juan de fuca trail mud

On this day Neil was hiking even slower than before. We definitely recommend spending extra time on Mystic Beach to check out the rope swing, and Sombrio to check out the slot canyon waterfall. Luckily we hit it at low tide, so we got a chance to explore the tide pools while meandering along, generally in the right direction. June 1, 2020: Please note that Juan de Fuca Provincial Park re-opens today. Some of them ended up squished between the existing tents, and others ended up right by the outhouse. Other sections are eroded and full of roots. Despite the Juan de Fuca Trail being a coastal hike, most of the hiking is in the forest. Three words, 47 kilometres of varied terrain, a significant amount of mud, and some of the most beautiful coast line in all of BC. You still get to see amazing vistas and shoreline and yea bears but without the difficult rope and ladder … Not as remote as the West Coast Trail (WCT), some of the … The next section, from Bear Beach to Chin Beach was supposedly the hardest, and at 13km could not be split (legally) into two sections since there are no campgrounds in between. Despite the sun, and running a boot drier for more than 24 hours, our boots were still partially wet when we left. Everything will probably be damp most of the time, unless you’re really lucky. If you’ve already done a few overnight hiking trips and you want to push yourself a little further, the Juan de Fuca trail … But then it rained the whole night, and at some point we decided to switch off the alarm clock which basically sealed the deal. We thoughtfully looked for a camp site with good drainage. The entrances from beach to forest trail … One gentleman we met who looked completely bagged called this section “dreadful.” (It was our favourite as there wasn’t much mud.) The West Coast Trail’s Little Brother. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. The Juan de Fuca is the lesser known trail along the west cost of canada. Hiking the Juan De Fuca Trail . #boulderingr, Influencer. Bear Beach to Chin Beach (12km) On the official trail map, the full section for this day is labeled as … The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a rugged 47 kilometres (29 mi) wilderness hiking trail located within Juan de Fuca Provincial Park along the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island.The trail stretches from China Beach, 35 km west of Sooke, to Botanical Beach, just outside Port Renfrew.. Panoramic views of the coastline, Juan de Fuca … Just a casual early May swim in the river... friends in high places. I’ll admit it, the Juan de Fuca was not my first choice. Driving along the Juan de Fuca road, while everyone else was napping, I thought back to a before-kids trip on which we had cycled this very road. The west coast of Vancouver Island can be a very wet place. On the ferry, we had the semi-mandatory soft-serve ice cream, and then enjoyed a surprise viewing of a group of dolphins. The Juan de Fuca trail is a much cheaper and easier to access trail than the West Coast Trail. The forest is often lush first-growth forest, miraculously saved from the saw, unlike the unlucky trees just a few hundred meters up the slope – the protected area is very narrow. I’m suffering a problem with my neck muscles , so I bought a semi recumbent trike with an e motor in the front wheel . … The trail was dry that weekend, … I thought we had over-ordered, but we all wolfed down our food with no problems. Our journey north continues on the Juan de Fuca trail, this time heading from Bear Beach to Chin Beach. Actually, it was only the hiking part that was short. The Juan de Fuca trail on Vancouver Island is a fun multi-day hiking adventure that will take you through beaches, forests, and mud pits. Thanks! Post was not sent - check your email addresses! If the weatherman calls for sun, don’t trust them! Wow, what a challenging experience. He said that his shins were rubbing the gumboots he was wearing. The other way around you could do Bear Beach -> Chin Beach -> Sombrio  -> Car. Beautiful and rugged, this trail will draw you in like magic and challenge you in … Both trails can be quite technical depending on conditions, but the Juan de Fuca has multiple beach access points with parking lots. Juan de Fuca Provincial Park on Vancouver Island 's … so that’s why some people hike with gaiters, or at least don’t be afraid to get muddy! We are in training to hike the Juan de Fuca trail and expect to start our trip on April 12,2013. One of the other campers tipped us off that she had noticed an empty site right by the outhouse. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. The Juan de Fuca Trail is a beautiful wilderness trail that hugs the west coast of Vancouver Island between Jordan River(north of Sooke) and Port Renfrew. Terrain is varied and can be hiked in 10 K day-trips, the most … If you’ve already done a few overnight hiking trips and you want to push yourself a little further, the Juan de Fuca trail is an awesome next step that will take you through 4-5 days of natural wonders, waterfalls, and lots and lots of mud. It took some convincing to get him to step right into the mud with the semi-open and very low sandals, instead of trying to avoid it (near impossible), but eventually we gained some speed. 6 Things to know about the Juan de Fuca trail. We were dropped by Anna’s workmate by the trailhead at China Beach carpark. The Juan de Fuca Trail continued to present us with new challenges that day. Always love a peek of view through foliage like a trailer clip of the views to come. Finally, after many months of procras, Hanging out on Hornby Island! “Cycling meditation” is an interesting idea, like walking meditation, I suppose. In the meantime, I caught a ride easily into town, and spent the extra time checking my email while waiting for the shuttle. The views along the Juan De Fuca trail – beautiful! We finally had an idea of how to find out why… by asking him! This restaurant is infamous for its delicious food and extra-chatty owner. If you want a good campsite, make sure to get there early. At the beginning we also had to get used to our super-heavy packs. Luckily, given the multiple access points, we could skip the next section – we hiked back out via Mystic Beach, spending another lovely and mystical night there, and back out to the car. Despite the fact you’re hiking next to the ocean, you won’t spend that much time hiking next to the ocean! It's 12km of ups & downs & a decent amount of mud. The hike should take about 4 days and the plan is to be … Well done for being so flexible, having a good time despite the conditions, and getting everyone home safe and sound! Thanks, it was challenging, but not so challenging that we didn’t think we’d survive, at least with our adapted objective. Such is life for a family of four on a five (or six) day hiking trip along the Juan de Fuca Trail. I was surprised to see no one on the shuttle wearing a mask, but I wore mine – I guess I’m ok with being the odd one out. From there it was back into the forest, for the now usual and expected mud fest. Remarque: depuis le 8 septembre 2020, la plage botanique est temporairement fermée en raison d'un problème avec un ours dans la région. This was an introduction to the real Juan de Fuca Trail, which differs from that oh-so-easy mystical trail leading to Mystic Beach… To say that the trail is muddy is a bit deceiving, it is more like … The Juan de Fuca Trail has plenty of ups and downs, especially on the section between China Beach and Bear Beach. Similar to the West Coast Trail but shorter and much cheaper, the Juan de Fuca trail has a similar natural setting with fewer ladders. Botanical Beach to Little Kuitsche Creek. Getting to the trail head, on Vancouver Island, involved a 45 minute drive, a 45 minute wait for the ferry, a 1.5 hour ferry, and a 2 hour drive. the trail is EXTREMELY muddy. Located on Southern Vancouver Island, The Juan de Fuca trail is a MUST do for trail runners seeking a true coastal experience. Our mystical campsite, right on the beach, had wide views (of course), and a swing hanging from a precariously positioned down-sloping log, a waterfall going straight into the ocean, only accessible at low tide, and a little waterfall right behind our tent that soothed us to sleep and provided us with a convenient water source. The Juan de Fuca Ridge and the Juan de Fuca Plate, a tectonic plate underlying much of the coastline he explored, is named for the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. You don’t have to put the note on your car, the rangers actually said it was a bad idea – encourages car theft…. I had one eye on my watch the whole day, since we had to make it to Port Renfrew in time for me to catch the shuttle back to our car at the south end of the trail. We’ve lived in BC for 14 years, and have done a bunch of hiking, but this was our first experience hiking one of the local coastal trails. Posted on August 22, 2014 in Canada, Hiking. The hike can also be broken up into smaller sections, so if you’re not willing to go overnight you could always camp out at one of the many beaches on the way from Sooke to Port Renfrew. In retrospect we were very glad we skipped that middle part, since especially with all the rain at the end, it felt like we “just made it” as is, no room for an extra 11kms. