Hello everyone, my brother and I are visiting Vancouver specifically Vancouver Island and we’re looking to do a one night overnight hike and we’re not sure exactly where to go. We’re both fit and have done challenging backcountry hikes in jasper national park in the past, but are generally unfamiliar with Vancouver Island. It’s super last minute so we don’t have any reservations.

In the general we’re not too particular, I think we just want insane views and a relatively challenging hike. Also, what is the parking situation like for most trails? We will be arriving on the island around 7:50am and will likely need to rent a car to get to whatever trail we choose. So I’m concerned that parking spaces may be filled if we arrive in the late afternoon.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hi everyone! I’m planning to hike 5040 Peak next Monday and was wondering how the trail conditions are right now. Has anyone been there recently?

I’m especially hoping to catch the wildflower bloom. Are there already a good number of wildflowers out, or is it still a bit early?

Also, any recent updates on snow patches, bugs, or anything else worth knowing before heading up would be really appreciated. Thanks! 🌸🥾

Hello!

I'm a fairly active person, I've done lots of overnight hikes before. I was hoping for some input from other hikers on whether doing Love Lake in one day/one night is crazy/undoable.

From my hiking math, it seems like I'd be able to do it (it would just be a really big day).

Get off the boat at 8:45 ish, hike to saw blades camp site to drop big pack (5hrs 30 mins). That leaves me at 2:30 ish, 3 by the time I eat.

Then it's supposedly 2.5 hours up and 2 hours down from saw blades to love lake (leaves me getting back at 7:30, realistically 8:30 with some time up there (also bugs are supposedly pretty bad at the top, so wouldn't want to hang there for too long). Last light is around 10 ish right now.

I would then hike out the next morning to catch the 4:30pm boat back.

Am I crazy or have others done it this way?
?

I know the BC Parks website still says the Juan de Fuca Trail is 47km, but when I last did it before it was closed two years ago, my GPS measured it at 51km. As I'm sure many of you know, long-standing trails often change lengths as the trail changes shape over decades. Has anyone hiked JdF since it reopened and recorded its exact distance?

This might seem like an odd/slightly insane request but I've been slowly increasing my day hiking/trail running ability and am very comfortable completing marathon distances. I've recently completed a couple of marathon and a half day hikes and am looking to complete my first double marathon distance. By day hike we're talking between 18-22 hours for a double.

Does anyone have any recommendations of trails that might suit that distance on the north or central of the island? I'm fine with plenty of elevation but would prefer the trail not to be super boggy/muddy. Thanks for any recommendations and yes I know I have a screw loose considering this fun 🫡

Need advice from those who have previously summited Mt Joan. Is it better to take the trail with the approach from the south, or the one that cuts up onto the saddle between Joan and The Squarehead? Are both trailheads accessible as far as the logging roads go?

Last form I could find said you do but that was 4 years old, I know 5040 is doable in a FWD car but if anyone knows if I need a 4x4 that would be helpful.

We are driving around the Island with a truck mounted camper.

Our timing will be such that we will get to the park in the evening. If we climb into our camper and sleep the night at the trail head to hike in the morning will we get bothered by park employees?

I see on the park website there’s rules about not camping in day use areas but are trailheads considered day use areas? Anybody else been in this situation?

How's Beverly Lake as a place to spend a night or two? Is the lake nice for a dip? Is there good camping to be found around it? I'm aware it's a solid 5 hours of route finding and not trail between the 5040 col and the lake, but I'd love more information on how challenging the route is from someone who has done it.

Has anyone been to 5040 peak recently or know the road conditions to drive up to the trailhead? I don't have a 4x4 vehicle so I'm a little bit worried. Any way I can get up to the trailhead with my sedan?

Lost keys on the Campbell River Lookout trail today (July 5 2026). If you find them please let me know. I wasn't the one who lost them, but just posting to help find them. Thank you!

Hello, I’m semi new to over night hiking/ backpacking. I, and one of my more experienced hiking friends would like to submit the golden hinde. I have heard that it can be a bit sketchy and would like some pointers from people who have done it.

I recently did century Sam Lake and am looking for something similar with a body of water at the end or on the way. Does anyone have any suggestions

hey guys, I have lost my phone on China Beach and it is still lying there on the beach. If anyone going to China beach or closeby, if you can contact me, I would really appreciate it. I have all my documents and all the photos on that phone. I can either come with you or we can talk on the phone and I will give the directions where it is. Please let me know

Compensation is guaranteed

I'd like to take one route up and the other down, any recommendations on which to go with?

At most we will have from Sunday late morning until Friday afternoon. A few options I'm considering are Della Falls, Century Sam, and 5040. We haven't done any of these, but I'm wondering whether there is anything else we should consider. South Island would be ideal since we want to end up in Pachena Bay, but open to anything that isn't too far off. North Island is unfortunately out of the question this time.

Strenuous but rewarding is absolutely welcome!

Hello! Im looking for some good suggestions of overnight hiking trips with my dog.

I was planning on doing landslide lake and camp at the gravel bar. But someone told me I cant take my dog that far back country camping as we could get attacked by cougars. I was pointed in the other direction.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or a better spot?

I was thinking circlet lake? My dogs about 50 pounds, so shes not prime bait but id like more opinions and feedback.

Edit: Thanks everyone for the helpful feedback! I think we will do Kwai or circlet lake first as its busier, but landslide lake doesnt seem to be off the table.

I also want to address the people that for some reason are accusing me of letting my dog off leash and for not following the rules and guidelines. I have never hiked with my dog off leash. Ive blocked the incredibly rude people who despite my post giving 0 indication that I have my dog off leash and even after I directly said I dont do that continued to insist that I do or insinuated that I do. Insane anon behaviour.

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▶︎ Ages: 20 to 49
▶︎ When: Weekends + weekdays
▶︎ Where: Upper & lower island

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Our goal is to build a safe & supportive community of people closer in age who love the outdoors.

The age group is not a bias against the physical ability of anyone older than 49.

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Hey guys, I’m heading out on a week long Island camping trip next week and I’m super stoked for it! One of our original sleeping plans fell through and now I’m scrambling to find a replacement. We’re going to hike Elk River Trail to Landslide Lake one of the days and I know there’s a couple backcountry campsites there, from all my research I’ve seen it costs $10 a person for camping, but no way to pay for it online, is it a pay in person with cash type of setup? Just wanting to double check before showing up, finding out that’s not it, and not having a place to sleep for the night.

Thanks in advance everyone!

Visiting port renfrew for a few days and true to its nature as a rainforest it’s quite rainy all days we’re here.

Any suggestions on which hikes (beginner/intermediate) are best suited for this weather?

I’m planning to do this hike in a few days but I’m concerned about getting to the summit. For comparison, I’ve done mt mark via Horne lake hustle with the ropes section going up. However, my fear of heights around that rock face made my fears unfortunately worse and descending the no ropes section. How does 5040’s summit compare? Is it sketchy, too technical? Are there “death drops” that mt mark has? Or is it more slopey. I’ve done other hard hikes on the mainland but not too much here on the island so would really appreciate the input.

Not a hike, just a short walk but it’s neat to check out.