How To Get West Coast Trail Reservations In 2025
2025 West Coast Trail Reservations
Are you looking to get West Coast Trail reservations for the 2025 hiking season?Reservations will open at 8am PST on January 20, 2025 to hike the trail between May and September.
The most popular dates (June to August) sell out almost immediately. So, if you’re hoping to secure a spot this season, it’s important to be ready. But, if you do miss out on your preferred dates, all is not lost, as you may still have some other opportunities to secure reservations.
Read on to find out how to secure your spot to hike the West Coast Trail in 2025!
How Do You Make West Coast Trail Reservations?
West Coast Trail Reservations for the 2025 season can be made online or by phone through Parks Canada as of 8 am PST on January 20, 2025.
The process of securing a spot on the trail is a stressful one and unfortunately not everyone is successful. To increase your chances of success, you should be online on reservation opening day at 8am sharp and be prepared to keep trying. You will need a lot of patience and persistence, as well as some luck!
Some hopeful West Coast Trail hikers even set themselves up with multiple devices and Wi-Fi connections to try and increase their chances. Or, if there are several hikers in your group, I recommend having everyone online and trying from their own device, rather than relying on just one group member to make the booking. (Just make sure you stay in touch with each other throughout the process, so you don’t double book!)
When making a reservation, you should be prepared with the following information:
- Preferred and alternative start dates. It’s best to be flexible and have a few options to try.
- Your preferred (and alternative) access point. It’s best to be flexible on this to increase your chances of securing your preferred dates.
- The number of hikers in your group and their names.
- Emergency contact details for each hiker in your group (name, phone number and email).
- A method of payment (Visa, MasterCard or American Express are all accepted).
- An email address for the confirmation and orientation info to be sent to.
Online Reservations
To make West Coast Trail reservations online, visit the Parks Canada Reservations website. The recent upgrades to the booking system have made it much more user-friendly. So this is the easiest way to browse available dates and secure a spot.
When accessing the online booking system, make sure to click the “Backcountry” tab and select “West Coast Trail” before entering your ideal dates. Click search and select the West Coast Trail from the map on the following page. You will then see a map with the 3 possible access points (where you will start your hike from): Pachena Bay (north), Gordon River (south) and Nitinaht Village (mid-point).
While you can search for possible dates by clicking on your preferred access point on the map, I instead recommend using the calendar function. This will allow you to scroll through all possible dates and access points until you find the option that suits you best.
PRO TIP: Don’t worry about selecting multiple nights on your booking. West Coast Trail reservations allow you to stay on the trail for up to 14 days! The only date that you need to reserve is your start date, as this is the only day you will be allowed to enter the trail.
Reservations by Phone
Another way to book is by phoning Parks Canada and speaking to a booking agent. Call 1-877-737-3783 (toll-free) from within Canada and the US, or 1-519-826-5391 if calling internationally.
If you’re struggling to find a spot on the online system, calling to make a reservation is a great alternative. Sometimes the booking agents will be able to see new availability before it shows back up on the online system. Keep in mind that this won’t always work, but if you are struggling to secure your dates, it’s definitely worth a try.
How Much Does the West Coast Trail Cost?
There are several fees you must pay to hike the West Coast Trail. Updated prices (in CAD) per person for the 2025 season are:
- Trail Permit – $166.75
- Reservation Fee – $25.75
- Ferry crossing at Gordon River – $28
- Ferry crossing at Nitinaht Narrows – $28
This comes to a grand total of $248.50 CAD per person (including taxes) which you will be required to pay at the time you make your reservation.
However, this is not the final price, as there are additional costs to factor in, to be paid for separately.
Additional Costs
- National Parks Entry Fee – $11 per day OR $75.25 for an annual discovery pass, per person. Note – if you’re hiking as part of a group it is cheaper to purchase an annual family discovery pass for $151.25, which covers up to 7 people travelling together in the same vehicle.
- Nitinaht Water Taxi Fee – If you’re starting the trail at Nitinaht Narrows (the mid-way point) you will need to pay an additional $70 Water Taxi fee. This is for the boat from Nitinaht Village to the West Coast Trail mid-way starting point. The fee is to be paid directly to the Nitinaht Ferry Operator (in cash).
- West Coast Trail Express Shuttle – $95 one way between Gordon River and Pachena Bay, or $80 one way between Gordon River/Pachena Bay and Nitinaht Village. (Note – this is assuming you will be parking at one end of the trail and getting the shuttle to/from the other end). There is also the option to get the shuttle to/from Victoria, Nanaimo and Sooke, with prices ranging between $60 to $145.
- Food – This will vary based on how long your trip is, what your individual calorie requirements are, and whether you are preparing your own meals or buying everything pre-made. Food prices will also vary a lot depending on what you buy. A typical freeze-dried meal costs between $14-$18 CAD, versus a packet of instant noodles which you can pick up for $1.
- Hiking and Camping Gear – This will depend on what equipment you already have and what you need to invest in. Good quality backpacking gear can be pricy, so it’s best to plan this well in advance. To find out more, check out my West Coast Trail packing list.
READ MORE: The Ultimate Guide to The West Coast Trail
What If You Miss Out on West Coast Trail Reservations?
Unfortunately for many, West Coast Trail reservations opening day does not go as planned. As such, a lot of hopeful hikers are left without a spot on the trail each season.
But this doesn’t mean that your West Coast Trail hopes are over. If you weren’t lucky on reservation opening day, there are still some other ways to secure a spot on the trail.
Getting Reservations After Opening Day
During the initial rush on reservations opening day, it always seems like there are fewer spots available than there really are.
Amidst the frenzy of people adding different options to their cart and using multiple devices to try and make their reservations online, less availability is usually visible to select from. As such, lots of people think they have missed out when they really haven’t.
