-5 hours.
Easy 3-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary Starting at Nitinaht Narrows
If you choose to start the trail at Nitinaht Narrows and want an easy and scenic hike, head north from the Narrows. You’ll enjoy some beautiful beach hiking and gorgeous Tsusiat Falls on your first two days. Your last day is an easy-ish walk through the forest.
Day 1: Nitinaht Narrows to Tsusiat Falls: 7km; 3-4 hours
Day 2: Tsusiat Falls to Michigan Creek OR Darling River: 11-13km; 4-6 hours.
Day 3: Michigan Creek or Darling River to Pachena Bay: 12-14km; 4-6 hours.
5-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary Starting at Nitnaht Narrows
If you’re looking for a harder option starting from Nitinaht Narrows, head south. The first two days are gorgeous beach walking. The last three days are more challenging with lots of inland trail and ladders.
Day 1: Nitinaht Narrows to Cribs Creek: 11km; 4-5 hours
Day 2: Cribs Creek to Walbran Creek; 11km; 4-6 hours.
Day 3: Walbran Creek to Camper Bay; 9.2km; 4-6 hours.
Day 4: Camper Bay to Thrasher Cove; 8.8km; 4-5 hours.
Day 5: Thrasher Cover to Gordon River; 6km; 4-5 hours.
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So now you should have all the info you need to choose your West Coast Trail itinerary. Don’t forget to take into account the West Coast Trail Express shuttle bus schedule and the pre-trip orientation session when you plan your trip. For your first time, I recommend the standard 7-Day West Coast Trail Itinerary, but if you want something a bit different, I’d pick the Off-the-Beaten-Path itinerary to stay at some of the less popular campsites.
MORE WEST COAST TRAIL POSTS:
- Your Guide to the West Coast Trail in British Columbia
- West Coast Trail Section-By-Section Overview
- West Coast Trail Packing List: Everything You Need to Bring
- West Coast Trail Camping: Your Complete Guide
- West Coast Trail Transportation: How to Get There
- Coastal Hiking Tips: Advice for Beach Backpacking
MORE VANCOUVER ISLAND POSTS:
- Juan De Fuca Trail Guide: Backpacking on Vancouver Island
- North Coast Trail Guide: Backpacking on Vancouver Island
- Cape Scott Trail Guide: Hiking and Camping on Northern Vancouver Island
- Wild Side Trail: Hiking and Camping Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to the Pacific Marine Circle Route on Vancouver Island
- How to Visit Avatar Grove, Big Lonely Doug and Other Big Trees on Vancouver Island
- 30 Best Backpacking Trips in BC
- 25+ Women’s Adventure Books That Will Inspire You - April 2, 2024
- Dehydrated Mushroom Risotto For Backpacking - March 31, 2024
- Dehydrating Food For Backpacking: A Beginner’s Guide - March 15, 2024
sandra
Monday 31st of July 2023
Hi Taryn. Do you know if it is possible to do the orientation at one end prior to taking the bus to the other end? For us, this would be ideal from a timing perspective.
PS: Super great resource. Thanks for taking the time to create this site for others.
Taryn Eyton
Tuesday 1st of August 2023
You can take the orientation at any trailhead. You can take the afternoon orientation the day before you start or any orientation on the day you start. However, if you start at Nitinaht, you must do your orientation at Nitinaht
Chaz
Sunday 2nd of April 2023
Taryn, thank you for this website! What an amazing collection of info. I’ve hiked the Olympic coast many times, and I’m looking to expand my adventures…Toleak point is a special place, I’m glad you’ve been! You haven’t seen a sunset until Toleak.
Anyhow, fast and light is my jam, I could walk the shore all day if tides etc allowed. I’m thinking of linking the WCT with the JFT for an extended trip, north to south, 7-8 nights’ish?
I was wondering if you could offer any insight on the link (or the idea in general), it looks like just a couple miles of road between the end of the WCT and start of JFT? I guess I’m wondering, with the ferry ride, if I should budget most of a day there for the transition between trails?
I did Shi Shi to Oil City in 5 nights last summer but had arranged a ride from Rialto to 3rd beach. It seems the Olympic coast has much more strict tidal requirements, as that was my limiting factor most days. Negative or very low tides were needed, that doesn’t seem the case with any of this trail system?
Any other suggestions of being able to get up in the mileage would be welcome! I looked over north coast too…which seems a good alternative. My sweet spot is 13-15 miles a day, looking for something sub 100 miles…
Sorry for all the questions! And thank you again!
