Basecamp: Jordan River
Given the current global health pandemic, please check the latest updates to the British Columbia Public Heath Order before planning your trip.
The town of Jordan River, is a small settlement on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, located approximately 70 km (43 mi) west of Victoria. Originally founded as a logging camp it is now home to Vancouver Island’s second largest hydro-electric plant. The town itself is easy to miss, home to only 100 permanent residents with no cell phone service (there are a few points where you can pick up US service from the San Juan Islands across the strait). The settlement is most known among outdoor enthusiasts for winter surfing (although locals are known to be EXTRA territorial of their waves) and the Juan de Fuca trail - a 47 kilometre/ 29 mile long wilderness hiking trail located within Juan de Fuca Provincial Park.
How to get to Jordan River
There are two main ways to get to Jordan River from the mainland. The first is to fly into Victoria, BC and from there rent a car and drive just over an hour (45miles/70km) to Jordan River. The other route utilizes BC Ferries via the Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay) route. You are able to pre-book the ferry ahead of time for an added cost that guarantees your space on the ferry, otherwise drive ups are accepted as capacity allows. From there the drive is the same. I would recommend stocking up on groceries before departing Victoria, but the town of Sooke will be your last stop along the way for food, fuel and cell phone service.
Where to sleep
Splurge
Find all the comforts of a modern cabin in our newly built Jordan River "surf shack". Enjoy the views through floor to ceiling windows being nestled amongst 3 acres of tall evergreens. Fire up the BBQ on the wrap around deck & wood stove that comes supplied with kindling & firewood. A spacious & fully stocked kitchen with everything you need; fresh towels & linens for the 2 king size bedrooms & 2 rain shower bathrooms, a huge bathtub upstairs, a hot outdoor shower + new wood fired cedar hot tub!
Cost: ~$250CDN/night with a 2 night minimum and additional $313 in taxes and fees. Use of the wood fired hot tub has an additional $150CAD (optional) charge. Bookings can be made on AirBNB here.
Capacity: 5 guests.
Location: In the town of Jordan River.
Notes: Although this comes with a heftier price tag than most options int he area - it is worth it. Some of my favourite features were (aside from the beautiful wood burning hot tub and hot outdoor shower), the full concrete floors, attention to detail in the decor, full kitchen (a rarity for rentals on the island), two massive wrap around deck spaces, a reliable wifi connection (there is no cell phone service), full size washer and dryer, extremely comfortable king size beds and a plethora of board games to play and books to peruse fireside. This space makes you feel both at home and on a relaxing vacation from the moment you walk in.
Spend
Fern Gully is a tranquil nature retreat for many to enjoy. The cabins overlook a beautiful lush creek, rushing from Nov-May. It is a very private property with no cell service or wifi. We encourage guests to unplug and enjoy the quiet of BC's beautiful west coast. Minutes from the cabins lie many beaches and hikes of all levels, including the start of the Juan de Fuca trail. Private outdoor shower/firepit. This is a basic & rustic lodging experience
Cost: ~$100CDN/night with a 2 night minimum and an additional $79 in taxes and fees. Bookings can be made on AirBNB here (note that this links to the owners’ profile - they have four cabins total on this property to choose from)
Capacity: 2 adults comfortably.
Location: In the town of Jordan River.
Notes: Commonly referred to as “a bougie shed” is an accurate description. The interior of these cabins is extremely bare bones with a loft bed . There is no cell phone service or wifi (keep reading for the only public wifi in town) so you are completely off of the grid - we downloaded a few series to my iPad before coming. The exterior of the cabins makes for a PNW dreamscape. With conical outdoor showers, fairy light laden pathways and private beach pathway this property was built to be photographed. There is a kitchen sink and a hot plate in the units and each cabin has their own private outhouse located an approbate distance from the cabin.
Save
Camp along the Juan de Fuca Trail
Wilderness / walk-in camping is available at Juan de Fuca Marine Trail only in both beach and forest sites. The trail and campsites along the trail are open all year.
Beach Sites: Camping at Mystic Beach, Bear Beach, Chin Beach and Sombrio Beach (East) is available on the beach. Please use camping pads at West Sombrio camping area; otherwise there are no designated sites. Remember to camp on the beach to prevent degradation of the forest vegetation.
