Be very aware that these are active logging roads, and access should only be attempted by private vehicles before 8am or. Download these georeferenced maps below into your smart phone and navigate the trail with accuracy using the free avenza systems. The first section of the 180km sunshine coast trail. The sunshine coast trail stretches from sarah point in desolation sound, across powell river, and all the way down to saltery bay. Many have surrounding tent sites nearby, just in case. The 10 best sunshine coast hiking trails with photos. Sunshine coast trail to lost lake british columbia, canada. The whole trail is 180 kilometers long and stretches the whole length of the northern sunshine coast from north of lund, past powell river, to the.
As the brainchild of eagle walz, the sunshine coast trail was built, starting in 1992, to link sections of old growth forest before they disappeared. Just before leaving for squamish, id been told that the mountains were clear of snow, so when we left vancouver, finally ready to go hiking the sunshine coast trail, we were in high spirits despite the cloudy skies. Many panoramic views and a wide variety of vegetation and wildlife. Still we made our plans, and called the sunshine coast trail office a few times to check on weather and snow conditions. Sunshine coast trail, powell river, british columbia. Sunshine coast trail guest book sunshine coast trail guest book. Highlighting expansive coastal and mountain vistas, meandering through oldgrowth rainforest and dotted with trailside huts, the 180km sunshine coast trail is a worldclass hiking route just a halfday trip from downtown vancouver. Phase one of the suncoaster trail is 37 kms long, about two metres wide and travels through old crown land forest roadways and trails along a series of beautiful lakes. Hiking the sunshine coast trail in british columbia. Parks and forests with hiking within sunshine coast. Top 5 hikes on british columbias sunshine coast explore. Sunshine coast trail huttohut hiking sunshine coast.
The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from april until october. Hiking on the sunshine coast and in powell river the sunshine coast trail. Sunshine coast shuttles is a transportation shuttle service based in the upper sunshine coast in powell river, british columbia. World north america pacific nw canada sunshine coast trail one of the best hikes in the world sunshine coast trail nearby west coast trail is the. Hiking the sunshine coast trail, british columbia canada. Books, maps, films, brochures sunshine coast trail. Wed booked a water taxi from lund to the trailhead at sarah point. The views along the sunshine coast trail may be serene but the roads to get there can be remote. Sunshine coast trail 7 days 6 nights powell river to lang.
A lowresolution map can be downloaded from the trail s website. Highlighting expansive coastal and mountain vistas, meandering through old growth rainforest and dotted with trailside huts, the 180km sunshine coast trail is. Top hiking trails in sunshine coast, australia tripadvisor. By trail standards, the sunshine coast trail is relatively young. Sunshine coast trail maps powell river, bc, canada. Both lifelong washingtonians, they grew up hiking and camping, and enjoy sharing their love of the outdoors. It reached its culmination with the creation of 14 unique and handcrafted backcountry huts, which link each section of the trail together.
The sct is the latest of a number of wct alternatives. There are currently 14 huts along the trail that are firstcome, firstsleep. The sunshine coast trail hiking guide can be purchased from the visitors bureau. The sunshine coast trail was an immediate candidate near to vancouver, wellmaintained, and lower traffic than the wct. Backpacking manzanita bluff and rievelys pond on the. Jan 02, 2007 the trail is well documented at the sunshine coast trail website. Swimming in several lakes along the trail, berry picking. The sunshine coast trail is a 180 kilometre hut to hut hiking and backpacking trail that runs from sarah point overlooking desolation sound to saltery bay where the ferries come in from earls cove. Great if you are planning weeks or months in advance. Their first book, beer hiking pacific northwest, will be. Be aware that sunshine coast is the name of the region. If youre thinking of hiking this trail, i highly recommend grabbing a copy of the sunshine coast trail guidebook online, or from mec as i did. Whether youre interested in hiking, biking, winter recreation, horseback riding, or riding an atv, there is a wealth of information to help direct you to the right trail.
The 180 kilometre sunshine coast trail in british columbia, canada is an amazing back country adventure that stretches from sarah point located in desolation sound all the way to saltery bay. There are exit points near sunshine coast communities giving users access to some of the coasts finest accommodations and services. The reason why i choose to do sunshine coast trail. The sunshine coast trail run is held each year at the nanaga farm stall on the sunshine coast to help raise funds for the sunshine coast charity trust.