Chaz
Thursday 13th of April 2023
@Taryn Eyton, thank you for the info! I happen see two dates I can make work so maybe I should just snap one up for now and cancel if I can't get the time off (I'm considering next year too). The Olympic Coast comparison is very helpful, I'm now thinking 10 nights might be the sweet spot, which allows for two shorter rest days, one at the start (orientation at 2pm then hit the trail) and one in between trails, and puts me on the 11 days you suggest. My base weight is 12-15# depending on camera equipment, food is typically my limiter. It seems I don't have to make reservations once on the trail which is actually pretty nice...so I can speed up or slow down as needed, allowing to plan for longer just in case.
Last question, and I'll google this as well, after my super size lunch at the Port Renfrew Pub, is there a store where i can resupply? ...hopefully with hiker friendly food?
Thank you again for the info, how can i best contribute to your endeavors here?
Taryn Eyton
Sunday 2nd of April 2023
There are 8 km/5 mi of road between the JDF and WCT. You can likely hitch hike at least part of it, but it would take under 2 hour to walk. (Although you'll pass the Port Renfrew Pub on the way so I'd allow time for lunch!) In order to hike the WCT you need a reservation, and reservations opened last week so at this point you'll have to see if you can get a cancellation as the season is pretty much sold out. Once you have a reservation, you need to attend an orientation before you an start the WCT so if you are doing the JDF first, you'll need to factor that into your transition day. The WCT and JDF are both fairly slow going in places. They have more inland trail than the Olympic Coast. 7-8 days to complete both trails would be quite fast, but doable for a very experienced coastal hiker. The average hiker would take about 10-11 days to complete both.
Andrew
Wednesday 16th of March 2022
Hello Taryn, I was hoping to get clarification on one point you made about the orientation meetings. At one point you said you have to do the 2pm the day before, or the 10 the day of. Then a few paragraphs later you commented that doing the 2pm doesn't leave much time to hike. These comments seemed to contradict each other so I was wondering if there was a change that caused the discrepancy or if you actually can't do the 2pm the day you start. Tha seems rough due to the schedule of the shuttle bus for the north to south group. Lots of great info, I am just trying to clarify in my mind.
Pam Stockton
Monday 13th of June 2022
@Andrew, just back from our hike. We did the 2 pm orientation at Pachena. If you start on the North end there is plenty of time to hike to Michigan…could be tight on the south end depending on your hiking speed.
Taryn Eyton
Thursday 17th of March 2022
Sorry if that wasn't clear. You can do the orientation the day before your hike or the day of your hike - That means that you can do the orientation briefing at 10 am or 2pm the day before you start or at 10 am or 2pm the day you start. In that part of the post I recommend doing the briefing the day before or the morning you start - if you do the 2pm briefing on the day you start your hike you'll end up with a short day that isn't a lot of time to get to the first campsite. It is true that the shuttle bus schedule doesn't align well with some of the schedules. You may need to stay overnight in Bamfield if going north to south to make some of the itinerary options work.
Matt D
Friday 6th of August 2021
Hi Taryn
South to North I am looking at your 8 day itinerary and thinking night #5 of our 7 night trip should be at Nitinaht (booking a cabin) and that should still gives us ample time to catch a bus from Pachena @ 1:45pm back to Victoria on Day 8.
Taryn Eyton
Tuesday 10th of August 2021
The last day out from Michigan to Pachena is not difficult so as long as you leave early, you should be fine.
Rene R.
Wednesday 7th of July 2021
Hi Taryn,
Thank you for sharing this. Planning this trip alone and found it very helpful to put down my own travel itinerary.
I am to Canada, moved here back in October 2020, and new to such remote hikes (done multiple multi-day backpacking trips in Peru, New Zealand Greenland and Australia) and somehow West Coast Trail is taking the medal for most confusing everything.
Guiding through all the information and possibilities, I am impressed how you manage to explain an itinerary in such a detail without being wordy or confusing. Concise!
I put together a travel itinerary for myself and would love to have a "second opinion" on it, as I have literally no one else I could ask for help. Would you eventually catch up over email to discuss further?
Thank you.
Taryn Eyton
Thursday 8th of July 2021
Hi Rene, I'm glad you found it helpful. I do offer one-on-one consulting services to help plan trips. You can email me (taryn at happiestoutdoors dot ca) to discuss how that works.