Nootka Trail - Nootka Island • MB Guiding

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Welcome to our Nootka Trail Guide! This resource includes information and tips to help plan your adventure on Nootka Island. To skip to a specific topic of interest, use the quick links below for easier navigation.

Highlights
Overview
Map
Guide Book
Fee
Access
Air Nootka
MV Uchuck III
Water Taxi
Accommodations
Weather
Tides
Route
Campsites
Trip Reports
Guided Trips

Highlights

Immersed in First Nations history. The Nootka Trail passes through the traditional lands of the Mowachaht/Muchalat First Nations. Making an effort to learn about their history encourages a respectful awareness and a richer hiking experience.
Beautiful wilderness camping. The main primitive campsites are located on gorgeous sandy beaches or clean pea gravel mounds. Calvin Falls is a highlight with its refreshing falls and tidal swimming creek. Evening sunsets are colourful and serene.
Fewer human encounters. The remote location of Nootka Island and the logistics of getting to the trailhead (seaplane or water taxi) means that fewer people hike this trail. One might travel the entire route and not see another human until Yuquot.
Frequent wildlife observations. Because fewer humans hike this trail, wildlife can be seen in their natural environment more often. Black bears, wolves, river otters, eagles, ravens, and sea birds are familiar friends along the way.
Majority of hiking on beach. More beach hiking means fantastic views, exciting terrain, fresh air, and better chances to see wildlife. The intertidal obstacles and shifting pebbles are challenging to hike on, but the rewards are endless for the eyes.

Overview

Mike did an excellent job of finding the best driftwood logs along the Nootka Trail. He insisted on frequent shade breaks and long drinks of water. Usually our best coastal wildlife sightings happened when resting…eyes on the ocean looking for whales, or towards the sky following the ravens.

Location: West Coast of Nootka Island, British Columbia, Canada
Park: Vancouver Island Special Management Zone (not a park)
First Nations: Mowachaht/Muchalat
Distance: 37 km
Duration: Typically completed in 4-8 days, depending on fitness and desire
Difficulty: Complex coastal and rainforest terrain (someone in group should be experienced)
Open: Year round, services seasonal
Peak season: July to September
Permits: Not required
Fees: First Nations land crossings
Reservations: Recommended for floatplanes, water taxis, and MV Uchuck III
Pets: Not recommended
Maximum group size: Air Nootka = 6 in largest floatplane; MV Shorebird = 10 in water taxi
Trailheads: Starfish Lagoon, Tongue Point, Yuquot (Friendly Cove)
Shuttles: Air Nootka floatplane, water taxi, or MV Uchuck III
Cable car crossings: None
Camping: 5 – 7 sites (water sources, no food lockers, no pit toilets)
Structures: Ropes
Major shipwrecks: Greek freighter Treis Lerarchi
Geologic features: Rock shelves, sea stacks, sandstone cliffs, headlands, water erosion
Wildlife: Gray whales, humpback whales, orcas, seals, sea lions, black bears, wolves, cougars, eagles, ravens, sea birds, river otters, slugs, intertidal animals
Weather: Heavy rain, cool temperatures, high winds, damp fog, sun
Hazards: Slippery roots, deep mud, steep slopes, washouts, blowdowns, fallen logs, tide problems, deep sand, pebbles, boulders, tidal shelves, rocky shorelines, impassible headlands, creek crossings, tidal creeks, tidal lagoons, tsunamis, rouge waves, floods, landslides
Emergency help: There is no cell phone service on Nootka Island (we carry satellite messengers and a satellite phone)

Map

The FMCBC Nootka Trail map is a good resource for an overview of the trip.

The Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC (FMCBC) created, published, and distributed the Nootka Trail map, and promoted the conservation of West Nootka Island. This general interest map is not suited to navigation. Instead, it highlights special points of interest and offers tips to make your hike more enjoyable.

John Baldwin created an excellent topographic map of Nootka Island highlighting the Nootka Trail. — John Baldwin created an excellent topographic map of Nootka Island.

Our favourite paper map for navigation is John Baldwin’s Nootka Island 1:50,000. He has done a great job annotating the map with main highlights of the Nootka Trail, including terrain features, obstacles, and marine elements.

Baldwin J. Nootka Island: A topographic map for hiking Nootka Island off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Scale 1:50,000. John Baldwin. 2013. www.johnbaldwin.ca

Guide Book

We observed wolf tracks after starting our morning hike out of Calvin Falls. They were proven to be fresh as we saw the sea wolf around the first bend. After we crested a sandy, seaweedy beach bump, the skittish fellow bounded off down the bay and disappeared into the rainforest. There was no chance for a picture, but we had our eye camera!