Forest Sites: Camping at Little Kuitsche Creek and Payzant Creek is in the forest and away from the beach. There is limited shoreline access at Little Kuitsche Creek and no shoreline access at Payzant Creek. Fires are not permitted at these sites. A portable campstove will be required for cooking. Camp only on designated tent pads.
Cost: Backcountry Camping Fee: $10.00 per person / night (persons 16 years of age and older) $5.00 per child / night (persons 6 - 15 years of age). Self-registration envelopes and safes are located at each trailhead on the Juan de Fuca Trail for depositing your camping fee, cash only (bring exact change) or register online here.
Location: On the west coast of southern Vancouver Island, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park extends from China Beach, just west of the community of Jordan River, to Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew. The park is accessed by vehicle at various points along West Coast Highway 14 between Jordan River and Port Renfrew. The China Beach campground is adjacent to Highway 14 just east of the China Beach day-use, 35 km west of Sooke and 36 km east of Port Renfrew. An interactive map can be found here.
Notes: I have never hiked the full Juan de Fuca as a disclaimer. But I have camped on several of its beaches. I would recommend learning to read tidal charts before going as some of the beaches are completely submerged at high tide. And no matter what the forecast says - bring your rain gear!
Where to eat
There are no restaurants in Jordan River. I would recommend stopping in either Victoria or Sooke (the last place on your drive that you will have cell phone service) and picking up groceries and supplies.
Where to find the best coffee
The Cold Shoulder Cafe - this is the only establishment in town and the coffee is surprisingly great! They also have an impressive selection of sweet and savoury snacks. Open 9am-3pm Monday-Thursday and 9am-5pm Friday-Sunday. The cafe also offers free wifi - which is useful in a town with no cell phone service.
What to do
1. Hike the Juan de Fuca(or parts of it)
All of the information for Hiking the Juan De Fuca can be found here.
Some of my favourite day hikes are:
Sombrio Beach - from the parking lot, it’s an casual 10-minute walk along a wide and well-maintained trail. The path slowly tapers into a fork leading to either East or West Sombrio Beach. (Don’t worry, you can’t really make a wrong turn, as both trails are about 500m and lead to a stunning beach). These two designated camping areas will guide you toward cool rocks and, of course, the calming crash of ocean waves. If you’re up for exploring rocks, waterfalls, and a cave or two, opt for the left fork and take a much-deserved long walk on the beach (~20 minutes) to a small stream. Walk upstream to find beautiful moss-covered stone walls and a nearby waterfall. See photo below.
Mystic Beach - only 4.3 km/2.7miles past Jordan River. It is round-trip 4km/2.5 miles (about 45 mins to the beach) hike with a total roundtrip elevation gain of 157m/515ft. This hike takes you through beautiful ancient forest along a well-maintained trail and includes a beautiful suspension bridge. Note that this trail can be wet, oftentimes flooded, and slippery in parts.
Botanical Beach Loop - A 3km/1.8mile loop with a total elevation change of 66meters/216ft. Go at low tide to walk the beach loop and explore the tidal pools. As someone who did not grow up along the ocean these small ecosystems always feel like magic to me.
2. Have a Beach Picnic
3. Spend a rainy day inside playing board games, reading books and sipping coffee while you’re off the grid
What to pack
For Rainy Morning Coffee walks
Smartwool PhD Outdoor Light Pattern Mini Socks (these are the perfect height for the taller Blundstone boots)
For leisurely hikes down to the beach
For some of the best trail running in Canada
Patagonia Houdini Jacket (this is a very lightweight wind breaker - not water resistant/proof)
Arc'teryx Norvan SL Hoodie (Gore-Tex, lightweight and breathable)
Vuori : Energy Top (this is really comfortable and super flattering, the perfect crop)
Vuori : Lux Performance Long-Sleeve T-Shirt (size up in this one)
Danner Trail 2650 Hiking Shoes (not a true trail runner - but extremely versatile)
For staying cozy playing board games inside
*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!
For adventure enthusiasts I can’t imagine a better year-round Canadian destination, with world class surfing (wave dependant), mountain biking, hiking, trail running, sea kayaking… and more passive activities such as whale and bird watching as well as walks with coffee on a seemingly endless maze of trails that are extremely well maintained there isn’t too terribly much that you can not do in Tofino. With just shy of 2,000 permanent residents, Tofino is located on the tip of the Esowista Peninsula at the southern edge of Clayoquot Sound. It is situated in the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations.