West Coast Trail – What You Need to Know
The West Coast Trail (WCT) is a physically demanding 75 kilometre (45 mile) hike stretching from Port Renfrew in the south to Bamfield in the north along the west coast of Vancouver Island. It’ i’s only open on a seasonal basis (May 1st until September 30th) and for good reason considering the likelihood of poor weather outside of that timeframe.
The West Coast Trail enjoys an international reputation for its beauty and difficulty even though it’s only 75 km (46.6 miles) long. It’s on the wish list of most serious hikers – but even if you’re in great shape, plan on anywhere between six to eight days to do it properly.
If you do decide to do it outside of the shoulder seasons – be warned that you won’t be alone. Some campsites in summer end up overflowing with people, so it may not be the solitary experience you’re hoping for.
Hiking Canada’s famous West Coast Trail is for you if you like to see what you’re made of. Every year more than 7,500 people attempt it between May 1st and September 30th. It’s almost a rite of hiking passage to be able to say that you survived the trail.
The West Coast Trail offers the best and the worst of hiking experiences. It is stunningly beautiful when the sun is shining and there isn’t a campsite along the trail that doesn’t offer a memorable setting.
But if it’s been raining, which it does frequently (you are in a temperate rain forest after all), then look out for above-the-knee kind of mud on slippery boardwalks through dark rainforest – and hypothermia-like conditions. Go physically and mentally prepared.
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There is a book Blisters and Bliss in its tenth edition that is considered the bible for the WCT- along with a detailed map of the West Coast Trail you might want to have ahead of time.
West Coast Trail summary
Number of days needed: Most hikers spend 6 – 8 days on the trail hiking the 75 km. A popular spot for a rest day is Tsusiat Falls.
Distance: 75 km one way
Elevation gain and loss: Approximately 1,222 metres
When to go: The most popular month to do the West Coast Trail is July and August when the weather is usually at its best.
Campsites: On the West Coast Trail campsites usually fill the first day they open, but you can pick up cancellations. Book a West Coast Trail reservation here but be flexible with your dates and which trailhead you start at. Reservations open on January 20, 2025 at 8 AM PT.
Standby: There are no longer any standby spaces to hike the West Coast Trail.
Solo hiking: Many people hike it solo – but you need to be aware of the hazards including the fact you could run into a black bear, slip on greasy boardwalks, or freeze in fright on a ladder. Other hikers, are at risk for all of this too, BUT being alone in the wilderness does carry extra risks. Carry an InReach Mini or SPOT in case you run into trouble.
Dogs: Not permitted on the West Coast Trail.
Tides: Tide tables are distributed at the mandatory orientation so you can figure out when beach walking is an option. You can also download them way in advance so you can figure out before you start the hike.
Backup for campsites: Didn’t get a campsite reservation? All is not lost. Sign up and be the first to know when there is a cancellation for your desired trip dates by visiting Schnerp or Campnab.
Costs to hike the West Coast Trail
Budget for the following.
- Reservation fee – $25.75
- West Coast Trail Overnight Use Permit – $160 per person
- National Park entry fee – $11.00 per day or purchase a National Park Discovery Pass, good for a year
- Ferries – Gordon Bay and Nitinat River – $28 per person per ferry
- Water taxi fee – $62.50 per person from Nitinaht Village to Nitinaht Narrows one way – should you decide to do an abbreviated version of the trail.
- Fees to get to and from the trailhead: Depends if you drive.
- Accommodation the night before in Port Renfrew or Bamfield – variable.
- Meals – Add in food for one extra day on the trail and a stop at the Crab Shack at Nitinat Narrows. Chez Monique’s is no longer operating.
The West Coast Trail offers a raft of redeeming features
Some of my memorable experiences are eating freshly caught crab for lunch at the Nitinaht Narrows (bring cash), catching a gorgeous sunset at Crib’s Creek, coming upon cold beer at Chez Monique’s near the Carmanah campsite, hiking through the beautiful Hole in the Wall, talking and commiserating about aches and pains with other hikers, and warming up at night by campfires on beautiful sandy, west coast beaches.