We use two guidebooks to plan hiking trips on Nootka Island. Philip Stone and Tim Leadem each have detailed Nootka Trail chapters in their guide books. Pair these essential books with John Baldwin’s map for trip planning.

Leadem T. Hiking the West Coast of Vancouver Island: An updated and comprehensive guide to all major trails. Greystone Books. 2015. www.greystonebooks.com
Stone P. Coastal Hikes: A Guide to West Coast Hiking in British Columbia and Washington State. 1st ed. Wild Isle Publications. 2007. www.wildisle.ca

Tim Leadem Hiking the West Coast of Vancouver Island Guide Book Cover

Philip Stone Coastal Hikes Guide Book Cover

Fee

After one last scramble up a hill of pea gravel, the silent Nootka Trail Welcome Figure marked the end of our 41 km journey. Just beyond this wooden statue is the building where hikers pay their fee for crossing First Nations territory and for using the grassy Yuquot campsite.

The Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations charge a $45 per person user fee. This cost includes use of facilities at Yuquot (Friendly Cove). You can pay this fee in Yuquot at the end of your hike. www.yuquot.ca

Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation Trail Notice

Access

The cool thing about taking Air Nootka to the Starfish Lagoon trailhead is that you get a raven’s eye view of the entire route. Sandy beaches, rocky headlands, extensive reefs, and coastal campsites are all seen from the sky before your boots hit the trail. What can be flown in minutes takes days on foot!

Transportation to and from Nootka Island is super exciting. Access to Nootka Island is by Air Nootka, Shorebird Expeditions Water Taxi, or the MV Uchuck III. The main staging area is Gold River. The most popular method is to hire Air Nootka for drop-off at Starfish Lagoon, hike the trail in the southeast direction, and get picked-up by the MV Uchuck III for a ride back to Gold River. Reservations are highly recommended no matter which mode or combination you choose. The cheapest option is to take the Uchuck III from Gold River and yo-yo the trail, returning to Gold River on the Uchuck III. Prices were accurate at the time we published this post, but may change anytime. Contact the service providers directly for current costs.

Get directions to Gold River on Google Maps

Air Nootka

Base: Gold River
Website: www.airnootka.com
Phone: 1-250-283-2255 (Toll free: 1-877-795-2255)
Email: [email protected]

Air Nootka drops hikers off at the Starfish Lagoon trailhead in either the Cessna or the Beaver. Each flight is a charter, which means the cost is based on booking the airplane. There is no per person fare. Due to the shallow geography of the Louie Bay area, Air Nootka is not able to take off from the northern trailhead with a loaded plane and will not provide pick-up at this location.

The Cessna 185 can take up to 3 passengers. It carries a total passenger and baggage weight of 650 pounds. The DeHavilland Beaver can take up to 6 passengers. It carries a total passenger and baggage weight of 1200 pounds. It is helpful to know your body weight and baggage weight at the time of booking, although there is a scale at the plane terminal for taking weights prior to boarding.

Gold River to Louie Lagoon drop-off charter: $633.15 per Cessna run
Gold River to Louie Lagoon drop-off charter: $864.67 per Beaver run
Yuquot (Friendly Cove) pick-up charter to Gold River: $351.75 per Cessna run
Yuquot (Friendly Cove) pick-up charter to Gold River: $480.37 per Beaver run

At the time of booking your flight, Air Nootka will need:

Each passenger’s first and last name
Each passenger’s weight
A telephone contact number
A credit card number to hold the reservation

Air Nootka asks that if you are packing in bear bangers, bear spray, or camp stove fuel, to please have these items easily accessible as they need to be stowed in the float compartment for the flight. They ask that people arrive 45 minutes prior to departure in order to leave plenty of time to weigh packs, separate out dangerous goods, and pay for the flight.

After the floatplane lands in Starfish Lagoon and gets as close to shore as possible, you disembark into the water. Watch where you step as there really are starfish in Starfish Lagoon! The pilot will retrieve the backpacks from the cargo hold and pass them to hikers to carry ashore. The water can be anywhere from ankle to knee-deep. There is a small, wet beach at Starfish Lagoon where you change from your water shoes into your hiking boats. There is nowhere to camp here. The rugged rainforest hiking starts immediately. It is about 45 minutes to the first camp at Third Beach.