The sunshine coast trail guidebook by eagle walz is a stepbystep description of all the trails that make up the sct. Swimming in several lakes along the trail, berry picking lodging. Experience 180 kilometers of hiking adventure on the beautiful sunshine coast of british columbia. It provides hikers with the opportunity to experience powell river s breathtaking back country with its rich fauna and flora. Hiking the sunshine coast trail, british columbia canada trails.
The book is setup for thruhikers from north to south. Sunshine coast trail 7 days 6 nights powell river to lang bay. Eagle continues to play a major role in expanding and upgrading the trail though countless volunteers are also to be thanked for what we see today. We ended up exiting after 2 nights walking out from manzanita hut right back to the bakery. Every 15km there will be a hut that you can stay inside, so camping tent is optional. There are exit points near sunshine coast communities giving users access to some of the coast s finest accommodations and services. The sunshine coast trail day tours powell river tripadvisor. Sunshine coast trail the 180kilometre 110 mi sunshine coast trail is canadas longest huttohut hiking trail, and travels from mountains to shorelines and lakes. A lowresolution map can be downloaded from the trails website. Sunshine coast trail british columbia, canada alltrails. The sunshine coast trail is a 180kilometre back country hiking experience that stretches from sarah point in desolation sound to saltery bay. Nearby west coast trail is the best hike in the world. Trailforks scans users ridelogs to determine the most popular direction each trail is ridden. Our first days ride will begin from halfmoon bay, only 45 minutes north of the langdale ferry terminal.
It is available in paper format at tourism powell river. Twentyfive years later, the sunshine coast trail is over twice as long as the highertraffic west coast trail, and much of the sunshine coasts old growth has been preserved. The regional parks and wilderness society has developed a series of free maps available on the sunshine coast trail website. Download these georeferenced maps below into your smart phone and navigate the trail with accuracy using the free avenza systems mobile app. The road is wellmarked, but searching for further assistance at tourism powell river or purchasing eagle walzs sunshine coast trail book, as well as the use of a backcountry road map, is definitely recommended. Tin hat hut on sunshine coast trail the summit of tin hat mountain is about 200m from the hut, we head up there for the sunset.
Home plan your hike great day hikes for full directions and descriptions of these trails, see the sunshine coast trail guidebook, by eagle walz, available online or at tourism powell river on joyce avenue or breakwater books in powell river on the corner of marine avenue and alberni street. Winter is a good time to hike portions of the sunshine coast trail. Hiking the sunshine coast trail british columbia, canada. The sunshine coast trail website, while nice, doesnt really provide you with useful information. The sunshine coast trail is a massive grassroots achievement that took decades to complete. The trail is well documented at the sunshine coast trail website. Hiking the incredible sunshine coast trail by david webb.
It provides hikers with the opportunity to experience powell rivers breathtaking backcountry, with its rich fauna and flora, and to enjoy great ocean views. Sunshine coast trails society planning, developing and. The sunshine coast trail guidebook recently updated by eagle walz another founder is excellent. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Forest roads take you to excellent entry and exit spots.
For hiking guides, trip planning, maps, and more, visit sunshinecoast. As mentioned above, there are two pdf bookets available for purchase. The book has been revised extensively to reflect the installation of the 12,000 markers and 700 wooden signs on the trail. The 180kilometre 110 mi sunshine coast trail is canadas longest huttohut hiking trail, and travels from mountains to shorelines and lakes. It includes all of my favourite hiking and biking routes from the website. There is also lots of info including detailed trail descriptions in the only guide book to the trail, the sunshine coast trail. Working with the public and local stakeholders, the purpose of this trail strategy is to guide the planning, development and management of a sustainable trail network on the lower sunshine coasts crown land. When i was researching this hike i had a hard time finding good information.
The sunshine coast trail is canadas longest huttohut hiking trailand the only free one. Sunshine coast trail multiday hiking powell river sea. The first booklet is 47 pages and is called sunshine coast trails. The sunshine coast trail traverses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal shorelines, along creeks and lakes, through old growth forests to panoramic mountaintops. The descriptions are detailed and complete with gps waypoints, directions to each trailhead, difficulty guidelines, and highlights to look for along the way. Hiking the incredible sunshine coast trail explore magazine. The sunshine coast trail traverses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal shorelines, along creeks and lakes, through oldgrowth forests, and out ontoo panoramic mountaintops. Eagle walz, cofounder and architect of british columbias sunshine coast trail, discusses the construction of canadas longest huttohut hiking trail.
