But the information provided is clear and succinct. Information on cycling tours, events, cyclefriendly accommodations and restaurants, bike rentals, cycling organizations, transportation and maps to guide you through cycle tours of vancouver island and the san juan and gulf islands. An avid hiker and climber for more than 40 years, he has hiked in locations all over the globe, but especially in british columbia and on vancouver island. Holland creek hiking trails ladysmith all you need to. There is a selection of victoria and vancouver island hiking books available, including a 3 book series and several others to take with you on. The trek typically encompasses five days and 60 km 37 mi of.
Aug 24, 2017 there are a wide variety of scenic trails, ranging from easy day hikes to challenging multiday treks that meander along the ocean, plunge into lush rain forests or plop hikers on top of a mountain with dramatic, mindblowing views. Coastal hikes guidebook to west coast hiking trails on vancouver island, british columbia and the olympic. Hiking the west coast of vancouver island greystone books ltd. Cycling opportunities on vancouver island, the gulf islands. Vancouer island winter hiking, a storm chasers secrets.
Vancouver island is covered in a dense temperate rainforest, and if youve ever tried making your way through it, you know to stick to trails and paths. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Home to the worldfamous west coast trail, once a lifeline for marooned sailors and still among the most breathtaking yet demanding hikes on the continent, the island s western shores also feature lesserknown coastal trails for all abilities. Traversing both ancient and working forests, and wild coasts, while joining island communities, the trail in its entirety will be a 23 monthlong journey.
Featuring more than 50 trails on canadas west coast, this onestop guide to hiking vancouver island takes hikers from the rugged windswept coast of cape scott provincial park to the urban wonder trails of victorias galloping goose to the ancient and silent forests of the. Boardwalk trails on vancouver island vancouver island hikes. The 10 best vancouver island hiking trails tripadvisor. Vancouver island trail running series 1200 vancouver street, victoria, british columbia v8v 0a4 rated 4. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The rugged west coast of vancouver island offers some of the most spectacular and storied hiking in the pacific northwest, including the worldfamous west coast trail. Jocelyn hill is the centrepiece of gowlland tod provincial park on vancouver island.
Great descriptions of seaside hikes on vancouver island. Hiking trail information in victoria, saanich, sooke, goldstream provincial park, and throughout the southern vancouver island region sorted by difficulty. Exploring the trails of nanaimo, bc tourism nanaimo. Hiking the gulf islands of british columbia harbour publishing. Home to the worldfamous west coast trail, once a lifeline for marooned sailors and still among the most breathtaking yet demanding hikes on the. From easy day hikes with minimal elevation change to multiday backpacking adventures, there is a trail for everyone ready to get their boots wet. Aug 14, 2014 best hikes and walks of southwest british columbia by dawn hanna. Hikers are drawn here by the outstanding scenery, and many come simply for the challenge. For decades most hikers in the vancouver area have used 103 hikes in southwestern british.
Im looking for one or two great day hikes on the island that still be doable even if there is snowfall. The most popular trails are the west coast trail, sloquet creek hot springs and clear creek hot springs. The west coast trail is a worldfamous backpacking expedition along vancouver islands coastline. Jun 01, 2003 outdoor enthusiasts shannon and lissa cowan share their intimate knowledge of the bestloved hikes on vancouver island. Hike the island will leave a lasting impression, and give you countless new stories to share.
Featuring more than 50 trails on canadas west coast, this onestop guide to hiking vancouver island takes hikers from the rugged windswept coast of cape scott provincial park to the urban wonder trails of victorias galloping goose to the ancient and silent forests of the islands interior. The majority of the hiking trails in british columbia are located in the regional, provincial and national parks in the province. Its the only known remaining first nations village with standing remains. A trekkers guide to the west coast trail a highly recommended, honesty and funny book on the wct also the book sold at both trailheads by parks canada hiking the west coast of vancouver island. Home to 20 parks, including several provincial and regional parks, each with its own network of hiking trails, scenic outlooks, centuriesold trees, and local wildlife, vancouver island s parksville community and surrounding region are certainly a huge part of that draw. Orca books publishes some of the most popular day hiking guidebooks. Yet it is not the only spectacular hike along the pacific. Questions or comments can be sent by email through the contact us form.
