West Coast Trail Cost 2025: What to expect and consider

West Coast Trail Costs-Introduction

Planning a hike on the West Coast Trail involves several cost considerations, including transportation, permits, food, equipment, and meals before and after the trek. Here’s a breakdown to help you estimate the expenses, in Canadian dollars:

1. Transportation Costs:

Shuttle Services: The West Coast Trail Express offers shuttle services from both Victoria and Nanaimo to the trailheads.
- From Victoria:
  - To Gordon River (Port Renfrew): Approximately $60 CAD one-way.
  - To Pachena Bay (Bamfield): Approximately $120 CAD one-way.
- From Nanaimo:
  - To Gordon River (Port Renfrew): Approximately $125 CAD one-way.
  - To Pachena Bay (Bamfield): Approximately $145 CAD one-way.

These fares are subject to change; it’s advisable to check the latest rates and schedules on the West Coast Trail Express website.

2. National Park Entry and Backcountry Fees:

Reservation Fee: $25.75 CAD per person.
Backcountry Use Permit: $166.75 CAD per person.
Ferry Fees: $28.00 CAD for the Gordon River crossing and $28.00 CAD for the Nitinaht Narrows crossing, totaling $56.00 CAD.
National Park Entry Fee: $11.00 CAD per person per day. For a typical 7-day hike, this amounts to $77.00 CAD.

These Pacific Rim National Park fees contribute to trail maintenance and services.

3. Food Costs:

When planning your meals for the West Coast Trail, it’s essential to consider both the nutritional value and cost of the freeze-dried options available. Here’s a breakdown of popular brands and their meal pricing:

a. Mountain House:

Price Range: Individual meals typically range from approximately $4.39 to $131.50, depending on the meal type and package size.

b. Peak Refuel:

Price Range: Meals start around $6.99 and can go up to $384.99 for combo packs.

c. Backpacker’s Pantry:

Price Range: Individual meals are generally priced between $10 to $12.

d. ReadyWise:

Price Range: Meals are available from approximately $8 to $10.

Estimated Daily Food Cost:

Per Meal Cost: Considering an average meal price of $10 to $13, and assuming three meals per day, the daily cost would be approximately $30 to $39.
Total for 7-Day Hike: For a 7-day hike, the total food cost would range from $210 to $273.

These estimates are based on average meal prices and can vary depending on specific meal choices and current market prices. It’s advisable to check the latest prices and consider purchasing in bulk or during sales to reduce costs.

For a visual comparison of these brands, you might find the following video helpful:

4. Equipment Costs:

a. Purchase:

Essential Gear: If you need to purchase equipment such as a backpack, tent, sleeping bag, water purification, cooking gear, and appropriate clothing, costs can vary widely. You can get an idea of costs from the go-to provider in much of Canada, MEC. Here is their West Coast Trail Packing List-of course, they are trying to sell you this stuff, so it is a bit over-the-top. You can find pricing information there.

Budget Options: Approximately $550–$750 CAD.
- Mid-Range Options: Approximately $1,000–$1,500 CAD.
- High-End Options: $2,000 CAD and above.

b. Rent:

Estimated Gear Rental Costs:

Agency Rental:

Renting equipment is also an option to consider, which can be more economical. Renting backpacking gear from a rental agency. General estimates based on typical industry rates.

Backpack Rental: High-quality hiking backpacks are essential for carrying your gear comfortably. Rental rates typically range from $10 to $15 per day. For a 7-day hike, this would amount to approximately $70 to $105.
Gaiters Rental: Gaiters protect your legs and footwear from debris and moisture. They usually rent for about $5 to $7 per day, totaling $35 to $49 for a week.
Hiking Poles Rental: Trekking poles provide stability on uneven terrain. Rental costs are generally around $5 to $8 per day, equating to $35 to $56 for seven days.
Sleeping Bag Rental: Sleeping bags come in different types based on their fill. Down bags are not recommended for coastal expeditions because they lose warmth if wet. Synthetic fill is the best option. Rental rates for this type of bag ranges from $8 to $10 per day due to the cleaning costs after use. Plan on about $56 to $70 for the week.
Sleeping Pad Rental: Sleeping pads also come in several styles, but rentals tend to be the simplest and toughest types. If you are not bothered by sleeping on hard ground, just buy a closed cell foam pad, but if you want slightly more comfort and less volume in your pack, rent a pad, usually $5 to $7 per day, so overall, $35 to $50 for the week.

Combined Total for 7 Days: Approximately $215 to $365

Please note that these figures are approximate and can vary based on the rental provider and equipment quality.

Renting from a guide/outfitter on a guided tour:

When planning your West Coast Trail adventure, renting gear from Coastal Bliss Adventures can be a practical and cost-effective option, if you are on a guided tour with them.