Here are a few additional tips that we find helpful for a float plane journey with a water-exit:

Have your backpack packed and “hike-ready” before you arrive at the plane terminal. There is no time for fiddling as the pilot will want to do pre-flight preparations.
Stow your trekking poles on or inside your pack.
Keep bear spray, bear bangers, and camp fuel in a separate bag for the pilot to stow in the float compartment.
Fill your water bottles. There is no drinking water at Starfish Lagoon.
Wear shorts and water shoes. We used Crocs which doubled as camp shoes. Swimsuits are not required.
Tie your hiking boots firmly to the outside of your backpack.
Keep a pair of hiking socks near the top of your pack, or in an easily-accessible pocket, so you can put them on with your boots once your feet dry out.

MV Uchuck III

Base: Gold River
Website: www.getwest.ca
Phone: 1-877-824-8253
Email: [email protected]
Schedule

The MV Uchuck III is a 1942 converted minesweeper that ships cargo for communities in Nootka Sound and Kyuquot Sound. It also provides seasonal passenger services for hikers, kayakers, residents, and holiday cruisers. Booking the Uchuck III for passage back to Gold River is the perfect way to extend your Nootka Island adventure. There are excellent opportunities for marine wildlife sightings, especially whales and birds.

The vessel can take up to 100 passengers and carry 70 tons of freight. The Uchuck III has been nicely refurbished for a comfortable journey. There is a wood-finished lounge plus cafe with homemade food, books for sale, and walls covered in historic photos, nautical charts, and interpretive plaques. Plenty of open-air seating is available, either in quiet corners or in the middle of all the action. The crew is super-friendly and passionate about working on this historic ship.

Friendly Cove (Yuquot) pick-up to Gold River: $60 per person

Here are a few additional tips to maximize your Uchuck III experience:

The Uchuck III does not sail to Yuquot every day. Check their seasonal schedule to plan your trailhead exit, otherwise you may be waiting for days.
On your last trip day, allow extra time to rest and explore Friendly Cove. From the lighthouse, dock, or beach you can watch the vessel on approach and observe the crew operate the massive windlass to transfer cargo.
Change into clean, dry clothes for a more comfortable voyage.
Before boarding, neatly load all loose gear into your backpack. Stow your hiking poles. We strapped our packs to a railing on the main deck, out of the way of crew and passengers.

Water Taxi

We haven’t yet used the services of a water taxi to take us to the Tongue Point or Starfish Lagoon Trailhead. This boat charter is an option for hikers who don’t want to use a floatplane. We hope to learn more about this service in the future.

Shorebird Expeditions

Base: Tahsis
Website: shorebirdexpeditions.com
Phone: 1-250-218-1145
Email: [email protected]

The MV Shorebird drops off hikers at Tongue Point or when tides permit, at the Starfish Lagoon Trailhead. The latter option places hikers only a short 45 minute traverse to Third Beach.

Tahsis to Tongue Point drop-off charter: $465.00 per run (max 10 passengers)
Yuquot (Friendly Cove) pick-up charter to Tahsis: $320.00 per run (max 10 passengers)

Maxi’s Water Taxi

Base: Gold River
Website: www.yuquot.ca/maxiswatertaxi.html
Phone: 1-250-283-2282

Friendly Cove (Yuquot) Pick-Up to Gold River Fares: $270.00 per run (max 12 passengers)

Ray Williams

Base: Yuquot
Radio: VHF Channel 66 – call “My Sandy”

Accommodations

Gold River, British Columbia is the usual staging area for the Nootka Trail. Accommodations in town are limited and book up quickly in the high season. There are a few options east of Gold River, including camping in Strathcona Provincial Park. Reservations are recommended.

Ridgeview Motor Inn
Website: www.ridgeview-inn.com
Phone: 1-250-283-2277 or 1-800-989-3393
Email: [email protected]

The Lodge at Gold River
Website: www.thelodgeatgoldriver.ca
Phone: 1-250-283-2900
Email: [email protected]

The Gold River Chalet
Website: www.goldriverchalet.com
Phone: 1-866-450-2688
Email: [email protected]

Strathcona Park Lodge
Website: strathconaparklodge.com
Phone: 1-250-286-3122
Contact form

Buttle Lake Campground
Website: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/strath/
Make a reservation online

Weather

A parhelion, commonly called a sun dog, is a bright spot on either side of the sun. Sun dogs are types of halos created by flat, plate-shaped ice crystals. The surfaces lie horizontally and display all the colours of the spectrum. This atmospheric phenomenon was a bonus to a sunset already made beautiful by soft clouds and tidal refections.

We study the weather before our trip using a few different resources. On trip we check weather channels daily with a VHF marine transceiver. You will be hiking in a temperate marine climate. Be prepared for all kinds of weather!

Tides

Shoreline navigation is challenging, as the route along the obstacle-filled intertidal zone disappears twice a day. Cut-offs may happen at high tides. We completed most hiking on lowering tides, allowing us to pick good lines through the slippery boulders, seaweed, shelves, and logs. The “ocean on the right” was our southbound handrail.