Data from the past nine editions has been preserved and revised, with new trails and colour maps added. Vidra maintains land stewardship of three offroad recreation areas on the island. Victoria and vancouver island hiking books victoria trails. Outdoor enthusiasts shannon and lissa cowan share their intimate knowledge of the bestloved hikes. Hiking trails sorted by difficulty victoria trails. Here you will find out more about the book, as well as some basic background information about the park. Escape from the city and explore the abundance of life in the forest as you trek along your choice of multiuse trails throughout the island. I imagine a coastal hike is our best bet, and im looking for recommendations. With over 170 kilometers of trails connecting our streets and parks, communities and businesses, the journey is as impressive as the destination. We see orca whales close to shore perhaps 1 out of every 5 visits to this park. A guide to vancouver island s greatest hiking adventures regional hiking series cowan, shannon, cowan, lissa on. Located on the remote, west coast of vancouver island, the 75 km west coast trail offers an unforgettable experience. Follow the footsteps of shipwrecked sailors and explore the graveyard of the pacific.
The della falls trail is considered to be the highest waterfall in canada at 1440 meters 1443 ft and is one of the most popular hikes in the central island region. Hike across the spine of vancouver island, paradise. As part of the rei coop family, were dedicated to making websites and mobile apps that help outdoor enthusiasts connect, share information and get out into the places where they love to play. The completely revised and updated 10th edition of hiking trails 3 is your guide to strathcona park and the trails of north vancouver island, including hornby, quadra, malcolm and nootka islands.
The vancouver island portion of the trans canada trail starts in victoria traveling north where it connects to the mainland by ferry. Pretty much any alpine destination on the island is potential snowshoe territory. Given to me as a christmas gift in the 90s, the dawn hanna book is the first hiking book i owned and really got me into hiking, the nice thing about this book is it has colour photos, colour maps, and a wide range of easy, intermediate, and difficult trails that cover the north shore, sea to sky, pemberton, and chilliwack. Karl woll, a local hiking enthusiast and author of the e book the great hikes of vancouver, says hiking is a popular outdoor activity and its one with few barriers for tenderfeet who want to get started. Hike the island the official hiking group of vancouver island. The truly unique experience with being in the alpine on vancouver island is the breathtaking views of the pacific ocean in the distance. Book well in advance since there are a limited number of spaces available and the trail is only open from may 1 to sept. The wild pacific trail is one of vancouver islands prettiest trails and you can take one section which is about 45mins or do the whole trail which is about 8 km long. The 10 best vancouver island hiking trails with photos. Sep 22, 2016 i would like to take my girlfriend to vancouver island for the new year. Vancouver island mountain biking trails trailforks. A new third entrance has now been added at nitinaht, allowing hikers to do half the trail.
Victoria to nanaimo and family walks and hikes of vancouver island volume 2. For years bcs hiking bible was 103 hikes in southwestern british columbia. Greg bickford, who has contributed a number of trails for vancouver island, has this to say about off season hikes. Mar 24, 2014 theo is the author of numerous bestselling guidebooks published by rmb, including popular day hikes. Unlike dryer forests, you cant see the ground, let alone guess what youre stepping on. Situated at the midpoint of the world famous hiking trail in pacific rim national park, west coast trail comfort camping offers ecofriendly rustic luxury to hikers in need of a nights rest, as well as outdoor adventurers visiting via nitinaht lake. Check out the books island alpine or the hiking trails series, i, ii or iii. Located at the northern tip of vancouver island, cape scott is home to some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes on the island. Hiking the west coast of vancouver island greystone books. It is headlands hiking so it is moderately gnarly, requiring some scrambling on hands and feet. This trail is 55 km in length starting from sidney to downtown victoria and then going all the way to sooke. You park at the end of great central lake and either canoe or get a water taxi the full distance of the lake. Hiking the west coast of vancouver island on apple books.
Designed to accommodate even the busiest of schedules, or the most casual of vacations. From multiday trips that require you to pack in and pack out your gear, to casual walks around a pristine lake, there are trails for hikers and walkers of all skill levels. Hiking trails 1 victoria area hiking trails 2 southcentral vancouver island hiking trails 3 northern vancouver island ive been using trails 2. Read more west coast trail pacific rim national park reserve. With the weather changing every 5 minutes, it is important to be well prepared while hiking in this amazing place. A permit is needed through parks canada to do the popular hike. Old logging roads and hiking trails crisscross vancouver island in british columbia, providing easy access to alpine areas and inspiring mountain scenery. Ride, drive, and cycle along the ocean shore on scenic marine route, a trail that follows the pacific coast.
