Giant Cedars, White Sands: Juan de Fuca Marine Trail GuidebookHike with the Whales
An article by Donald C. Mills
© 2003 Donald C. Mills


Giant Cedars, White Sands: 
This book is a must for anyone venturing out on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail.

Hike with the Whales

While hiking on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, The most incredible feeling overcame me when I realized I was hiking with whales.  I felt as though they were following and conversing with me. Through my binoculars I could see the jagged barnacles on their backs as they silently broke surface to spout. Hiking in the lush rainforest of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail proved magical enough, but walking only a few hundred metres from the whales was overwhelming.
     The variety of surprises I encountered trekking those five days amazed me. I watched whales breaching, sea lions sunning on their favorite rocks, seals bobbing in the surf and peering at me, a mink running under a log six feet from me, and a bald eagle catching a fish in the ocean. I ventured into beach caves and through rock arches where one can only imagine the raw power of the crashing waves from ocean storms. Butterflies overtook my stomach when I traversed a 43-metre-deep gorge spanned by a steel suspension bridge 63 metres across.
     The trail winds through majestic old-growth rainforest, along rugged cliffs beside the vibrant ocean, and onto sunny beaches affording clear views of the Pacific Ocean and the Olympic Mountains. Hikers can enjoy the magical seal caves, tide pools visible at low tide teeming with tiny sea creatures, the thundering sound of waterfalls, and surf exploding through sculpted shoreline blowholes. Amidst all the visible activity and beauty, large schools of salmon swim by silently beneath the ocean surface.
     Come and experience the rising and falling tides as you beachcomb or camp on remote beaches. From suspension bridges you can look into deep ravines cut by age-old rivers. While hiking, see where mudslides have reshaped the trail, sweeping big trees, boulders, and tons of mud into the ocean. The sounds of dozens of streams and cascading waterfalls permeate the tranquil silence of the forest as you hike along. Most streams have small freshwater pools where hikers can draw and filter their water. As tents are set up before nightfall, one can enjoy the last rays of a colorful sunset ending the day. The cool of the evening will become apparent when a thick blanket of fog rolls in to cover the night.Giant Cedars, White Sands: Juan de Fuca Marine Trail Guidebook

Vancouver Island's Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is conveniently located 70 km west of Victoria, BC, along the north shore of the Juan de Fuca Strait. To reach the Trail, head west from Colwood on Highway #14 past Jordan River. Key features that make this a great trail are easy accessibility, excellent location, free day hiking, and suitability for everyone. All the bridges and boardwalks are new and safe. You need never make reservations, nor do you need to pay expensive trail fees to hike here. The only cost is a small overnight camping fee of $5 per person per night. Children age 16 and under camp free and must be accompanied by an adult. The Trail is open all year, with summer the dry season and late October to December the wet season. Trail amenities include the four main trailheads, backcountry toilets, information boards, and ample parking close to beaches and reef shelves.
     Five hidden unmarked side trails allow quick access to the trail at various points and facilitate more than 20 different day hikes along the entire length of the Trail. In addition, the side trails present all hikers with five vital emergency exit points. If the five-day, 47-km wilderness trek seems too strenuous or too long an undertaking, then consider any of the shorter excursions or day hikes. New boardwalks between Parkinson Creek and Botanical Beach help make this 10-km section of hiking easier than other sections of the Trail.
     In addition to hiking, you can enjoy a wealth of events organized in Sooke. A few of these are Sooke Days, the Sooke Fine Arts Show, and the Sooke Fall Fair. Places to tour in Sooke include the Sooke Museum & Information Centre, Whiffen Spit walk, and the Sooke Potholes. You can also go on fishing and whale-watching charters, visit artisan studios, and watch a play at the Sooke Community Theatre. 
     Sooke is your last opportunity if you want to buy gas, camping supplies, and groceries before heading out to the Trail. If you have an RV camp trailer or a tent, you may want to stay at the campground located just 1 km east of the China Beach trailhead. In Port Renfrew you can shop for souvenirs and camping items at
Trailhead Resort General Store, stay at West Coast Trail Motel, and even buy a fresh salmon when in season from the fish wholesaler near the main town dock.
     To better enjoy this isolated wilderness, be prepared for your hike. When on the Trail, you will want to know when the tide is high or low, because at certain times the high tide covers several points on the Trail. Be sure to read the up-to-date FAQs from a hiker's perspective in my book, Giant Cedars White Sands, is full of Trail insights. You can find pictures of the Trail and links for tide guides, and for checking the weather.
     Plan and enjoy your 'super natural hiking experience. Be prepared, and pack light. I consider this Trail BC's best wilderness adventure.


In writing Giant Cedars White Sands, Donald C. Mills has created the most authoritative book on  British Columbia's  Juan de Fuca Marine Trail.  Available here online

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Article © 2003-2007 Donald C. Mills
First published in 2003 by the Eagle-Eye Wilderness Co.  |  Last update:  June 8, 2012