Earlier this summer I hiked the 180km Sunshine Coast Trail over 10 days. I sprained my ankle with 12 km left to Renfrew but we just taped it tight and took Arnika. Our pace slowed down so much we began to wonder if we’d make it to Sombrio Beach, which was our desired campsite for the first night. Plenty of chances to see wildlife, from bears to whales. Starting at Botanical is about a 3 day trek to the other end of this 1-way route. Apparently somewhat shell-shocked from day 1, we didn’t break camp on day two of our trek until after 10am. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a weekend warrior’s paradise, but also makes a desirable family backpacking destination. It had rained off and on since we began hiking, and we were hoping for a change in fortunes for our final two days on the trail. Use caution. Located at kilometer 37.6 of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, Parkinson Creek trailhead provides access to a 10 kilometre 4 to 6 hour hike west to Botanical Beach or a 9 kilometre 4 to 5 hour hike east to Sombrio Beach. You can leave your car at one trailhead and take the bus to the other. The other campsites don’t have designated spots. Juan de Fuca Marine Trail (42 km) - Google My Maps Juan de Fuca Marine Trail JDF1 (Botanical to Sombrio 16 km) JDF2 (Sombrio to Bear 15 km) Both of these towns have a few options for accommodations if you need them before/after your trek (either hotels or Airbnb). Trekking poles are also highly recommended. The Juan de Fuca sits on the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island, between Botanical Beach in Port Renfrew and China Beach, which is just up the coast from Sooke. The past few days it had been raining so the mud puddles were some of the worst I’ve experienced, so glad I had poles and gaiters. Lots of mud. Along the final stretch of trail. You do need to be prepared for an encounter. Tired, and wanting to get to the campsite as soon as possible, we gambled and took the beach route, racing against the tide as fast as our tired legs could take us over the rocky shore. First time using them and am glad I watched a YouTube tutorial on proper use! We made it to Little Kuitshe Creek at around 5pm, with daylight slowly starting to fade. Parkinson to Sombrio: At the time the road to Botanical Beach was still blocked off bc of the bear and bear traps, we didn’t know where we could park close to there, and also note there was some major road construction which probably wasted 45 minutes total both ways. Campsites are first come, first served with the exception of China Beach Campground – which isn’t really on the trail anyway. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a remarkable multi-day hike along the coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, progressing over beautiful beaches and through spectacular indigenous forest. Join the Outdoor Vancouver Slack Channel to chat about trail suggestions, current hiking conditions, and all things related to hiking around Vancouver and B.C. Little Kuitsche Creek and Payzant Creek are forest campsites. Our hike was mostly uneventful and enjoyable as the trail was so much easier than the previous few days. Required fields are marked *. Unfortunately sombrio was insanely busy with front country campers, at least 200 ppl camping on the beach so we kept going another 4km to Kutshie camp and found an amazing beach front spot to camp for the night, outside of the designated camping area. Hopefully it will reopen in 2021. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was a challenging coastal experience. You should print the tide charts for the days you will be on the trail and bring this with you. West Sombrio is most popular with surfers and day-hikers so options may be limited. Bear beach to chin beach was the elevator ride from hell. You will need to pay for B.C. Not sure how long it will be closed and I can’t find info online. Disclaimer: The information in this website should not be taken as accurate, complete or up-to-date. *For a better understanding of the stats and difficulty rating, check out the Hiking Guides page for details. We made sure to check out the incredible waterfall tucked inside a slot canyon just off the beach. This is so your waste doesn’t make its way into a freshwater source. After a short break at the scenic, and on this day, busy Mystic Beach, we just had two kilometers left before we were back at our car, which would hopefully still have all its windows. There is the hiking gear you will need to buy if you don’t already have it. Sunset at Bear Beach. Fires. Do not disturb wildlife. Got stung by a wasp which was insanely painful, so bring some antihistamines and afterbite. We passed by a re-routed section of trail that had been washed out by a recent mudslide. Do not leave any valuables in your car. coastal hike of 47km (29mi) sharing one of the WCT trailheads – Port Renfrew There is limited space at this campsite, so you may want to try to arrive here early to get your pick of sites. If the lockers are full, hang your food in a tree, away from your tent. It’s definitely challenging but this trail has everything from scenic ocean views, dark moody forests, sprawling beaches, to beautiful waterfalls. Sombrio Beach is a popular campsite as there is a trailhead/ parking lot nearby. After setting up our tent, we lit a fire, had some warm food, and had a few sips of whiskey to raise our spirits. Think carefully about much food you’ll need. The trail carries alongside and over beautiful pebble beaches, waterfalls, suspension bridges, and the occasional pit of mud. