Introduction
As a guide, I see many first West Coast Trail aspirants lurching off the shuttle van with a backpack that can barely close. The pack is crammed with every “just in case” item you can imagine—a backup stove, an entire library of books, enough snacks to feed a small army. Luckily, we go through packs in detail with everyone that travels with us at Coastal Bliss Adventures. Within two days, they are praising us for pulling out the extra weight as they get to camp and drop the pack on the ground. If any do sneak by with extra snack, they are ususally handing out surplus granola bars to fellow hikers, practically begging them to lighten their load.
These, and my own experiences, have taught me the art of West Coast Trail packing: there’s a balance between bringing what you truly need and avoiding the trap of being over-prepared. In this article, we’ll break down how to streamline your pack without sacrificing comfort or safety. Because trust me, nobody wants to be the person distributing freebies just to make their backpack manageable.
(If all this packing talk gives you a headache, consider a guided trip with Coastal Bliss Adventures, where they handle many essentials so you can travel lighter and with peace of mind.)
This is the fifteenth article in our How To Hike The West Coast Trail series. You can access the fourteenth article in the series at West Coast Trail Gear Guide.
Start with the Basics: Backpack, Shelter, Sleeping Gear
- Backpack (60–75L): Look for something with adjustable straps and a sturdy hip belt. Try loading it up with gear at home to see if the weight distribution feels right. You’ll be living out of this bag for several days, so comfort is paramount.
- Shelter: A solid, waterproof tent (or hammock setup) with a dependable rainfly. If you’re sharing with a friend, split the weight—one carries the tent body, the other carries poles and rainfly.
- Sleeping Bag and Pad: Aim for a bag rated to at least a few degrees below expected nighttime temps. The WCT can get chilly (around 5-7 C), even in summer, particularly chilly when you get wet, even at 12-15 C. A lightweight but insulated pad helps cushion you from cold, damp ground.
Clothing Strategy: Layers, Layers, Layers
The West Coast Trail’s climate is notoriously unpredictable—sun one minute, wet the next. Pack clothing you can layer so you can adapt quickly.
- Base Layers: Moisture-wicking tees and leggings. No cotton—it’ll stay wet forever.
- Mid-Layer: Fleece or light down jacket for warmth during chilly mornings or late-night stargazing (if the clouds part).
- Rain Gear: A waterproof jacket with sealed seams is essential. Rain pants are a close second, though some hikers prefer quick-dry hiking pants and accept getting damp.
- Extras: A toque (beanie) or light hat for wind protection, plus gloves if you’re prone to cold hands. Bring a few pairs of socks, rotating them to avoid constant sogginess.
Pro tip: If your boots or socks get drenched, dry them in the sun if you can. Otherwise, at least swap to clean socks at night. Blisters thrive in wet environments, and you do not want that misery compounding the trail’s natural challenges.
Organized Packing: The Key to Sanity
I once witnessed a hiker dump her entire backpack on a muddy trail just to find a single roll of toilet paper for, well, you know what for. She lost half her items in the muck, cursing herself for the chaos. Avoid that headache by organizing gear into separate stuff sacks or dry bags. Color-code them if possible—blue for clothing, red for food, green for electronics. That way, you can grab what you need without rummaging around like a frantic chipmunk.
Dry Bag vs. Pack Liner
Given the high chance of rain, many WCT veterans use a pack liner (like a heavy-duty trash compactor bag) to keep the entire backpack’s interior dry. Then they still have smaller dry bags for critical gear (sleeping bag, electronics, clothes). Redundancy might feel excessive, but the moment you face a downpour, you’ll thank your past self.
Essential Accessories
- Headlamp (plus extra batteries): Even in summer, the forest can get dark fast, although later.
- Trekking Poles: Useful for balance on slippery boardwalks or river crossings.
- First Aid Kit: Blister care, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, bandages.
- Repair Kit: A small roll of duct tape, multi-tool, and patch material can fix tent tears or gear mishaps-wrap 10-15 m around hiking poles or a Nalgene bottle-don’t bring the whole roll!
- Personal Hygiene: Biodegradable soap, hand sanitizer, quick-dry towel, and toilet paper or wipes (plus a Ziploc for packing out used wipes of you have those).