The sunshine coast trail guidebook is available to order from the powell river tourism center. Sunshine coast trail to lost lake british columbia. Other things you might find helpfulinteresting are the books about the sunshine coast trail see this page for more. Powell river is nestled in a devastatingly beautiful pocket of the british columbia coastline. Sunshine coast shuttles backroad tour transportation. In 1992 a small group of people founded the powell river parks and wilderness society paws and started building hiking trails that linked the remaining stands of old growth forests in the regions. Sunshine coast trail maps experience one of the worlds top 50 hiking and wilderness trails. Completed in 1991, it is officially the longest huttohut. It is written as a guide for day or section hikes and includes detailed maps and mileage information. Huts dot the trail at stunning locations and make for a diverse day hike, or a secure overnight experience. This 180km route near powell river, bc, extends from sarah point to saltery bay. A dream of giants by emma levez larocque tells the story behind the creation of the sunshine coast trail, the land it traverses, and the people who have worked. Sunshine coast trail things to do sunshine coast tourism. For paws, creating a worldclass trail was an added bonus.
Our plan was to hike from sarah point to powell river in 5 days, 4 nights. This map, created in 2012, accurately depicts the sunshine coast trail, and the placement of the hutscamping spots along the trail. Its also longer, with a lot more elevation gain and loss. Its very rich in variaties of trail conditions along the water shores, grassy and mossy deep in the woods, lots of creeks crossing. The map below shows a closer view of the fairview section of the sct. Beginning at sarah point in desolation sound and ending at saltery bay, it is free to everyone, and hikers can enter and leave it at multiple points. You can find lots of info including maps on the sunshine coast trail website and they also post trail conditions updates on their facebook page. Pacesetter athletic footwear runwalktrail specialists. Feb 24, 2017 eagle walz, cofounder and architect of british columbias sunshine coast trail, discusses the construction of canadas longest huttohut hiking trail. Many people hike the sunshine coast trail as shorter sections, and the book includes.
They formed the powell river parks and wilderness society prpaws, a registered nonprofit society, to set aside protected areas linked. World north america pacific nw canada sunshine coast trail one of the best hikes in the world sunshine coast trail. Sunshine coast trail multiday hiking powell river sea kayak. It provides hikers with the opportunity to experience powell rivers breathtaking backcountry with its rich fauna and flora.
List of parks and forests with links to more information and campsite booking. No matter what type of trail youre looking for, chances are youll find it here on the sunshine coast. It has huts for shared public use you dont have to carry a tent, and weaves through o. Jul 31, 2017 the sunshine coast trail was an immediate candidate near to vancouver, wellmaintained, and lower traffic than the wct. Bmo sunshine coast april fools run presented by eastlink april 5, 2020 sunshine coast trail series 2020. The huts are a relatively new addition to the sunshine coast trail, and they have been garnering a lot of attention not just because they are gorgeous structures placed in unforgettable locations, but because they make the sunshine coast trail one of the only trails in canada where it is possible to hike huttohut. The sunshine coast region is a local government area located in the sunshine coast region of south east queensland, australia. They formed the powell river parks and wilderness society prpaws, a registered non.
The sunshine coast trail was conceived in 1992 when a group of outdoor enthusiasts realized that there was a vanishing amount of accessible old growth left on the upper sunshine coast. Over the easter long weekend i spent three days backpacking a section of the sunshine coast trail with a group of friends. The sunshine coast trail is an amazing 180kilometre network of trails and backcountry cabins that stretch from desolation sound to saltery bay on the northern part of what is known as british columbias sunshine coast. It includes all of the area maps and trail descriptions. Originally a logging settlement, it is so remote it might as well be on an island. It was a breathtaking moment to see the sun goes down and with the mountain range and the sky changing colours. Sunshine coast mountain bike trail challenge great. If youre heading to manzanita hut, id recommend leaving no later than 9 am from lund as it will be a long hiking day. We hiked from manzanita bluff to rievelys pond, then finished near powell river. The sunshine coast trail is british columbias bestkept secret. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from march until october. A good flowing trail network will have most trails flowing in a single direction according to their intension. Trails explore sunshine coast tourism official site.
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