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is an excellent route to train for coastal backpacking trips. The beach was our obvious preference, but this particular beach had a high-tide cutoff point. There are four trailheads to the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, at China Beach, Sombrio Beach, Parkinson Creek and Botanical Beach, all accessed off Highway 14. Lifestraw bottles also a great idea. Before we began hiking, we had read online reviews of the trail talking about the mud. A brief 2km to Mystic Beach for our first night. There was probably 30 people maybe. China Beach to bear beach was nice and chill. A challenging trail with epic scenery and plenty of creeks to enjoy. 12km of ups and downs, it was an absolute grind but we muscled through it. 2nd day: Bear to Chin- Very challenging with lots of elevation changes Our family hiked the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail this past summer and it was EPIC! Bear Beach. There is the Trail Bus (see: Getting There) you might take to get from one trailhead to the other. We had breakfast, coffee, filled our water bottles, and then explored around Sombrio beach. – Guides for 10 amazing hikes near Vancouver– Hiking safety and trail etiquette– Resources, hiking gear overview, and more! Yes and no. We went South to North. 71 Although most of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is designed for strenuous day or multi-day hiking/camping in this rugged and isolated area, some easy to moderate day hiking opportunities to the beach or along the trail are available starting from the trailheads. Sombrio was only about 4 km awa, but we were covering a mere 2 km an hour due to the technical nature of the trail, and tired legs under our heavy packs. You can access the beach from the campsite, but the camping area itself is less-than-scenic. People downstream don’t want your germs in their drinking water. Vancouver Island Tourism; Vancouver Island Hotels; Vancouver Island Bed and Breakfast; Vancouver Island Vacation Rentals; Vancouver Island Vacation Packages We are committed to keeping Outdoor Vancouver free and independent, but we need to find other ways to continue operating this site.If you like our hiking guides, and would like to help, please consider making a contribution – any amount helps! May 1 - 15 Bus service runs on ODD NUMBERED DAYS ONLY (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) Multiple hikers including us got stung. It's one of the great alternatives to the WCT. And collect the water from as far upstream as possible. More details and registration can be found here. You should check this information yourself. As we made our way towards Parkinson Creek, however, the trail went inland and became progressively more difficult. It is up to you to assess whether or not the trail is suitable for your dog. Though this makes it feel a little less ‘wild’ or ‘off the grid’ than the WCT. 11: VICTORIA-Strait of Juan de Fuca east of Victoria; Haro Strait; Boundary Passage; Gulf Islands; Strait of Georgia. No trace of the fire should be left behind. Do not remove rocks, shells, wood, plants, or any other natural items from the park. 4th day Sombrio to Botanical- Challenging due to the length rather than the terrain. There is no beach access from Parkinson Creek to the water but you can hike short distance on the trail either direction to find access to the beach. The Sombrio Beach waterfall There will be ongoing constructions and upgrading of … For the most part the trail is well marked, however there were a few places where there seemed to be a few paths that you could take and it wasn’t always clear which was the best route. Posted on October 22, 2019 October 23, 2019 by takebuseleven. First, you will need to get to Vancouver Island by B.C. Vehicles can be left in the parking areas at the China Beach and Botanical Beach trailheads. The town of Sooke is closest to the China Beach access point, and the town of Port Renfrew is close to the Botanical Beach access point. Below are some etiquette guidelines, but these are by no means comprehensive. There is a fantastic waterfall at East Sombrio. Understand how to read a tide table (and bring the current tide table chart with you). But to our amazement, after that, the trail got drier and drier as we made our way towards Bear Beach – which was our desired campsite for our final night on the trail. There are tent pads at West Sombrio you are encouraged to use. There are outhouses near where you park. The tie-breaker went to my wife, and we trudged on. did Parkinson to China 4 days with the homies. Ferry or by airplane (Victoria has an international airport). Thieves often target these parking lots at night. You still get to see amazing vistas and shoreline and yea bears but without the difficult rope and ladder challenges on the WCT. To get an idea of the difficult nature of the trail, consider this: The trail reaches its highest point at about 180 m. Yet the total cumulative elevation gain (estimated) is about 1,700 m! Bath and wash dishes in the ocean or at the mouths of rivers. Hikers are encouraged to plan ahead of time and be prepared for the conditions. Best not to look at the km markers since it feels like watching a pot boil! The hike normally takes 3-4 days. 90% of the trail was dry with about 10% being muddy with a few really bad sections among that. Remove wrappers in advance so you don’t have to worry about garbage. Get our exclusive Patrons sticker, a free copy of Hiking Vancouver (our 500+ page hiking eBook), discounts on our apparel, and more! There is the cost of camping or a hotel if you will be staying anywhere on the island before or after your hike. When finished with the fire, fully extinguish it with water. waterproof shoes, gaiters & poles highly recommended. The mud continued to be an annoyance, as did the periodic rain. Overall we hiked from Mystic Beach to Parkinson in 2 Days. Our #1 hike in the world — West Coast Trail — was closed all of 2020 due to COVID. The trek begins…. So proud of the kids for doing so well on their first multi-day hike, carrying their packs. Again somewhat defeated, we arrived at Chin Beach around 4 o’clock. By providing this information, Bottletop Media does not assume any liability for the use of this information by our readers.Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions. At 47 kilometers, the Juan de Fuca Marine trail picks up where the West Coast trail ends and is a relatively easier trail to do. By providing this information, Bottletop Media does not assume any liability for the use of this information by our readers. Enter your email to receive the free PDF version of this guide, including the gear checklist. Saw no whales but some river otters, sea lions and seals. The trail started out easy enough. Would definitely recommend packing as light as possible. Is much easier to get onto the trail, and is logistically easier to plan. The tide was coming in and we knew from looking at the tide chart, we were pushing it close to being cut off by the rapidly rising waters. Because campsites are first come first served, it is wise to arrive as early as possible at your desired campsite to get a good spot. 5 thoughts on “ juan de fuca trail: sombrio beach to parkinson creek ” pingback: juan de fuca trail: sombrÍo beach a parkinson creek – al was here. We parked our car, then waited on the highway for the West Coast Express. I’ve been very blessed this year to be able to go on not one but TWO amazing backpacking adventures. Doesn’t require securing a permit in advance. Beware of wasps at certain muddy sections of the trail. However, as it is close to the China Beach trailhead, it often is skipped by through-hikers. You can also hike north-to-south or south-to-north. Unless you live there, you will need to either fly in or take a B.C. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a strenuous, multi-day hike in a rugged and isolated environment and park users should plan accordingly. Hiking poles are a must. We left Vancouver early in the morning and caught the ferry from Tsawwassen to Victoria. As the Juan de Fuca Trail lies just south of the popular West Coast Trail, it often draws comparison. Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, about an hour drive north of Sooke, is the popular and challenging 47 km Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, the southern extension to the famous West Coast Trail. Campsites along the Juan de Fuca Trail are all first come first served. Kind of scary, we felt like we dodged a bullet. Then, be ready to be flexible with those plans once you start hiking as things almost never go to plan. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a multi-day hike along the west coast of southern Vancouver Island. Become a Patron! Thieves regularly prey on these parking lots! Logistically, it is a lot easier to get onto the trail, and it certainly has fewer ladders to contend with. The Juan De Fuca Marine Trail is a really beautiful and scenic trail from start to finish. Luckily, each of the campsites has outhouses. Hiking poles - needed for balance, getting through the mud, saving the precious knees, and assisting on the ascents. A one-time donation through PayPal helps with monthly website hosting costs. If you have any questions, or advice for future travellers, let’s hear it in the comments below! A few of these sections have inland routes you can take if you get cut off by the high tide. That’s a lot of up and down, up and down…. Use the metal food lockers provided at the campsites to store your food and deter wildlife. This trail needs some maintenance loving. I felt a bit bad hiking this trail and adding to the distress of the ecosystem. The untreated wood along the trail is often more dangerous due to either decay or slippery. Enjoy the waterfall (which we took a rinse in) at Mystic, and don’t underestimate the final /km to the parking lot - it felt a lot longer for some reason. The stairs and walkways between Sombrio and Parkinson weren’t in the best condition. We decided to go to Parkinson Creek trailhead which cut about 10km (ish) off our trek to Sombrio. Hiking the Juan de Fuca Trail on Vancouver Island. Because of this, and the lack of ocean views, they are typically less desirable spots to camp. **Aproximate – I’m not sure how accurate that is but that is the number from my Suunto 9 watch hiking the entire trail. Treat all your water. I voted to set up camp at the less-than-scenic Little Kuitshe campsite and rest for the night. Distance by the map for day 4: 10 km.Total hiking time: 5 hours. There is a private bus (West Coast Trail Express) that runs between Victoria and Port Renfrew and stops at the two endpoint trailheads. Enjoying camping on Bear Beach, Your email address will not be published. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was created through the Commonwealth Nature Legacy to commemorate the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, BC. There is all the food you will need to bring with you on the trail. Juan de Fuca Trail Schedule Reservations are strongly recommended !!! The trail lies just south of the popular West Coast Trail and is often hiked as a more-accessible alternative. Use only biodegradable soap if necessary. Wildlife. You will receive the file immediately in your email, and will also gain access to the monthly Outdoor Vancouver newsletter. A waterfall flows into the ocean On day three we slept in, again, uneager to start tackling the unforgiving trail on another foggy morning. But several sections of jaw-dropping scenery, and more waterfalls, made it all worth it. But the 26 km we’d already covered had taken a toll, leaving us blistered, wet, sore, and fatigued. All of them are great, and this is a popular campsite as the distance to campsites in either direction from here is relatively far. Did it in 4 nights. Our adventures through British Columbia continued with a trip to Juan de Fuca Provincial Park and Sombrio Beach for some hiking and beach camping. Watching a thunder storm roll in to the south of us during sunset at chin beach was incredible! ), head west of Victoria on Highway 14 to Juan de Fuca Provincial Park and the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. After that, we went back to our room and made our final preparations for the hike. We did 4 days/ 4 nights. As most of the reviews have noted there are definitely some muddy spots, however we went after a stretch of good weather so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. 12: VANCOUVER-Vancouver and Howe Sound. Mystic Beach, Bear Beach, Chin Beach, and Sombrio Beach are all located along the beach. The park is approximately 1,500 hectares (about 3700 acres) with a continuous wilderness hiking trail following about 47 km (29 miles) of coastline. There also isn’t much space for camping, and this site is often used by campers coming down from the parking lot who aren’t hiking the length of the trail. Thank you! There are also many on and off options so you can Hiking the JDF was an unforgettable experience, full of highs and lows. Yes, there is potentially dangerous wildlife. Taking a break along the trail To access the Juan de Fuca Trail at the west end, please use the Parkinson Creek Trailhead. The trail is busy from mid-June through to early September, with peak times in July and August. The park is approximately 1,500 hectares (about 3700 acres or 5.8 square miles) with a continuous wilderness hiking trail following about 47 kilometres (29 miles) of coastline. The Juan de Fuca Trail is a 47km marine trail that starts at multiple areas (China Beach or Botanical Beach being 2 of the popular). However, it rewards those willing to tackle the trail with incredible scenery and a sure-to-be unforgettable adventure at the western edge of the world. There are six campsites in total. As of 2020, it is $10/person/night ($5 for children ages 6-15). PRINCE RUPERT-Queen Charlotte Sound, Hecate Strait. The Juan de Fuca trail winds it’s way right through the parking lot and keeps going. This campsite must be reserved. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. Don’t count on it. And it's … Find the small stream coming out between the outhouse and just before the trail leaves the beach to climb inland. My wife voted to push on to Sombrio Beach where the ocean views were. The trail would continue to be exceedingly difficult and slow going in sections. 3rd day: Chin to Sombrio- moderately challenging but it has some very beautiful views and trails along the ridge. Hikers should be prepared for uneven ground and slippery conditions on muddy trails, wooden surfaces, boulders, and rocky … With suspension bridges, rope swings, caves, beautiful beaches, whale watching and waterfalls, there is fun for everyone. Distance: 47 kmCumulative Elevation Change**: 1,700 mHighest Point: 180 mTime Needed: Multi-dayType: Point-to-point, Season: Year-roundDogs Allowed: Yes, on-leashEst. With the Juan de Fuca, you will have your choice of campsites, how many days you wish to hike, and some choices between inland and beach routes. Okay, there can be lots of mud. Chin Beach in the morning Beware that some beach routes cannot be taken at high tide. Want to connect with other local hikers? 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