West Coast Trail

May to

September

Kilometers

Days

9h 32m

FKT (Standard)

About the Route

WHY TREK IT?

The West Coast Trail is considered Canada’s most beautiful hiking route. It’s almost like an obstacle course with 70 ladders, 130 bridges, and seemingly endless boardwalks in variable conditions, not to mention giant boulders and fallen trees to scramble over. When you’re not walking through mud and rocky dirt, you’ll be trudging through sand, so don’t expect to set any speed records.

“There was knee-deep mud in spots (thank god for gaiters), but the scenery was gorgeous — old growth forest, ferns, moss, and the intoxicating smell of cedar.”

- Lindsay Shapka

The West Coast Trail runs from Port Renfrew to Bamfield along the west coast of Vancouver Island, through Pacific Rim National Park. Most hikers take 5 days for the journey, accounting for a slow pace of travel. There’s not a ton of elevation, but the technical and unpredictable terrain can wear on you just as easily as steep inclines, so don’t underestimate the challenge.