Juan de Fuca Trail
Day Tours
In our hearts, we all live on the land. That is the real world. We take away the obstacles to experience what is real, to experience your bliss. We show you the way. That's Coastal Bliss Adventures.
Look For Your Bliss Now
We Take Care Of You
We do the planning, logistics, and support. You do the experience and the fun.
All-inclusive Tour
From pickup to return, we cover everything you need, except your personal items. We take you to and from the trip start, and feed you well along the way. We can't guarantee weight loss on our tours.
Knowledgable Guides
Our guides get out into our areas. They know the ins and outs of the trip and provide exceptional interpretation of flora, fauna and history. You'll know more after you leave.
Supportive Preparation
We give you an entire packet of information on how to prepare, what to bring, how to pack, and a plan for training so you can fully enjoy the trip. Our care for you starts before you even arrive.
Juan de Fuca Trail
Day Hike
The Juan de Fuca Trail was completed in 1998 as an extension of the West Coast Trail experience. It was intended to be a bit shorter and less strenuous than the West Coast Trail, but over the years, it has worn itself into a strenuous journey. The Juan de Fuca Trail is accessible by highway along most of its route via access trails. The Juan de Fuca Trail is less exposed than the West Coast Trail, so the terrain is a little less varied, but that is hardly noticeable. The beaches and forest are still magnificent. The western half of the trail is less strenuous hiking than the eastern section from China Beach to Sombrio Beach in terms of the up and down of the trail, which makes it doable as a long day hike; however, the western half is probably more technical because of the mud, roots and footing. This is a great wilderness experience for a shorter commitment.
- HIKING DAYS: 1
- TRAVEL DAYS: 0 (included in the hiking day)
- RATING: Strenuous
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Dates And
Availability -
Itinerary
Itinerary
This is our typical itinerary for this tour. Because we are travelling in wilderness, itineraries can change. There are many factors that can affect how a tour actually runs. We confirm pickup times by phone, email or SMS at least 12 hours before.
This trip begins in Victoria, where we will arrange your pickup to drive to the location where we begin the activity.
The western half of the trail is less strenuous than the eastern section from China Beach to Sombrio Beach in terms of the up and down of the trail, which makes it doable as a long day hike; however, the western half is probably more technical because of the mud, roots and footing.
The western end of the trail, Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew, is famous for its tide pools. The abundance of Pacific sea life is available for viewing in this very large tide pool area. The large beach in the middle of the trail, Sombrio Beach, is a beach shared with surfers, which can be very entertaining to watch while kicking back at the end of a day's hike. This beach also has a distinct history. It was a squatter's community for many years until made into a provincial park.
Our tour leaves Victoria by 6:30 am and takes part of the western half of the trail, about 10 km in all, from Parkinson Creek to Botanical Beach, and completes it in about 5 hours with day packs only. It is a scenic walk through the coastal forest ecosystem all the way to the end at Botanical Beach, where we explore the tide pools and beachcomb. At the end, we may visit the Avatar Grove of big cedars. The Port Renfrew area is world renowned for its big trees, with the biggest trees in Canada. This tour is a taster for the full Juan de Fuca experience or the West Coast Trail. Plan on taking the whole day. We won't be back into Victoria until the evening from this journey.
Other sections of the trail can be taken as well. Contact us for details.
Pick up about 6:30 am.
We leave from the pickup point by 7:30 am.
We drive to Parkinson Creek parking lot, arriving by 9:00 am.
We Prepare for our hike, and begin our hike toward Botanical Beach.
We stop for a lunch at an appropriate spot on the trail around 1:00 pm.
We arrive at the western trailhead near Botany Bay around 4:00 pm (this arrival time can vary widely depending on the group).
The time of day and the tide conditions will govern how much time is spent at Botanical Beach exploring the tide pools.
From the parking lot, we pack up and drive back to Victoria, arriving around 6:30 pm (also variable).
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What's Included
Included Not Included Transportation from and to the departure location (pick up and drop off) Your transportation to the departure location (from your home) All park fees and camping fees National Park entry fees (may change as Parks alters their policies) Professional guides Hiking Boots (should be less than 5 years old) All meals (except on travel days) Some food (on travel days and special options) Tent (shared) Hiking Boots (should be less than 5 years old) A substantial preparation guide Backpack (available for rent) Gear rental options Sleeping bags or mats (available for rent) Gratuities are not included. Recognizing your guide for their hard work and care is always appreciated; $10-20/day per guide is recommended. -
Getting There And
Where To StayGetting There
If you are travelling into the Vancouver, Victoria, or Nanaimo area from afar, you should arrive at the departure location for your trip the day/evening prior to the trip start date and plan to leave the day following trip return. Try the following Canadian online travel booker: flightnetwork.com.