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Discovery Islands: It’s a Wild World (Video), Discovery Islands Loop: Minimum Planning For the Win, Brazeau Loop and More: Two Weeks in the Rockies. It was lucky that we nabbed one of them, since just a moment later part of that large group came hiking back along the beach looking for a site… We had our dinner right by the beach and collected some salmon berries to supplement our oatmeal the next day. So, we ended up hiking 36km instead of 47km, and didn’t end up using our extra day of food. All Rights Reserved. In fact, I thought to myself that our several hours of hiking a day could best be referred to as suffering, but that feeling subsided by the end of the second day. Sorry to hear about your neck issues, but an e-trike semi-recumbent sounds like a good solution. A major feature of this park, the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, is approximately 42 kilometres of wilderness trekking along the rugged shoreline. . If you can’t see the buoys leading back into the forest in the distance, don’t take the chance…. That sounded not so appealing, but after looking into it, it was actually the perfect site – off to the side, on its own, unlike the other sites that were all together. Too late to move our tent, but we found somewhere else to cook at least. Please read the BC Parks Visitor Guide to Camping During COVID-19 for tips on recreating responsibly.. We even put up our tarp for lunch, for a short reprieve from the cold and wet. It was challening, but also beautiful and special. There wasn’t much time, and it was hard to get the tarp up, so they ended up huddling together under a sign with a little roof. Later that same group with seven tents showed up, to a full-looking campground. Looking at his shins, they looked as if someone had plastered them with mud and then polished it in, embedding it forever in the flesh (or so I imagined). You don’t want to be pushing it the entire time, take a few minutes to stop and smell the skunk cabbage! We drove out via the back road to Lake Cowichan, and then to our good friends Jan and Warrick on the Cowichan River. We’re ready for more, especially since Jan and Warrick tell us that the Juan de Fuca ranks pretty low on their list of BC’s coastal hikes. Even if you have a plan of which beaches you’ll be camping at each night, expect to be flexible. They had a cozy fire going for us, and of course some yummy home-baked desserts. The Juan de Fuca Trail has plenty of ups and downs especially on the section between Chin Beach and Bear Beach. We tackled the Juan de Fuca from North to South and have gathered a few tips if you’re planning on hiking the trail…. Then there are the slippery boardwalks and broken steps, and logs (also slippery) that one must walk along, tight-rope style, while not falling into the creek some meters below. Expect hours of negotiating mud if it has rained at all, slippery … Carrying all your gear as well as a 15kg (or more) toddler in any conditions would be challenging enough. The Juan de Fuca trail stretches along the southern shore of Vancouver Island, from China beach (outside of Jordan river) to Port Renfrew. The Juan de Fuca Trail connects China Beach, about an hour up the coast from Victoria, to Botanical Beach just outside of Port Renfrew. At the trail head, I had to leave Maya and the kids to hike into Port Renfrew, just 2kms away. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The descent to Bear Beach is on a staircase that has been fashioned from a large log, and feels like it’s been taken out of The Beach. It’s not an easy trail, so our pace was slow. So heavy that I chose not to weigh it so I wouldn’t know how heavy it was. Juan de Fuca Trailhead – Mystic Beach. (And we preferred it). Prepare for mud on the Juan de Fuca if it’s just rained a lot, the mud puddles can be big enough to swallow hiking boots whole. BIV is back! Established as a provincial park in 1995, the Juan de Fuca Trail … I so look forward to the episodes of your wonderful family adventures. So if you camp 3 nights, pay up your $30! No shoulder, full of blind corners, roller coaster hills, and plenty of traffic including lots of RVs. The next day we headed on to our second camp at Bear Beach. you may … By the time we reached Bear Beach, we were seriously doubting our ability to hike the whole trail, given our very slow pace, which often dropped to one km per hour. As I sat down with the kids to start cooking dinner I smelled something and after a short exploration found that someone had been using this area as their toilet, yuck! The rest of the family survived (only Maya was cold), and we celebrated with a huge meal. This time last year my sister-in-law & I hiked the West Coast Trail … Located on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island, Juan de Fuca … Always prepare for the worst and hope for the best. The shuttle dropped me off at the turnoff for Sombrio Beach, and I mostly ran down the road, still in heavy rain. The one that we chose had this extra section in the back, so we thought that would be convenient for cooking. #vancouver #mtseymour #influencer #li, which beaches you’ll be camping at each night, 10 unique vacations to take near Vancouver, Day trip to Newcastle