Tide problems along the Nootka Trail involve cliff cut-offs and tidal creeks or lagoons. We list the main ones, but other stretches may be problematic at higher tides depending on wind and waves. Beach terrain is rearranged every year from storm action. Plan accordingly by carrying tide tables and knowing how to use them. We use the Saavedra Islands (#8645) tide tables.

Skuna Bay east: 10 km
Calvin Creek: 12.5 km
Beano Creek: 22.5 km
Beano Bay east: 24 km
Tsa’tsil Lagoon: 32.5 km

View updated Saavedra Islands (#8645) 7 Days Tidal Predictions for your trip dates.

Route

There are many creeks to ford along the Nootka Trail. Some are low and easy, like this one, where rock or log-hopping was mostly possible. Others were deeper, or affected by the tides, and required the removal of our hiking boots. Trekking poles helped a lot with these slippery obstacles. Our yellow Crocs camp shoes doubled as water shoes for the bigger crossings. — There are many creeks to ford along the Nootka Trail. Some are low and easy, like this one, where rock or log-hopping was mostly possible. Others were deeper, or affected by the tides, and required the removal of our hiking boots. Trekking poles helped a lot with these slippery obstacles.

The Nootka Island Trail is a challenging coastal experience. Approximately 75% of the route consists of beach hiking and 25% is forest hiking. There is not much total elevation gain. The beach sections contain all the usual features: logs, deep sand, wet sand, pea gravel, pebbles, tidal shelves, sloped surfaces, seaweed, algae, boulders, creeks, rocky headlands, sandstone, tide problems, tidal rivers, and lagoons. All surfaces are potentially mobile and slippery like ice. The rainforest sections has its own challenges: steep overland stretches that required the aid of ropes, blowdowns to crawl over or under, bogs with knee-deep mud, slippery roots, limestone cliffs, and overgrown salal. The difficulty of this hike would increase with rain or wind. Forest entrances are marked with floats hanging from trees. There are no man-made wooden structures like bridges, boardwalks, or ladders. The Nootka Trail has a rocky gully at the end of the one-kilometre crescent beach east of Beano Creek camp. The gully floods with higher tides. There are two ropes to choose from, one up a smooth, mossy slope and one up a rockier section with more hand-holds. This slippery scramble can be avoided by taking the first forest bypass access a few hundred metres west of the gully. The bypass trail must always be used at higher tides to avoid cliff cutoff.

Campsites

There are no established campsites like in provincial or national parks. Instead, there are suggested beach sites at logical intervals close to fresh water sources. There are no pit toilets or food caches along the way. Use Leave-No-Trace (LNT) camping ethics and hang your food bags properly in trees. All fresh water should be properly treated before consumption.

Third Beach

After the floatplane drop-off, Third Beach Camp is about a 1 km rainforest hike south. The beach is long and sandy, with an excellent water source. Collect as far upstream as possible to reduce the chance of brackish water. It’s a good place to relax and camp for the first night, no matter what time you arrive. After set-up, there is the opportunity for a day-hike towards Tongue Point if the tides are in your favour. There is shipwreck debris from the Greek freighter Treis Lerarchi at Tongue Point. The largest camp area with the most driftwood furniture appears to be near the creek. There is a smaller area at the west end of the beach near the sea stack.

Skuna Bay

There is a camp just before the west entrance to Skuna Bay near a good water source. It is a decent place to stay if you didn’t have the energy to make it to Calvin Falls, if the tides are not in your favour to solve tide problem east of Skuna Bay, or if you had extra trip days to play with. Calvin Falls is the nicer camp if you have a choice between the two.

Calvin Falls

The camp at Calvin Falls is probably the best camp on the Nootka Trail. It sits in the middle of a spectacular sandy beach and is situated right at a gorgeous waterfall. The falls are the terminus of Calvin Creek which drains Crawfish Lake. After camp set-up, the sandy-bottomed pool beneath the falls is an excellent place for a swim. Collect fresh drinking water from the actual flowing falls to eliminate the possibility of a brackish sample. Calvin Creek and the pool flood with high tide. The creek should be forded as soon as it is safe. We forded the creek at the end of our hiking day and camped on the south side so we didn’t have to cross in the morning.

Beano Creek

The camp at Beano Creek is a welcome sight after hours of hiking along pea gravel. The creek is tidal and can only be forded when waters are low and safe. The camp itself is on a huge mound of clean pebbles that gets moved around and reconfigured by waves and storms. This camp is close to some private cabins so there may be other people already here. There is a side creek on the south shore upstream which is a good place to collect water. Beano Creek is considerably brackish and not good for drinking unless you go really far upstream.

