Juan de Fuca Marine Trail

The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail isn’t quite as well-known as its more famous sibling, the West Coast Trail, but don’t let that fool you into thinking this a second-rate trail. The views are just as amazing, it‘s easier to access, does not require advanced reservations months in advance and is a gem locals do not overlook even if the rest of the world often does.

The Juan de Fuca Trail runs along the Canadian side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the southeast coast of Vancouver Island. Across the strait, the glacier-covered Olympic Mountains tower above the horizon. In the strait, whales can often be spotted.

The route is a designated wilderness hiking trail, and conditions can be difficult but rewarding. Hiking this virtual route, you can avoid many of the physical difficulties the trail will throw at you: mud, tides, mountains, weather and more—but the wildlife, tide pools, beaches and views make it all worth it.

Joining me this time around is Karolina, my hiking companion that you might remember from other trails such as the Jordan Trail (you’ll even see photos of her wearing her Jordan Trail T-shirt).

If you’re thinking about hiking the trail in real life, you might want to download the GPS tracks of the route.