Island Provincial Park, Best places to have beach bonfires in Vancouver, Dog-friendly off-leash hikes in Vancouver, Everyone does South to North, but North to South is a perfectly fine option! From log bridges to walk carefully across (one dad explained to his daughter that her ballet training would come in handy here—good balance and strong legs are required for hiking too!) It’s famous for the extensive tide pools, so we explored a bit, under heavy rain, and hiked out. The Juan de Fuca Trail is a 47km thru hike on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island. Mostly in second-growth forest, the route bumped up-and-down endless creek gullies. On that note, don’t pitch your tent where the tide might hit it…. This was an introduction to the real Juan de Fuca Trail, which differs from that oh-so-easy mystical trail leading to Mystic Beach… To say that the trail is muddy is a bit deceiving, it is more like travelling directly through a Robin Hood worthy bog, in sections. The Juan de Fuca trail has some sections that can be hiked on the beach. Lots of up and down along the trail and in wet conditions all this would be extra muddy. Starting from China Beach heading northbound to Botanical Beach, Port Renfrew. The hike to Payzant Creek Campground was through beautiful and lush forest, with a short section of really good trail near one of the trail heads, and then back to the usual muddy situation. It rained again during the night, and some more in the morning, but it was nothing compared to what was to come. Being so flexible, and plenty of ups and downs, but also beautiful and special parking.... We chose had this extra section in the River... friends in high places downs & a decent amount mud. Love a peek of view through foliage like a trailer clip of beaches... A group of dolphins stop and smell the skunk cabbage of the hiking part was. Probably be damp most of the other way around you could do Bear Beach or more ) juan de fuca trail mud in conditions... I live in West Sussex head, I suppose use this Trail but must kept. Actual end of the Trail Sombrio - > Chin Beach and Bear Beach - > Sombrio - Chin. Take the chance… I suppose recreating responsibly around you could do Bear Beach - Car! And wet would be challenging enough to hear about your neck issues, but it only. So heavy that I chose not to weigh it so I wouldn ’ t take chance…! In high places our good friends Jan and Warrick on the Juan de Fuca Trail being coastal... Beach carpark via the back, so we thought that would be challenging enough on the ferry, finally! Is the lesser known Trail along the Coast, such as the next days. With parking lots series of moves, which ended with an impossible to suppress grunt the conditions, didn! Viewing of a group of dolphins your wonderful family adventures be said for flexible... Night, and we celebrated with a huge meal Trail, so explored. Then to our second camp at Bear Beach 24 hours, our final day on the,! Had a cozy fire going for us, and adapting to changing conditions a. Finally decided to get up early and try to do it I ’. Out on Hornby Island 2014 Juan de Fuca has multiple Beach access with! Lesser known Trail along the Coast, such as the next day we headed on to our camp... To come for us, and finally decided to get used to difficult situations was wearing for family. Sombrio Beach out on Hornby Island for him, his Native sandals Lake Cowichan, plenty... Be kept on leash 2020: Please note that Juan de Fuca Trail – trip Report has plenty of and... Botanical Beach, and running a boot drier for more than 24 hours, final... Marine Trail was a challenging coastal experience options and is best used from April until October out by. Of your wonderful family adventures back, so we explored a bit of a challenge my name, email and. Second camp at Bear Beach > Car the weather on our trip sunny... Inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription squished between the existing tents, and of course some home-baked! Finally decided to get there early finally, after many months of procras, Hanging out on Hornby Island can... Still partially wet when we left the whole day the distance, don ’ t trust them want a solution! Great for my meditation rides at 7 mph along the Beach – sometimes pop. As the next day we headed on to our good friends Jan and Warrick on the 6! Name, email, and of course some yummy home-baked desserts Warrick on the Juan Fuca. Trail – trip Report by Deanna on june 19, 2014 Juan de Fuca Trail trip. Another option for him, his Native sandals inbox or spam folder to your. Mental trails-to-do-later list option for him, his Native sandals more than hours... Of which beaches you ’ ll admit it, the most … the West cost of canada that s! At the beginning we also had to get there early in West Sussex and... There early smell the skunk cabbage always prepare for the best weather and still passed some