Don’t forget the fire starter ! At the very least you can enjoy the beauty of the wild west coast from your campsite.
Some lucky hikers catch sight of breaching whales. And on a hot sunny day there’s nothing that beats a fresh water shower at Tsusiat Falls.
A few negatives you should be aware of
It’s expensive to hike the West Coast trail.
The weather is uncertain – even in the height of summer. If you were very unlucky you can end up hiking in rain for the entire time.
The trail is in a tsunami zone.
The West Coast Trail is also tough to hike as its often slippery, muddy and in poor shape – and there are over 100 ladders to climb! However, it has been upgraded considerably with several million dollars put into infrastructure and trail improvements.
This might be a positive for people who want to test their mettle. For people with back, knee or ankle problems it can be a tough go. Pack the hiking poles.
Are there toilets on the West Coast Trail?
At all campsites, save for Orange Juice Creek, there are toilets. You’ll also find them at both trailheads, at Nitinaht Narrows and at Nitinaht luxury tents.
Even though you pass Pachena and Carmanah Lighthouses, there are no public toilets at either of them.
Other West Coast Trail considerations
There are long sections when beach walking is an option – and a preferable one to walking in the forest. But it’s the tides that are going to dictate what you can do.
You can also expect a good bit of easy walking on boardwalks interrupted by steep climbs on ladders up and down ravines.
Your upper body can get a workout too as you pull yourself across streams or surge channels via cable car.
Beach walking varies from hard packed to ankle deep sand. Look out for seriously deep mud and slippery logs, even in drier summers.
Tips before you book the West Coast Trail hike
Decide how many days you want to hike the West Coast Trail. Do you need a rest day? – and if so then you need to carry more food. Six days is the minimum amount of time I would recommend unless you’re an elite hiker.
If you have never backpacked before, do not begin with this trail. It will turn you off forever. Start with the easier Juan de Fuca Trail – that also starts/ends in Port Renfrew.
There may be the odd black bear around but we didn’t even see bear scat.
Be prepared to climb a huge number of ladders – especially near Cullite Creek.
I hiked the West Coast trail over the course of six days. Seven days would have been better. You’re much more likely to have a positive experience on the trail if:
- You’re fit.
- Your pack isn’t too heavy (no more than 30-35% of your body weight).
- You’ve camped before.
- You have a positive mental attitude because there is going to be some hardship.
- The sun shines.
Which trailhead should you start at?
A lot of effort goes in to deciding where to start. You have three options on the West Coast Trail – Pachena Bay in Bamfield, Gordon River near Port Renfrew and Nitinaht Village.
Pachena Bay trailhead
Start in the north at the Pachena Bay trailhead near Bamfield. That allows your shoulders and legs to harden up before you attempt the really tough sections.
Gordon River trailhead
Begin at the Gordon River trailhead near Port Renfrew and get the nastiest, hardest section of the trail over with. Unless you start at Nitinaht Village, you do have to consider timing of the Gordon River ferry. At the end of the hike, it may be harder to meet the schedule and you could end up either missing the boat altogether or waiting for many hours. That was another big reason we started at Gordon River.
Nitinaht Village
If you want to experience a shorter section of the West Coast Trail – going in either direction or you’re into a weekend overnight comfort camping experience, this is the place to start.
My choice
I went with nasty first, so I started at Gordon River and the only thing I would have done differently is to hike to Thrasher Cove on the first night – only 6 km away.
Then if I’d been really smart I would have checked out tide tables beforehand so I could hike a long section of beach (I use that word loosely here) and miss much of the forest walking which wasn’t that interesting.
Before you go
Book transportation and organize logistics well in advance. There is a trailbus that offers transportation between trailheads every day on the West Coast Trail.
And you can actually get on it in Victoria, Nanaimo (with advance notice), Sooke, Port Renfrew, Gordon River, Bamfield and Pachena Bay. You can save 20% if you make a return reservation.
