Clayoquot Sound has a staggering array of hiking trails within it. Between Tofino and Ucluelet, Pacific Rim National Park has several wilderness and beach trails, each one radically different from the last. The Islands in the area are often separate Provincial Parks.
TheWestCoastTrail
The world famous West Coast Trail is found not far from Ucluelet. Bamfield is home to the northern trailhead to this wonderful trail known for its 80 foot ladders, stunning beaches and regular encounters with shipwrecks from the Graveyard of the Pacific.
The Galloping Goose Regional Trail developed from a disused railway line begins at the Johnson Street bridge in downtown Victoria and goes in two directions. One direction goes to the Vancouver ferry terminal at Swartz Bay, 35km away. And the other 55km through the Western Communities, out past Sooke ending near the ghost town, Leechtown.
The downtown portions of the trail are paved, however, past that the trail is packed down gravel and hard dirt trail. There are convenient kilometre markers all along the trail emanating from the Johnson Street starting point. As popular for joggers as it is for walkers, hikers and cyclists, from downtown Victoria the Galloping Goose Trail is immediately impressive. The Selkirk Trestle, a ridiculously extravagant and long bridge spans the ocean inlet that branches off from the Inner Harbour. This beautiful, 300 metre long and several metres wide bridge is almost entirely constructed of wood. Large fir and hemlock beams that are perfectly suited to the start of a trail rich in history and in a city that is almost always beautiful. It doesn't matter if it is a gorgeous sunny day or a dreary and rainy day. Crossing the Selkirk Trestle in any weather is pretty, and that is just the first 5 minutes of the marvellous Galloping Goose Trail. A hugely popular bike trail, the Galloping Goose gets its name from the train that used to run between Victoria and Sooke, a century ago. The train tracks are long gone, but the route remains.
Now the Galloping Goose is part of the enormous Trans Canada Trail. The 15000 kilometre, multi-use trail stretches from coast to coast. There are endless variations to hiking, biking, walking and running the Galloping Goose Trail. There are dozens of good access points and many of them have dedicated free parking lots(see the maps for parking). Heading out from downtown Victoria you pass by several of Victoria's best hikes and hiking attractions. Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Park is just a short detour from the Galloping Goose Trail and well worth it. On a bike, the detour to Fort Rodd Hill is just 10 minutes.
Radar Beach is one of the countless places that makes this part of the world so amazing. It is difficult to get to due to it having an unmarked trailhead, steep and muddy trail, and considerable climbing and ...
The Wild Pacific Trail is a must see on any visit to Pacific Rim National Park, Ucluelet and/or Tofino. Located in Ucluelet, the Wild Pacific Trail is actually a set of three trails that connect into a ...
The Nuu-chah-nulth (aka the Wickaninnish Trail), has the amazing distinction among all the other beach hikes in the Tofino-Ucluelet corridor, in that it is flanked on one side by the amazing, and historic ...
Hot Springs Cove is a wonderful day trip from Tofino. Lots of whale watching companies offer whale watching/hot springs tours for very reasonable prices. The boat ride is out on the open ocean is quite fun ...
Thetis Lake Regional Park is a very popular Victoria park that contains several lakes. Lower Thetis Lake, Upper Thetis Lake, Prior Lake and further out, McKenzie Lake are all within this amazing park. A ...
Spectacle Lake Provincial Park is popular with hiking, fishing, canoeing and swimming. Located north of Victoria, the drive to get there is very beautiful and well worth the drive just for the great stops on ...
Bear Hill Regional Park is a nice hill trail, just north of Elk/Beaver Lake in Saanich. It is an easy 2k hike to the summit where the views are sensational. From the trailhead to the summit only takes about ...
The Galloping Goose Regional Trail developed from a disused railway line begins at the Johnson Street bridge in downtown Victoria and goes in two directions. One direction goes to the Vancouver ferry ...
Day 6 on the West Coast Trail is another short, yet brutally challenging day hiking between Cullite Cove and Camper Bay. The ladders and mud sections are numerous as you snake your way through the thick ...
Day 5 on the West Coast Trail is a stunning, very difficult and tremendously enjoyable day of hiking. Walbran Creek is gorgeous campsite to wake up to. Your tent will open up to a sweeping view of Juan de ...
After camping at Tsusiat Falls and Carmanah Creek, you start to fall in love with every new campsite. Tsusiat Falls with its sweeping ocean views with the occasional passing whales to its crashing falls just ...
The gap between official West Coast Trail campsites is quite large after Tsusiat Falls at 25k. The next campsite heading south is at Cribs Creek at 42k, followed by Carmanah Creek at 46k. Fortunately much of the ...
The route from Darling River to Tsusiat Falls is just under 12 kilometres and quite a lot of that distance can be hiked on the beach. From Darling River you can take an inland route or walk along the beach. ...
Day 1 on the West Coast Trail hiking south from the Pachena trailhead is a fairly relaxing first day. Your first beach, Pachena Beach is a lovely, wide, sandy arch that stretches to a thick wall of forest on ...