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Where to Find the Best Hiking
on Vancouver Island
Searching for some good hiking on Vancouver Island? We've hiked lots of trails, so we can tell you where to find some of the best hiking adventures. Looking for rainforest hiking? How about spectacular oceanfront hiking on soft winding trails? Want to seriously test your limits and hike the world famous West Coast Trail? Whatever level you're at (or you've got kids with you), you'll love the scenic and diverse hiking Vancouver Island has to offer. BONUS: We've hiked lots out here, so we can tell you what to expect!
Vancouver Island should be on your British Columbia hiking vacation map! Here's our list of our best picks for hiking that won't disappoint...
Interesting Day Hikes
Day hikes here on the Island can range anywhere from a half day to a full day. The ones that we've picked as our favourites, are easy enough for families, and are located in easy-to-reach areas.
Goldstream Park - Victoria (Southern Island)
Ripple Rock - Campbell River (Northern Island)
Botanical Beach Provincial Park - (Southern Island)About a 2 hour drive west of Victoria, this park offers three short winding forest trails dumping you out at rocky beaches and a multitude of incredible tidal pools (all the pools are in a protected area, so touch nothing, take nothing - only photos). These hiking trails are actually one of Vancouver Island’s “best-kept hiking secrets." Plan for a full day to be out on these trails.
Wild Pacific Trail - (Western Island)WE LOVE THIS TRAIL! The village of Ucluelet on the western coast is home to the new Wild Pacific Trail. If you're heading out here don't miss this hike. Carved along the cliffs of the Ucluelet peninsula, it's an easy hike with incredible views towards Barkley Sound and the Broken Islands of Pacific Rim National Park. Impressive trail - wide pathways/boardwalks under a rainforest canopy. Here we are hiking it in 2006!Hike the 3km loop by starting out at Peninsula Road. Follow it onto the He-Tin-Kis boardwalk which lands you right back at Peninsula Road (takes about 1 hour to complete-good for families). The Trail picks up again further north at Big Beach Park which gets longer and steeper, ending at the Pacific Rim Highway. Walk the bike path to get back to town.
Challenging Adventure Hikes
This list is our favourite rugged hikes on the Island. For these hikes, you're looking at a full day out, with the exception of the West Coast Trail, which is a rugged, multi-day hike with overnight camping.
Hiking Cape Scott Provincial Park (Northern Island)
East Sooke Regional Park (Southern Island)
The West Coast Trail (Western Island)
Guided Hiking Tour Companies
If you're just visiting, we'd highly recommend connecting up with a guided tour to get the most out of it. Here's our hand-picked favourite hiking tour companies that you should go with.
Island Alpine Guides
Pacific Rainforest Adventure Hiking Tour (Central Island)
Coastal Revelations Eco-Hiking Tour (Central Island)
If you love hiking in the great outdoors, you're sure to enjoy any of these great trips.
Have a fantastic hiking adventure on beautiful Vancouver Island!
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