Pocket Beaches

Between Beano Creek and Yuquot Beach are several possible camp spots with no particular names. These smaller pocket beach camps are not the nicest on the trail, but will definitely suffice. Some are near decent water sources. Callicum Creek is the best and most reliable source in this section of the Nootka Trail.

Yuquot Beach

The camp on Yuquot Beach is lovely because you are close to Yuquot (1 km) and past the final tidal lagoon obstacle of Tsa’tsil. It is a fine spot to rest and recover on the final evening. A sea stack and a good creek mark the spot. The creek may disappear under the sand before meeting the ocean. There is a nice camp spot high on the pebble beach between the logs. There is also a more established space with driftwood furniture at the edge of the forest, should you prefer.

Trip Reports

Nootka Trail Hard-Packed Sand Seaweed Beach — Our favourite terrain on the Nootka Island Trail is hard-packed sand! There was no shortage of storm-tossed kelp and seaweed to navigate through. Thin clouds shielded us from the hot sun while we hiked these open beach sections.

Starfish Lagoon to Yuquot – August 4-8, 2018
Starfish Lagoon to Yuquot – July 7-11, 2018
Starfish Lagoon to Yuquot – August 22-26, 2017
Starfish Lagoon to Yuquot – June 25-29, 2016

Starfish Lagoon to Yuquot – August 4-8, 2018

Nootka Trail Starfish Lagoon — Once the floatplane leaves Starfish Lagoon, the natural sounds of the wilderness fill the air. We started this trip on Nootka Island with blue skies, sunshine, and calm water.

Distance: 36.3 km
Duration: 5 days
Peak: 45 m
Gain: 379 m
Map: CalTopo

Our second trip of three in Summer 2018! This was a last minute custom trip, planned and executed in just one week. Weather was superb for all five days. We woke to marine fog each morning, and enjoyed hiking in the cool mist until it burned off in the afternoon. The lingering evening cloud wisps enhanced sunset colours. Crystal clear nights offered glittering star shows and Perseid meteor showers. Route conditions were very dry with minimal mud. Wildlife highlights included: black bears, wolves, sea otters, birds, and abundant intertidal life.

Day 1: Starfish Lagoon to Third Beach
Day 2: Third Beach to Calvin Falls
Day 3: Calvin Falls to Beano Creek
Day 4: Beano Creek to Sunrise Beach
Day 5: Sunrise Beach to Yuquot

Day 1: Starfish Lagoon to Third Beach

Nootka Trail Third Beach Campsite — Third Beach offers expansive white sand, tide pools in rocks, and an excellent water source. After our 1 km hike through the rain forest from Starfish Lagoon, we were happy to set up camp.

Distance: 1 km
Duration: 1 h 1 min
Peak: 15 m
Gain: 20 m

We met Scott and Greg at the Air Nootka dock and loaded our gear onto the Beaver at 0930 h. After a perfect landing in glassy water on Starfish Lagoon, we taxied to the shore and unloaded our gear onto the beach. The floatplane took off in a roar leaving the four of us on the beach in the wilderness silence. We adjusted our backpacks, and entered the rainforest route towards Third Beach. We spent the first hour of hiking on instruction, teaching terrain management, hazard awareness, and adjusting our equipment for the perfect fit. We arrived at Third Beach to glorious sunshine and shimmering white sand. As a bonus, there were no other campers! The rest of the afternoon was spent learning camping skills: setting up tents, throwing a food hang, rigging a kitchen tarp, and relaxing until dinner, sunset, and bed.

Day 2: Third Beach to Calvin Falls

Nootka Trail Creek Crossing — Nootka Island has several creek crossings of various depths depending on the week and month. Our team was able to cross the obstacles this trip without having to remove hiking boots.

Distance: 12 km
Duration: 6 h 12 min
Peak: 20 m
Gain: 28 m

We woke to marine fog with eager guests already packed and ready to go! We enjoyed hot drinks and homemade granola during our morning meeting. We discussed our objectives, the weather forecast, tide charts, and route plan for the day. We were off the beach by 0800 h and back into the temperate rainforest jungle. Our first obstacle was a 20 m ascent up a steep hill to warm us up for the day ahead. The route was exceptionally dry through the forest. When we returned to the coastline, low flowing creeks were easily forded. The cool fog made for perfect hiking temperatures along the coastal sections. We arrived at Calvin Falls at 1412 h. The afternoon was spent swimming in the pool under the falls, exploring the expansive sand beach, identifying bear tracks, and relaxing until a sunset dinner and bed.

