08/20/2026
Easy backpacking trails on Vancouver Island:
There's a few good options but the easiest ones are
*San Josef Bay: this is a short flat 2.5km walk in to the beach. (My friend and I decided to pull a wagon in so we could bring my big tent & some extra water). To camp here you just need to purchase a backcountry permit either by cash at the trailhead or online
*Lake Helen Mackenzie: this is probably the only easy hike in for backpacking in Stratchcona park. A few km in with just over 100m elevation gain gets you to this beautiful lake. From there you have many day hike options!
You could also hike in further to Kwai Lake, or Circlet Lake for a bit more of a challenge. (Book backcountry permits online or at the trail & tent pads are FCFS)
*Juan de fuca beaches (Mystic, Sombrio, China, etc): the nice thing about the Juan de fuca trail is you can actually choose your own adventure by making it as hard or as easy as you want. The easiest is just parking at each beaches parking lot and doing a short hike in. Same with the other two, you just need to book a permit and then camp wherever you can find a spot.
Make the trip harder by doing part of the trail and hike between a couple of the beaches or of course do the whole trail!
Another idea for a bit more challenging of a trip (but still nothing too crazy)
*Landslide lake via Elk River trail (the 2 campsites before the lake are more gradual hikes in so although it is still a moderate level hike it's not too technical or long depending on your hiking level)
*Save this for future trip planning*