Camping on the West Coast Trail
Book online or via the call centre for campsites along the trail with a credit card beginning on January 20, 2025 at 8 AM PT.
You’ll need to know where you want to start, how many hikers there are in your group, the names of emergency contacts – and your preferred choices of start dates.
More trails to hike on Vancouver Island
I’m glad I backpacked the West Coast Trail – but I wouldn’t do it over and over again like many people do that I met.
Other trails that offer a similar experience are the Juan de Fuca Trail, just south of the West Coast Trail, the Nootka Island Trail on Nootka Island – accessed out of Gold River and the North Coast Trail at the northern end of Vancouver Island.
For a day hike that gives you an inkling of what’s ahead do the Coastal Trail in East Sooke Park.
Where to stay in Port Renfrew
Accommodation fills quickly in Port Renfrew. Some options to consider include the Remote Renfrew Oceanfront Retreat is rated exceptional.
A Shack in the Woods rated fabulous, comes with a full kitchen.
Wild Renfrew Seaside Cottages facing the beachfront in Port Renfrew, is rated superb.
West Coast Trail maps
More reading on backpacking trips in Canada
- 10 Wildly Scenic Backpacking Trips in Canada
- Backpacking the Sunshine Coast Trail: Sarah Point to Powell River
- Tonquin Valley Hiking Guide – What You Need to Know
- The Glacier Lake Hike in Banff National Park
- 10 Beginner Backpacking Trips in the Canadian Rockies
- North Molar Pass and Fish Lakes Hike
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Great blog thanks. Wanting to hike Nootka trail, but on a budget and can’t figure out how to get there cheap. Planes and boats are pricey. Any tips?
@Dieter You could go on the Mountain Equipment Website and post a message in the forum asking to split the cost. That’s the best I can come up with right off the bat.
Two of us hiked it in 1971. there no maps or ladders, cable cars or any assistance whatever. No restaurants, nothing except raw nature.
The native guy at Nitinat sold us a salmon for $5.00 and ferried us across the inlet. Warm sunny weather every day.
@Jim Sounds the way the North Coast Trail is right now.
Me and a friend of mine walked the trail three weeks ago. A nice experience and for the first time we went with packing (tent and food). Particularly the part around Naimo was very cool. Fortunately we also had perfect weather as expected, with sometimes fogging out of the sea and later shining weather with nice skies. For us a high point during our Canada trip. Certainly passed by all the friendly Canadians we met during the draw.
@Erik Glad you had such a positive experience. Congrats on doing it.
Thanks. Fingers crossed the nice weather continues!
@Caroline Be glad you’re not in Alberta trying to hike in high winds with rain today.
Thank you! This guide has been really useful in planning our trip, particularly the itinerary advice (we are doing 7 day). We are leaving in a couple of weeks!
@Caroline Have a grand time. I’m doing the shorter Juan de Fuca trail in a couple of weeks too.
Planning to do it this late summer been getting in to shape lol. I lost 30 lbs and am walking 5 miles a day plus doing a gym work out three times a week. Hoping to lose another 20 lbs that will grt me down to 230 lbs.
@John That’s a great goal and reward. Congrats on losing so much weight already. It will make slogging through the sand and mud a whole lot easier. You’re in for some spectacular scenery.
John did you meet your goal? How was it?
I did it in 2009 with my dad, it was great! We lucked out and the weather was beautiful, and after a few days of crowded campgrounds, so one day we hiked a little further and stayed in a campground all by ourselves!
@Christina Having a campground to yourself makes all the diff. We did that one night as well.
It looks beautiful, but tough, Leigh. Having those restaurants along the way must make for a nice break.
@Andrew I can’t even begin to describe how wonderful those restaurants were. The fresh crab was extraordinarily good.
Wow… it sounds & looks amazing.
Especiall the first pic as awesome!
Parts of the West Coast Trail were beautiful and amazing. And some parts through the long stretches of knee deep mud while wearing a heavy pack were grueling. Glad I did it – once.