You can fly to Vancouver (airport code YVR) or Seattle (airport code SEA) then connect to Vancouver Island using ferry, bus, or air, or arrange flights directly to Vancouver Island.
Flying to Victoria (Airport code YYJ)
Flying to Nanaimo (Airport code YCD)
Nanaimo Airporter shuttle service.
Servicing all of Vancouver Island from airports to ferrys to cruise ship terminals. Tel: 1 250 758-2133BC Ferries 1-888-BC FERRY (1-888-223-3779)
We will let you know the ferry to take for travelling to Vancouver Island, but if you want to check out times, you can go the the BC Ferries website at:
www.bcferries.com/schedules/Where to Stay
Victoria Pick up & Airport Hotels
Pick up: Schwartz Bay Ferry Terminal, or the following Accommodations near the ferry or airport:Travelodge Sydney Airport Hotel
Travelodge may offer Coastal Bliss Guests a lower rate per night (ask us for the discount code before you book) and is an easy place for us to pick you up/drop you off before and after your tour with us.
2280 Beacon Avenue, Sidney, BC, CA, V8L 1X1
Phone:1 250 656 1176
Fax: 1-250-656-7344
Reservation: 1-866-656-1176
info@airporttravelodge.com
https://www.airporttravelodge.com/Hotel Zed
Hotel Zed is near downtown Victoria, but not right downtown. It has built up a very good reputation and has reasonable rates. Ask for Coastal Bliss Adventures Special Room Rate when making your reservation.
3110 Douglas Ave. Victoria, BC, CA, V8Z 3K4
Phone:1 250 388 4345 Or 1 800 997 6797
victoria@hotelzed.com
https://www.hotelzed.comVancouver Hotels
If you are arriving in Vancouver and staying there before getting to a pick up location on Vancouver Island, the Accent Inn is close to the aiport.
Accent Inn, Vancouver Airport
10551 St. Edwards Dr. (off Hwy #99)
Richmond B.C. V6X 3L8
Ph: 604-273-3311 Fx: 604-273-9522
email: accent@accentinns.com(Our guests may be able to receive a discount at Accent Inn, contact us for details.)
If you are staying in Victoria after the tour, consider these near downtown Victoria accommodations:
The Strathcona Hotel
Address: 919 Douglas Street, Victoria B.C.
Phone: 250.383.7137
Website: #
Ocean Island Inn
Address: 791 Pandora Ave. Victoria BC, Canada
Phone: Toll Free 1.888.888.4180
Website: https://oceanisland.comTravelodge Victoria
229 Gorge Road East
Victoria, BC V9A 1L1
(250) 388-6611
Toll-Free Reservations: 1-800-565-3777
travelodge.com -
Preparing
Preparing For Your Trip
How you prepare for your adventure is important. Being well prepared will enhance the quality of your experience. Because we are travelling in wilderness, it is very important for you and for the rest of your adventure group that you are fit enough to handle the level of difficulty and demand with no problems. Our guides know how to minimize the impact of these demands as much as possible, but they cannot remove them. The depth of your experience can only increase if you have made sure that you have prepared well.
Your preparation will be different for different activities. Preparing for a kayak trip is different from preparing for a hiking trip. We have provided some basic information that can be downloaded through the following links to pdf documents.
Use the links below to download some of the preparation files for this hiking or kayaking tour. When you book your tour, we will send you a complete preparation packet to help you get ready.Please take this seriously. Most people are unaware of the demands of a coastal environment, particularly with keeping dry and warm. Your preparation will really help make your coastal hiking or kayaking tour a great experience. -
Gear Rental
Need Gear?
We have gear available to rent if you don't want to buy a particular piece of equipment, or need to travel without it.
Look over the following list to help you decide whether you want to rent. If you decide to rent gear, you can tell us on the phone or book it online with your tour.
Item Price (per day) Backpack Rental $6.50 Sleeping Bag Rental $6.50 Thermarest Rental $2.25 Gaiter Rental $1.67 Hiking Pole Rental (one) $0.90