Day 3: Calvin Falls to Beano Creek

Nootka Trail Beano Creek Siesta — Beano Creek Camp is a favourite resting place on the Nootka Trail. Every year, winter storms shape a mountain of pebbles into different formations that divert fresh water near the ocean.

Distance: 11 km
Duration: 5 h 17 min
Peak: 6 m
Gain: 5 m

Awaking to another foggy morning, the guests were feeling a little lazier and less motivated to jump start into the day. It’s always hard to leave Calvin Falls! If you have the time, we recommend staying here two nights. After breakfast, foot care, and our morning meeting, we headed down the sand beach towards Beano Creek. This day was all coastal hiking, with minimal elevation gain. It can still be a challenge hiking through varied terrain of sand, pebbles, boulders, and along driftwood logs. We stopped at Bajo Point and explored the area while enjoying an extended mid day break. We spotted a black bear feeding on washed up kelp beds from 300 m. The bear was downwind of us and caught our scent. He sauntered up onto the logs and into the grasses, eventually disappearing into the bushes. We arrived at Beano Creek at 1303, with plenty of time to enjoy bluebird skies, and laze the afternoon away. The guests enjoyed many siestas!

Day 4: Beano Creek to Sunrise Beach

Nootka Trail Beano Creek Sea Wolf — Wolf tracks are frequently seen on Nootka Island, but it is a special treat to see the owner. Breakfast at Beano offered an excellent wolf viewing opportunity, plus a clear reflection in the slack tidal creek.

Distance: 8.9 km
Duration: 8 h 51 min
Peak: 45 m
Gain: 290 m

This morning was fog free and sunny! We are always aware that we share the trail with many other creatures. During our breakfast coffee, we were pleasantly surprised and treated to a sea wolf walking across the gravel bar in front of our camp. This perfect viewing opportunity resulted in many photos. We packed up our camp and began the big fourth day. Starting with pea gravel, we were also challenged by many ups and downs, in and out of the forest and pocket beaches around Maquinna Point. Yuquot started to come into view. The group was tired and happy to stop and setup camp at Sunrise Beach. More glorious sunset colours painted the sky during dinner and the ocean lulled us to sleep on our final night.

Day 5: Sunrise Beach to Yuquot

Nootka Trail Yuquot Dock — It’s fun to sit on a log and watch the MV Uchuck III dock action in Yuquot (Friendly Cove). Many goods get moved to and from the boat, with the odd dog chasing wheelbarrows and greeting people.

Distance: 3.4 km
Duration: 1 h 30 min
Peak: 22 m
Gain: 36 m

On our final day we awoke to a spectacular sunrise, and enjoyed views across Nootka Sound towards the Vancouver Island Ranges. We departed camp early to make the easy ford at the mouth of Tsa’tsil Lagoon. We arrived in Yuquot with plenty of time to explore the village, swim in Jewitt Lake, and rest our tired legs before boarding the MV Uchuck III. The snack bar opened when we departed from the dock, and we were first in line. The team reminisced about the hiking challenges and lucky wildlife sightings. We reviewed our trip over hot soup, sandwiches, chips and pop!

Starfish Lagoon to Yuquot – July 7-11, 2018

Nootka Trail Water Break — A good-flowing creek always encourages a water break! The logs on Nootka Island are big enough for everyone to take their packs off and find good space to rest.

Distance: 36.4 km
Duration: 5 days
Peak: 44 m
Gain: 490 m
Map: CalTopo

If the purpose of our trip was to see incredible wildlife, Nootka Trail delivered on the first day! We had excellent weather, with only a few scattered showers. The trail was quiet and tranquil. We encountered clusters of humans only at camps and popular break spots. Creek levels were higher than past trips due to recent rainfall. Birds dominated the animal scene, but we were lucky to have a special mammal viewing on our first night. We also encountered an amazing array of natural beach artifacts. Every year, every season, and every trip is different from the last. Nootka is a favourite for us, and July 2018 was no exception. With a team that felt like a group of friends right from the start, we had a relaxing experience on Nootka Island.

Day 1: Starfish Lagoon to Skuna Bay
Day 2: Skuna Bay to Calvin Falls
Day 3: Calvin Falls to Beano Creek
Day 4: Beano Creek to Sea Stack Beach
Day 5: Sea Stack Beach to Yuquot

Day 1: Starfish Lagoon to Skuna Bay

Nootka Trail Coastal Backpacking Guests — The hiking is lovely in the meadowy interfaces between the rainforest and low tide beach. We saw colourful tiny wildflowers glowing among the brilliant green grasses.

