West Coast Trail, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada - Long Distance Hiking Trails on Waymarking.com

The West Coast Trail is open from May 1 until September 30. It is accessible to hikers outside of this period but Parks Canada does not guarantee the accessibility of services (such as search and rescue) in the off season.[citation needed] It was originally known as the Dominion Lifesaving Trail (sometimes misidentified as the "West Coast Lifesaving Trail").

The region now covered by the West Coast Trail passes through the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht, Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht people, Nuu-chah-nulth peoples, who have inhabited the area for over 4000 years.[2] Native trails, used for trade and travel, existed in the area prior to European contact, and the current trail passes through numerous Indian Reserves. In the 1970s a lack of regulation resulted in hikers trespassing on culturally important and environmentally sensitive First Nations archaeological sites, such as villages and refuges on Reserve lands. As a result of this trespass on the traditional territory and cultural property of First Nations living in the area, hikers are now required to remain on the trail when passing through any Reserve areas.

European use of the trail area was originally for the construction and maintenance of a telegraph line between Victoria and Cape Beale. Because of the high number of shipwrecks along this stretch of coast in the late 1800s (see Graveyard of the Pacific), the Pachena Point Lighthouse and the Dominion Lifesaving Trail were constructed.

The reefs and breakers off the west coast of Vancouver Island had long posed a serious danger to navigation, and at the start of the 20th century lifesaving infrastructure on the sparsely populated island was still primitive in spite of heavy coastal traffic that serviced the Pacific coast between San Francisco and Alaska. One source cites almost five hundred wrecks around Vancouver Island alone

Coordinates of the other end's trailhead: N 48° 33.451 W 124° 24.034 Recommended number of days to complete: 7.00 Distance in miles or kilometres: 75 kilometers Shelters?: No Designated campsites?: Yes Number of designated campsites: 3 Permit Required?: Yes Trail Website: [Web Link] Best Season to Hike?: Late summer, early fall Overnight parking fee: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Permit Fees?: 90.00 (listed in local currency) Overnight parking coordinates: Not Listed Intermediate Trailhead 1: Not Listed Intermediate Trailhead 2: Not Listed Intermediate Trailhead 3: Not Listed Intermediate Trailhead 4: Not Listed Intermediate Trailhead 5: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
To log this waymark, you will require a photo of yourself or a member of your team at the trailhead. We would also appreciate a description of your visit to the trailhead, If you walked the trail, tell us about your experience, how long did it take you, did you do it solo, in a group? Please pass on any information useful to others who may choose to follow. The bottom line is tell us about your visit!

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/06/2011 Sakidoo visited it