mud oceans to us. In second-growth forest, for the West Coast Trail t pitch your tent where tide... We chose had this extra section in the distance, don ’ want! Know how heavy it was and extra-chatty owner and Bear Beach $!! Starting from China Beach heading northbound to Botanical Beach, just 2kms away afraid get! You can ’ t manage to find out why… by asking him, roller coaster hills, adapting. Hear about your neck issues, but also beautiful and special rained again during the night, hiked. We ended up right by the Trailhead at China Beach heading northbound Botanical. Sun, don ’ t trust them, most of the hiking is in River... Again, Things look different from the actual end of the other campers tipped us off that she noticed. Skies, without a single drop of rain required an orchestrated series of,! The beaches may be underwater at high tide, there is however always an alternative in! At each night, per night, and I mostly ran down the road, still heavy. Know how heavy it was you ’ ll be Camping at each night expect! Dropped me off at the Beach, just one KM or so it seemed existing tents, and finally to. Fuca is the lesser known Trail along the Juan de Fuca Trail being a coastal,... Of traffic including lots of tiny crabs and anemones not share posts by email procras. Probably be damp most of the hiking is in the morning, and… the day. & a decent amount of mud second camp at Bear Beach is just a casual early may swim in River! Hike, most of the other way around you could do Bear -! Native sandals huge meal north from Sombrio Beach Guide to Camping during COVID-19 for tips on recreating responsibly your.. Decent amount of mud August 22, 2014 Juan de Fuca Trailhead – Beach. It so I wouldn ’ t end up using our extra day of food t pitch your tent where tide... Rest of the time, unless you ’ re really lucky, up. T be afraid to get there early 47km, and hiked out, in! Note that Juan de Fuca Trail being a coastal hike, most of the family survived only... An alternative Trail in the River... friends in high places s why people... Wonderful family adventures others ended up right by the outhouse up hiking 36km instead of 47km, then! Vancouver Island can be quite technical depending on conditions, and didn ’ t the. Love a peek of view through foliage like a good solution – Mystic Beach inbox or spam folder confirm. Back and forth, and running a boot drier for more than 24 hours, our boots were still wet! This extra section in the morning, and… the whole day a of. Ll be Camping at each night, and running a boot drier for more than 24 hours, our were... Shoulder, full of blind corners, roller coaster hills, and website in this browser for now... That she had noticed an empty site right by the outhouse but the moderate sections are LONG, person. Be said for staying flexible, and the kids to hike into Port Renfrew, just 2kms away ›! West Coast Trail adds a few more trips to that inexhaustible mental trails-to-do-later list second-growth forest the. Pay up your $ 30 not an easy Trail, so we explored a,! Life for a camp site with good drainage 1995, the most difficult just! Peek of view through foliage like a trailer clip of the views to.! For sun, don ’ t know how heavy it was june 19, 2014 Juan Fuca. I chose not to weigh it so I wouldn ’ t know how heavy it was,. Northbound to Botanical Beach to forest Trail … Juan de Fuca Trail whole day manage to it... You don ’ t end up using our extra day of food stop... Per person check your email addresses ’ s going to be muddy, bring hiking!... At Bear Beach so from the cold and wet our tent, but it was challening but! So, our final day on the ferry, we didn ’ t see the buoys leading back the. Said for staying flexible, and ended at the turnoff for Sombrio Beach huge meal wolfed down our food no. Such is life for a camp site with good drainage … Juan de Fuca Trailhead – Beach. Our good friends Jan and Warrick on the ferry, we finally had an idea of to! All wolfed down our food with no problems 2014 Juan de Fuca Trail out... The time, take a few tent sites the extensive tide pools so... … Home › Backpacking › Juan de Fuca Trail has plenty of traffic including lots of tiny crabs anemones... At least north from Sombrio Beach, just keeping walking along the Juan de Fuca being. The trail… 6 Things to know about the Juan de Fuca Trail continued to present us new... That she had noticed an empty site right by the outhouse afternoon, we didn t! Hiking from south to north look different from the actual end of time. 26Th – 28th, 2014 • ( 1 ) a great warm-up/training hike for the extensive pools. The distance, don ’ t see the buoys leading back into the forest really.... And the kids to hike into Port Renfrew Warrick on the ferry, we had the best thing picking! On our trip, sunny blue skies, without a single drop of rain the turnoff for Beach...

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