Distance: 8.2 km
Duration: 8 h 14 min
Peak: 42 m
Gain: 100 m

We awakened to a cloudy morning, but were still on schedule for our 0800 h Air Nootka flight. At 0830 h, pilot Scott executed one of his smooth, signature landings in Starfish Lagoon. Bat stars rested in the shallows, and a giant moon jelly floated by. Everyone changed into boots and discussed the terrain hazards and wildlife. We left Starfish Lagoon at 0907 h and crawled through the muddy jungle toward Third Beach. The creek at Third Beach was at high flow and winter storms had eroded the sand bar. Because of the drizzle, we decided to hike on to Skuna Bay. The rain stopped after noon and we enjoyed the open beach sections. A bear skull and a whale skeleton were biological artifacts we encountered along the way. The whale bones bleached in the sun and the great skull was separate from the body. Bird sounds of the day included hermit thrushes, Pacific wrens, ravens, and small shore birds. Mammals were elusive, but we saw a fisher at a break spot and a black bear at Skuna Bay Camp! We had a perfect viewing from a safe distance. The bear browsed for greens at the interface between beach and forest. We set up camp while he continued with his feeding behaviours. Before we cooked dinner, we talked to him and told him we would be staying the night. He looked at us for a few seconds, then walked into the bushes. We did not see him again. Only a flock of shore birds and bald eagles remained. Notable creek crossings of the day included an unnamed creek near the 5 km mark (boots off) and wide Skuna Creek. We fell asleep to the sounds of the waves, tides, fog horn, and creek.

Day 2: Skuna Bay to Calvin Falls

Nootka Trail Skuna Bay Shorebirds — As we left Skuna Bay Camp, a large flock of tiny shore birds hunted in the low tide zone. They were hard to capture on camera due to their quick flight speed.

Distance: 4.4 km
Duration: 1 h 20 min
Peak: 7 m
Gain: 17 m

An easy coastal hike was on the itinerary! We travelled 4 km between Skuna Bay and Calvin Falls under intermittent sun and fog. Hermit thrushes were dominant singers in the forest and robins hunted the beach. We conquered two tidal obstacles: a sandstone shelf in Skuna Bay and cold Calvin Creek. A short day with beautiful weather provided an opportunity to enjoy camp. We set up tents on the quiet south side of the creek, away from the base of the falls. Using driftwood and a big tarp, Mike crafted a comfortable living room and kitchen. We weren’t moving much, but we were still hungry and took all our snack breaks as planned. Muscle rest and recovery was easy in this spectacular west coast spot. We even had time to practice some wilderness navigation with a map and compass. The best wildlife viewing of the day was a hunting bald eagle pair. Their home was a nest in a tall tree at the forest-beach boundary. As we ate dinner, one of the eagles swooped into the mouth of Calvin Creek and plucked a flounder from the shallow water. The poor fish wriggled in terror as he became airborne. We could imagine his surprise at seeing a blurry ocean from above with his underwater eyes. As the eagle turned back to the nest, his partner dropped from the air and caught a second flounder! Two eagles, two flying flounders. After such a lovely nature show, the sun dropped below the fog and clouds for an epic sunset. Later, a crystal clear night revealed billions of stars, a crescent moon, and orange Mars.

Day 3: Calvin Falls to Beano Creek

Nootka Trail Bajo Point Fog — On approach to foggy Bajo Point! The boulders in this section look like dinosaur eggs. We always hear and see ravens on this rocky beach.

Distance: 10.8 km
Duration: 4 h 28 min
Peak: 12 m
Gain: 25 m

Hermit thrushes, robins, song sparrows, and ocean waves served as our alarm clock. After a nice warm up on the flat sand south of Calvin Falls, the terrain got tougher. Sand gave way to logs, boulders, and tidal shelves. The day was foggy, but cooler temperatures made for easier hiking in the pea gravel. Bajo Point with its famous sea stack was our mid-day break spot. Ravens and crows enjoyed the point with us, arguing with each other in the trees. Mustard flowers in purple, white, and yellow grew in a thick band behind the logs. The flowers continued south towards Beano, a soft border between the beach and forest. We didn’t see any bears, but observed their semi-circular pebble digs south of Bajo. Our best mammal sighting of the day was a sea otter floating in a kelp forest, easy to spot from the trail. We arrived at Beano Creek with plenty of time to enjoy camp. The beach north of Beano harboured lots of biological artifacts. The fused plates of sea urchin skeletons with bumps where spines once connected. By-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) jellyfish bodies, bleached and transparent. Vertebral bones of large, unidentified mammals. Blue mussel shells tangled with rock weed and pebbles. Giant barnacle shells made of calcite, the most stable form of calcium carbonate. Life and death on the beach, with the constant recycling of carbon, minerals, and atoms back to the sea. Beano Creek flowed strong below our camp. We collected fresh water before the tide flooded back in. At dinner, two ducklings swam against the rapids up the creek. Black oystercatchers enjoyed a bird bath where the salt and fresh water mixed. Our avian friends shared their home with us as we settled in for the night.