Now you can read the descriptions right beside the maps, often with photos of geographic. Some are built only for hiking, while others are shareduse trails. Vancouver island revised and updated, seaside walks on vancouver island, family walks and hikes of vancouver island volume 1. Descriptions of the trails are therefore provided on the park page. Hiking the west coast of vancouver island book king. Stroll through a dense tropical rainforest on a wooden boardwalk at rainforest trail. True to its name, the great trail embodies the vastness of our terrain and the diversity of our people. Home to the worldfamous west coast trail, once a lifeline for marooned sailors and still among the most breathtaking yet demanding hikes on the continent, the islands western shores also feature lesserknown coastal trails for all abilities. The book features several trails from the vancouver, bc, region including popular hikes like the diez vistas, whistler train wreck, abby grind. Tim leadem is a lawyer by profession and a member of the bar in british columbia. Biking and hiking highlights vancouver island bc canada. Nanaimo is the physical centre of vancouver island, nestled between the salish sea and mount benson, and home to some of the regions best backcountry hiking. As the longest recreational trail in the world, the great trail offers a wide range of activities through a variety of landscapes urban, rural and wilderness, along greenways, waterways and roadways.
Dec 21, 2017 why are there so many boardwalk trails on vancouver island. Hike across the spine of vancouver island, paradise meadows. Or, you could do something really fun and hike right across the spine of vancouver island. Hiking the west coast trail on vancouver island outdoor. Bonus points if you can see a mountain from the hike. Crisscrossing the island, old logging roads and hiking trails provide easy access to alpine areas and inspiring mountain scenery. This book is much better than the average hiking guide. Vancouver islands 7 best coastal hikes explore magazine. Lissa cowan featuring more than 50 trails on canadas west coast, this onestop guide takes hikers from the rugged windswept coast of cape scott park to the urban wonder trails of victorias galloping goose. I optin to receive email updates, news and information from vancouver trails about local hiking information, events, deals on gear, and other outdoor related updates. A signature recreation destination in canada, the vancouver island trail will span more than 770 km from victoria to cape scott.
Also, i did a few snowshoe trips last year around mt. The west coast trail, pacific rim national park reserve, parks canada logo hikers enjoying the trail narrator the west coast trail is a multiday backcountry hike along the west shoreline of vancouver island. Hiking the west coast of vancouver island an updated and comprehensive guide to all major trails book. Welcome to the website for the cape scott and the north coast trail. Here are some of the finest hikes on vancouver island and around vancouver. Hike the island was built around the vision of thoroughly exploring, raising awareness, and mapping the entirety of the trails on vancouver island. The best vantages come before the summit, when you break out of the trees and onto stunning mossy bluffs. There are numerous easy to moderate level trails starting from these two main access points in the park. It is a difficult, multiday hike along the rugged southern west coast of vancouver island. Nestled in the strait of georgia between british columbias mainland and vancouver island, the gulf islands are a hikers paradise, each. You can access many places along the trail and some of them have free parking. The pinnacle for hiking and alpine enthusiasts on vancouver island is to successfully hike and summit its tallest peak, the golden hinde.
Fullpage maps, essential trail information, vivid photographs and a heck of a lot more. The definitive guide to hiking western vancouver island, now in an updated third edition. The vancouver island dirt riders association vidra supports the growth and sustainability of offroad dirtbiking for racers and recreational riders on vancouver island, british columbia. Hiking on vancouver island escape from the city and explore the abundance of life in the forest as you trek along your choice of multiuse trails throughout the island. Featuring more than 50 trails on canadas west coast, this onestop guide to hiking vancouver island takes hikers from the rugged windswept coast of cape scott provincial park to the urban wonder trails of victorias galloping goose to the ancient and. Coastal hikes guidebook to west coast hiking trails on vancouver. The great hikes of vancouver best vancouver hikes series. Hiking the west coast trail on vancouver island the.
Here are 37 long distance and backpacking trails in canada. The length of the trail is approximately 200 km and passes through scenic forest, mountain, coastal rural areas, and provincial parks. The most beautiful hiking trail on the island, or at least a close second to the west coast trail, and one of the prettiest in canada. Vancouver island is home to some of the most spectacular hiking trails in canada. Best hikes and walks of southwest british columbia by dawn hanna. The rugged west coast of vancouver island offers some of the most spectacular and storied hiking in the pacific northwest. A complete guide to hiking in iceland guide to iceland. Read on to discover all there is to know about hiking in iceland. Hiking books for vancouver and south western british columbia. Southern vancouver island, greater victoria and vicinity gail f. Are all hiking trails open throughout the year and what should be packed for those looking to undertake a long hike. The trails listed below are either located outside established parks, or are significant enough to warrant inclusion in this section on vancouver island. We are a community building a 770 km wilderness trail, from victoria to cape scott, tiptotip, the length of our island.
The west coast trail is one of the most famous hiking trails in all of canada. Running trails near vancouver island trail run project. Less challenging than backpacking, day hikes provide lifetime memories of peaceful walks, bird watching and. Vancouver island trail running series home facebook. Hiking books for southwest british columbia vancouver trails. Trails in british columbia vancouver island news, events. The worlds bestknown coastal hike is on vancouver islandthe west coast trail.