Estimated Gear Rental Costs for the West Coast Trail (7 Days):

Sleeping Bag: $6.50/day × 7 days = $45.50
Therm-a-Rest (Sleeping Pad): $2.25/day × 7 days = $15.75
Backpack: $6.50/day × 7 days = $45.50
Gaiters: $1.67/day × 7 days = $11.69
Hiking Poles (Pair): $2.25/day × 7 days = $15.75

Total Estimated Rental Costs: $134.19

5. Additional Considerations:

Accommodation Before/After the Hike: Depending on your travel schedule, you might need lodging near the trailheads. Prices can range from $100–$200 CAD per night.
Miscellaneous Expenses: Include a buffer for unexpected costs, such as additional transportation, gear repairs, or emergencies, eating at the Crab Shack at Nitinaht Narrow. A full boiled crab is typically about $50. A piece of fish (salmon, cod, halibut) and a baked potato are usually about $40. Cash only.

6. Estimated On-Your-Own West Coast Trail Total Cost:

These cost estimates are approximate and can vary based on personal preferences, current prices, and availability.

Without Equipment Purchases: Approximately $715 to $870 CAD for permits, transportation, food, and meals.
With Equipment Purchases: Depending on the quality and amount of gear needed, the total can range from $1,000 to $2,500 CAD or more.
With Equipment Rentals-agency: Approximately $245 to $365.

So, just getting on the trail is about $715 to $870, depending on where you start from, Victoria or Nanaimo. Of course, you still have to get to one of these cities on Vancouver Island to get to the trail.

If you rent your gear, your cost will be about $960 to $1235 to get on the trail.

If you purchase your gear, your cost will be about $1700 to $3370.

7. Other Options-Guided Trips:

Guided tour prices range from about $2200 for a 7-day tour with breakfasts and dinners, but you have to bring your lunches, to about $2875 for a 9-day tour that includes all meals. 7 days is a fast pace on this very rugged trail with a full backpack. You need to be quite fit and fast to really get through this tour and enjoy it. Coastal Bliss Adventures and Sea to Sky Expeditions take 9 days to do the trail from pick up to drop off. The per day costs between these two price levels is almost the same. Which will you enjoy more? The rush-through, or the slower pace with more time to see the trail and the incredible west coast around you? The full guided tour prices are less than what you would spend for almost all all-inclusive Mexican resorts for 2025. If you want to confirm this, try this cool tool: All-Inclusive Resort Rating Spreadsheet

10 Reasons to take a guided trip on the West Coast Trail:

The planning is done for you. You save countless hours searching for and worrying about equipment, how to use the equipment, looking at tide tables and the route.
1. You don’t have to worry about missing out on getting permits and spaces on the trail through the overloaded reservation system. Guide companies are assigned dates before the reservation system opens up.
1. You don’t have to worry about the transportation to and from the remote trailheads and the logistics of vehicles and parking costs.
1. You don’t have to take the time planning your meals, how you are going to prepare them and shopping for them.
1. You don’t have to worry about water filtration or cooking equipment, including stoves and fuels.
1. The guides know the trail and the safe pacing to safely navigate the very, very different sections of this rugged trail.
1. The guides know about history and locations of interesting sights along the trail.
1. The guides cook you great meals all along the way, so you don’t have to worry about what and how you are going to eat. They do it for you.
1. The guides know what to do it there is a medical issue or emergency. They orchestrate evacuations and other needs.
1. The guiding company provides you with packing lists, training plans and more details on how to get ready for your hike.

Many people just look at the bottom line cost and don’t consider the time spent getting everything organized and ready before leaving. They don’t consider the knowledge they need just to get through the trail and its environment, especially if the weather turns. And, most people don’t consider what they will miss along the trail without the interpretation from a guide. There is real value in all of this. A guided trip allow you to just be in the place and enjoy it, rather than go through the difficult day and then have to worry about survival when you get to camp. If you take all the time to do all the planning and logistics, do you have time to train your body for the experience?

Even if you book a tour with Coastal Bliss Adventures and rent all the gear, your cost is about $3020. With that, you are saving the time, and the headache of travelling with the gear, particularly if you are coming from a long distance. You are getting the experience from people that have been on the trail for the 30 years.

West Coast Trail Costs-Conclusions:

Of course, it’s recommended to plan ahead, make necessary reservations, and budget accordingly to ensure a safe and enjoyable hiking experience on the West Coast Trail. But, the safe and enjoyable aspect extends to the preparation and planning days and months before the trip starts. Consider a guided trip.

Just going on your own is still fairly expensive. It is easy to budget the minimum and rack up a lot of extra costs because the planning was not deep enough. Options for altering costs are for accommodations before and after the trail, transportation to and from the trail, and gear choices around renting or buying. These variables can make the West Coast Trail cost considerably more.

Another option is to use the expertise, skills and provision of a guiding company to take care of most of the unseen time costs and to add value on the trail through gear provision, cooking, safety and interpretation, making the experience on the trail that much richer for you.

All in all, the West Coast Trail cost range is from just over $700 for a self-planned and organized trip, if all the stars align, to about $3200 with a fully guided and fully provisioned trip.