Day 4: Beano Creek to Sea Stack Beach

Nootka Trail Limestone Geology — As we descended the limestone cliff zone, our next pocket beach was visible between the rocks. We even found a trickle of a creek along this section.

Distance: 11.3 km
Duration: 9 h 44 min
Peak: 44 m
Gain: 321 m

The section between Beano Creek and Sea Stack Beach is always a guaranteed challenge. The horizontal distance is only 11 km, but the varied beach and forest terrain is strenuous. The gravel bar over Beano Creek was not intact this year, so we started the day’s journey with a ford through the cold water. Next we hiked the “beans” and entered the forest for the first of many inland sections. The sun was hot as we climbed in and out, over and down, and through the thick green salal bushes. Most of the time, we couldn’t see our own feet! The best water on Nootka Island flows from crystal clear Callicum Creek. A favourite spot for a quick break was on top of the windy limestone cliffs. We watched black oystercatchers give alarm calls as an eagle glided above. Other geologic features in this section included sea caves with “windows” and lenticular sandstone. The upland bog captured a few of us in the mud pits, while the last few pocket beaches tested our remaining strength. Some of the overland root scrambles were steep and muddy. We had two camping options once we emerged from the forest: Sunset Beach or Sea Stack Beach (our names). The team opted to hike a bit further to Sea Stack, putting the tidal problem of Tsa’tsil Lagoon behind us. We set up tents at the fireweed border below the path to Yuquot and enjoyed another colourful sunset. Some of us jumped into the ocean to wash off the mud before the air cooled. Sea otters joined us for dinner, their brown heads bobbing among the kelp while hunting.

Day 5: Sea Stack Beach to Yuquot

Nootka Trail Yuquot Camp — There was no need to rush our final morning at Yuquot Camp. Breakfast was long with lots of coffee. The rest of the day was for exploring at one’s own pace.

Distance: 1.7 km
Duration: 0 h 50 min
Peak: 16 m
Gain: 27 m

Camping at Sea Stack Beach allowed us to enjoy a slow breakfast and extra coffee on our final day. The sun rose yellow and warm and dried our tents. We organized food bags and traded chocolate with tea leftovers. After breakfast, everyone split up to enjoy some personal time doing preferred activities. Some folks took photos of wildlife, scenery, and tide pool creatures. The nearby beach rocks were thick with green sea anemones and purple sea stars. Others headed to Aa-aak-quaksius Lake (Jewitt Lake) for a relaxing fresh water swim. And a few opted to enjoy our sunny camp a little longer. We only had a short hike from Sea Stack Beach to Yuquot and the Welcome Figure at the end of Nootka Trail. Yuquot means “where the wind blows in all directions.” It was the site of first contact between Europeans and the Nuu-chah-nulth people. After exploring the Nootka Lighthouse and the museum, our group met to board the MV Uchuck III. We shared the boat with an exuberant group of day-tourists. The Uchuck’s famous homemade chili sold out within minutes. Our sky was bluebird for the two-hour journey back to Gold River. We sat on the breezy upper deck back benches, joking and remembering the details of our fantastic trip.

Starfish Lagoon to Yuquot – August 22-26, 2017

Nootka Trail Air Nootka Dock De Havilland Beaver — After a short fog delay, our Air Nootka pilot cleared us for take off. We hopped aboard the De Havilland Beaver for a beautiful flight from Gold River to Starfish Lagoon. A little black bear had been sighted on the docks in previous days.

Distance: 37 km
Duration: 5 days
Peak: 34 m
Gain: 500 m
Map: CalTopo

The Nootka Island Trail is always a rewarding coastal trip. This year was no exception. We had the pleasure of sharing the trail with a previous guest who had joined us last summer on the Augerpoint Traverse. We also had the honour of helping a fellow create a special birthday trip for his wife. Everyone was well-prepared and excited for the backpacking challenge. Over five days, we encountered few other humans. We were lucky to have excellent weather and frequent wildlife sightings. One creature in particular found our group appealing. He would be our friend over many kilometres.

Day 1: Starfish Lagoon to Third Beach
Day 2: Third Beach to Calvin Falls
Day 3: Calvin Falls to Beano Creek
Day 4: Beano Creek to Sea Stack Beach
Day 5: Sea Stack Beach to Yuquot