Port Renfrew

I’m blessed with a husband who is crazy enough to agree to my endless adventures! When I suggested we go find the tallest Douglas Fir Tree in the world, and we happened to be in the area, my husband again said, “why not!”For anyone who just has to see it for themselves, here’s some directions:Follow Deering Road out of town and turn right onto Pacific Rim Circle Route Road. You'll pass Fairy L...

Heading west from Victoria, take the TransCanada Highway to Hwy 14. Continue past Sooke towards Port Renfrew. Look for the sign that reads Sombrio Beach Trailhead (approximately 45 minutes past Sooke) and take the left. Note that this dirt road can be incredibly rugged (aka full of potholes) and steep, but it’s worth the effort if your vehicle (and nerves) can handle it!From the parking lot, it...

The loop trail is a short 3.5km trail that is well maintained and open year round. There's negligible elevation gain and aside from the odd slippery section the trail is easily accessible for all ages and skill levels. It is definitely busy in the Spring and Summer months but is manageable in the Fall and often empty in the winter months! There are many other small trails to explore along the w...

This is no walk on the beach. There are many ascents and descents that range from not so steep to hold on for your life as the mud cliff crumbles steep. You might think 200m of elevation gain isn't much, but it is a constant ascend and descend trail in the moderate-difficult sections.A high level of fitness and experience is required because if you hurt yourself, it’s a hard walk to get out of ...

The trail requires a permit from May 1 - September 16. All other dates have restrictions. Check Parks Canada website for more details.You can start from the north or south end of the trail. There are buses provided by the Pacific Rim National Park that will shuttle you back to your car or to the trailhead. The trail is through rain forest, along beaches, in mud, on slippery boardwalks, across r...

In the summer of 2016, myself and three others decided to hike the West Coast Trail (WCT) on a bit of a whim! We naively, and courageously, choose the WCT as our first major backpacking hiking trip - we thought it would be best to throw ourselves into a hike that has earned a reputation for being a very grueling trek! Since my experience with planning, preparing and conquering this hike, took l...

Head west from Victoria along Highway 14 past Sooke and Jordan River until you see the Juan De Fuca Marine Trail - China Creek trailhead about 5km past Jordan River on the West Coast Road. Ample signage, parking, and outhouses are available here.The trail taking you to Mystic Beach is just one section of the well-known 47km long Juan De Fuca Marine Trail that attracts hikers worldwide. This 2...

If you have your eye on Vancouver Island as an adventure destination - and we hope that you do - then you likely already know that our Island is not only home to a diverse and unique alpine hiking scene, but that it also offers 3 (+) world-class long distance hiking routes along our coastline. From north to south those are: the North Coast / Cape Scott Trail, the West Coast Trail and the Juan d...

To get to the Avatar Grove, drive to Port Renfrew along West Coast highway 14. Turn right onto Deering Rd and cross the long bridge over the San Juan River. Stay right at the next Y intersection, and then left at the T intersection. At the next Y keep left and cross a tall bridge over the crystal clear Gordon River . Stay right at next Y, and then cross a small bridge at Baird creek. Park ...