![West Coast Trail](https://cdn.slatesource.com/c/f/f/cffbcef4-fe36-4548-a4d6-d485d36d9979.webp)

# West Coast Trail

- [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/u/steph/west-coast-trail)
- By [Steph](https://slatesource.com/u/Steph)
- Travel & Exploration
- Created on May 20, 2026

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Duration

~56.1 hours

Distance

219.4 km

Elevation gain

720 m

Difficulty

T2 — moderate mountain hike

High point

200 m

## West Coast Trail

A 75 km rugged coastal trek along the wild southwest edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, built on the historic Dominion Lifesaving Trail. Hikers navigate ladders, cable cars, bog boardwalks, slippery rocks, and tide dependent beach sections through old growth rainforest and surf battered shoreline.

Open May through September only, with a strict Parks Canada quota and mandatory orientation, so book the permit the moment reservations open in January. Carry a current tide table, as several beach sections are impassable at high tide and require waiting hours or taking inland bypass trails.

[More info](https://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/pacificrim/activ/activ6a.aspx?utm_source=slatesource)