Which Dates Are Usually Available to Book Later?
After the initial rush of reservations opening day, you will likely still find plenty of availability on the West Coast Trail, including:
- Throughout May (from all three starting points)
- Most days in June (from all three starting points)
- Most days in the second half of September (from all three starting points)
- Most days throughout the season starting from Nitinaht Village (the mid-way point)
What If Your Preferred Dates Aren’t Available?
If your preferred dates aren’t available, you still have a chance of securing them later!
Plenty of people book what they can get early on when reservations open, only to cancel later when their plans change.
Keep an Eye Out
I recommend keeping an eye on the online booking page and you may very well get lucky.
You could also join West Coast Trail community groups, such as the West Coast Trail Facebook group. Sometimes hikers whose plans change will offer their spots up in these groups, rather than cancelling, as it can be cheaper to transfer the booking to avoid incurring cancellation fees.
Be Flexible
If your preferred dates aren’t available, be flexible! There is usually plenty of availability at the start and end of the season, which is often the best time to go, as the trail is quieter.
Plus, the hike is just as beautiful early and late in the season, so you will have an amazing time no matter when you go.
Start at the Mid-Way Point (Nitinaht Village)
A lot of hikers shy away from starting at the mid-way point as they don’t want to complete just half the trail. But, you can actually still get the full West Coast Trail Experience when starting from the mid-way point.
Many hikers who start here will first hike north and camp one or two nights, before turning around and hiking southbound. This means they still get to see all the key sites and do most of the traditional route. Plus, you get to enjoy some extra time on the trail.
Here are my suggestions for making the most of the trail if starting at the mid-way point.
Hike Northbound and Camp at Tsusiat Falls
Tsusiat falls is only 7 km (4.5 mi) north from Nitinaht Narrows (where you will enter the trail and start your hike). It’s only a moderately difficult portion of the trail and, as this will be your first day, you’ll have fresh legs so you will easily make it here (or even further).
Hike Further and Camp at One of the Other Northern Campsites
If you start early and are up for a big first day, Michigan Creek at km 12 (the first campsite when starting from the North trailhead) is about 19 km (12 mi) north from Nitinaht Narrows. (Although this would be a long 7–10 hour day.)
The other campsite options for your first day hiking northbound (which are slightly more manageable) are Darling River (km 13.7), Orange Juice Creek (km 15) or Tscowis Creek Camp (km 16.5).
Day Hike to the Northern Trailhead and Back!
After camping your first night at one of the northern campsites, you could leave your camp set up and do a day-hike to the northern trailhead and back on your second day (or as far as you can make it). You would then spend a second night camping in the same spot.
Note – please keep in mind that you’re only allowed to camp at Tsusiat falls for one night. So spending two nights at the same campsite is only possible at Michigan Creek, Darling River, Orange Juice Creek or Tscowis Creek Camp.
Continue Your Hike Southbound
Once you have sufficiently explored the northern section of trail, start your hike southbound, with a more traditional West Coast Trail itinerary. Although you will double up on some of the trail, it’s such a beautiful hike that I doubt you will mind!
How Else to Experience the West Coast This Season
If you aren’t able to secure your spot on the trail this season, there are still plenty of other ways to get your West Coast fix. Vancouver Island is full of fun and unique activities.
Camping on Vancouver Island’s West Coast
Luckily, Vancouver Island is full of beautiful places to explore and camp, including on the West Coast. There are even some amazing campgrounds at each end of the iconic West Coast Trail.
I suggest heading to Pachena Bay (at the northern trailhead) where you can camp at the Pachena Bay Campground. Here you can explore the local area, do some day hiking and enjoy beautiful Pachena Beach.
Alternatively, the Pacheedaht Campground at the West Coast Trail’s southern trailhead is also a great option.
Other Trails on Vancouver Island
There are also lots of other epic trails on Vancouver Island to give you a taste of the region’s beautiful coastline.
I suggest trying the neighbouring Juan de Fuca Marine Trail—the West Coast Trail’s slightly shorter cousin.
The Juan de Fuca Trail doesn’t have as much beach walking or the extensive network of ladders and cable cars that the West Coast Trail has, but it does offer lots of interesting forest terrain, plenty of obstacles, and beautiful beaches, views and campsites.
And, although it’s a shorter trail (47 km compared to the West Coast Trail’s 75 km), the Juan de Fuca is generally considered to be more technical. If you can conquer the Juan de Fuca Trail, you will no doubt be ready to try the West Coast Trail next season, and will probably enjoy your experience even more.
Or, if you’re really up for a challenge, the North Coast Trail in Cape Scott Park is another beautiful coastal hike on Vancouver Island.
This 58 km trail takes you across expansive sandy beaches, through old growth rainforest and over countless obstacles in an exceptionally remote setting. Although it doesn’t have as much infrastructure as the West Coast Trail, so navigating it is generally considered to be much more difficult.
Final Thoughts on Booking the West Coast Trail
Making West Coast Trail reservations can be a difficult (and often disappointing) task. So make sure you’re well prepared and ready for reservations to open.
And, if you do miss out on getting a reservation on opening day, luckily there are some other ways to secure a spot on the trail this season, so you can have the hike of a lifetime.
READ MORE
West Coast Trail Packing List, How To Pack & What NOT To Bring
West Coast Trail In Canada: The Ultimate Hiking Guide
21 BEST Things To Do On Vancouver Island: Unique & Fun Experiences
West Coast Trail App: Overview & Review of the New App
Ferry To Nanaimo: Schedule, Price & ALL You Need To Know
The Ultimate Guide To Pachena Bay: West Coast Trail, Campground & More
Joffre Lakes Hike – The Complete Guide To Hiking & Camping At Joffre Lakes
