West Coast Trail
The West Coast Trail is a point-to-point, multi-day backpacking hike along the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. It’s a coastal trek built on historic travel paths and designed for thru-hiking end to end, with typical completion in about 6–8 days.
The managed, permit-only route runs about 75 km, with two main endpoints: Pachena Bay (near Bamfield) and Gordon River (near Port Renfrew). There is also a mid-way entry point at Nitinaht Village, which shortens the journey by taking the Nitinat Narrows section out of the full thru-hike.
Expect consistently rugged walking: beach travel over rocky shores and sandy sections, inland sections through forest and bog, and frequent difficult obstacles. River crossings are major route features, using suspended cable cars and ferry crossings to get across larger waterways.
Progress is slow because the route repeatedly forces steep, awkward terrain. The trail includes large ladder systems (more than 100 ladder systems) and a mix of deep mud, slippery mossy footing, and uneven ground that can make even short daily distances feel long.
Camp logistics shape the hike. The route uses designated campgrounds along the way and relies on tide and water timing for safe shoreline travel and for avoiding impassable headlands during higher tides.
Route difficulty is seasonally and operationally constrained: the trail operates in the May-to-September window and is run under reservation/permit rules with limited daily access. A mandatory safety and tide briefing is required before departure, and the route is managed as a high-exposure backcountry trek even for strong hikers.
Historically, the West Coast Trail was originally called the Dominion Lifesaving Trail and was built in 1907 to support rescues of shipwreck survivors along this dangerous coast (“Graveyard of the Pacific”). Today it remains one of Canada’s most famous hiking routes and is maintained through cooperative management with First Nations involved as trail guardians.
More information: Visitor information, Wikipedia, Backpacking Guide to Canada’s West Coast Trail