Food and Cooking Setup
The WCT’s physical demands mean you’ll need plenty of calories-up to perhaps 6000 a day! A small canister stove and a single lightweight pot usually suffice for cooking freeze-dried or dehydrated meals. If you want very succulent fresh ingredients, pack them for the first day or two before they spoil-things like cilantro or parsley. Most vegetables last for the whole trip. But keep an eye on weight—too many “luxury” items can bog you down. While you can cook on fires—only when there is no fire ban in place —at most camps on the West Coast Trail, some camps simply do not have enough wood. Always take a stove!
Store your food and cooking gear in a smell-proof bag or container when hiking, and make sure it’s easy to access at camp. All official campsites have bear caches, so you won’t have to hang your food from a tree unless you’re in a pinch. But mice are crafty; seal your snacks well and make sure you cache them along with all toiletries, medications, lotions, toothpaste, etc.
Water Filtration and Hydration
Yes, it’s a rainy rainforest environment, but you can’t just sip from any puddle. A quality filtration system (pump, squeeze, or gravity filter) is vital. Some hikers rely on chemical treatments like Aquatabs or chlorine dioxide drops (yuck!), but filters can be faster for large volumes. Keep a collapsible bladder for hauling water to camp. Water is best taken upstream from camp, and especially best upstream from the composting outhouses. No bathing or cleaning upstream!
Drink more than you think you need. The humid air can mask how much you’re sweating. You lose more moisture from respiration than sweating over a hiking day. This is another critical thing to watch. You can dehydrate even if you are chilled and not sweaty at all. Mild dehydration can lead to fatigue and mistakes on ladders or rocky sections. Not good times.
Personal Items and Non-Essentials
We all have a comfort item or two. Maybe you carry a small journal, a lightweight camera, or a Kindle. Just keep them minimal. The extra pound or two might feel okay on day one, but days two, three and four in the mud will test your patience. Ask yourself: “Will I really use this, or am I bringing it out of habit?” If it’s the latter, leave it behind.
I learned this the hard way with a chunky SLR camera—once. Sure, the photos would have been great, but I ended up leaving it in my pack most of the time to avoid exposing it to rain or risk. A small waterproof camera or phone in a protective case might suffice.
Handling Trash and Hygiene
What goes in must come out—meaning, pack out all garbage, including used feminine products or wipes. Toilet paper in the composting outhouses is okay, but other than that, only human waste. There’s no designated disposal system for anything else along the trail. Most campsites have special composting toilets, but if you’re in between sites, bury human waste at least 70 meters from water sources. The WCT is a fragile ecosystem, so strict Leave No Trace principles apply.
For showering or bathing, a quick wipe-down is often enough. If you must rinse off, use biodegradable soap far from streams to avoid polluting them. You can still use a stream for washing, but only downstream from any places drinking water is taken, and close to where the stream runs into the ocean. Keep your cleaning brief. You’re out here to experience the wild, not to replicate your home spa routine.
Washing dishes and cooking equipment is best done in a stream near the tide, or on the beach in sea water, but ALWAYS downstream from the camp, as close to the ocean as possible. If you have leftover food, pack it out, don’t throw it in the stream.
Mentally Packing for the Experience
It’s not just about gear. Mentally prepare for damp clothes, muddy boots, and the possibility that you might not smell fantastic by day three. Pack an open mind and a sense of humor. The WCT can be physically and emotionally taxing. A small comfort—like a stash of candy or a tiny, packable game—can lift morale during long, rainy evenings.
(If you prefer a morale boost from fellow hikers, Coastal Bliss Adventures organizes group treks, where you’ll share stories and sometimes gear, forging a supportive mini-community on the trail. They take care of all the logistics for you.)
Conclusion: Pack Smart, Hike Strong
West Coast Trail packing is an art of balancing “what if” scenarios with the reality of carrying everything on your back for a week. Pare down items by analyzing whether they have a real purpose. Keep your load as light as feasible, but don’t skimp on essentials like a proper tent or enough warm clothing. Organization pays off in spades—nobody wants to tip their backpack contents onto a muddy path trying to find a bandage or a headlamp.
With a well-thought-out pack, you’ll be free to marvel at tidal pools, hidden waterfalls, and the raw power of the Pacific pounding the shore. The WCT is about immersing yourself in a wild environment, not fighting your gear every step of the way. So be picky, test everything beforehand, and trust that the best moments come when you’re confident in what you’ve carried. After all, that’s the spirit of the trail: embracing just enough to keep you safe and comfortable, while leaving room for the wilderness to surprise and delight you.