Vancouver Island resources

The following resources may be helpful for your Vancouver Island trip; they are the ones I personally use and refer to often.

Hiking trails

I love the Organic Maps app for offline navigation. Be sure to download coverage for Vancouver Island before using!

The AllTrails app is well used British Columbia, especially for finding day hiking opportunities. Offline navigation is available on the Premium version only.

My website, offtracktravel.ca, has detailed hiking guides for Vancouver Island's most popular multi-day hikes:

West Coast Trail

Juan de Fuca Trail

Della Falls Trail

Cape Scott Trail

North Coast Trail

Nootka Trail (Nootka Island)

General maps

I find the Vancouver Island Backroad Mapbook invaluable for off the beaten path trip planning and backroad navigation.

Vancouver Island is criss-crossed by a huge network of unpaved industrial roads and the Mapbook helps to make sense of it all. I also find it helpful for locating hiking trailheads and free/low-cost Recreation Site campgrounds.

The mapbook can also be purchased at MEC, most local gas stations and outdoor stores.

National parks and provincial parks

Vancouver Island has one national park - Pacific Rim National Park, near Tofino and Ucluelet. It is operated by Parks Canada.

Like all national parks in Canada, there is a daily admission fee to access Pacific Rim. This is called a parks pass and the daily cost is $24.50 for a vehicle with up to 7 passengers.

If you're spending more than 6 days exploring Canada's national parks, it is better value to buy a Discovery Pass - an annual pass providing unlimited entry. This costs $167.50 for a vehicle with up to 7 passengers.

Please note that entry into Canada's national parks is completely free from 19th June to 7th September 2026 as part of the Canada Strong Pass program.

Vancouver Island also has many provincial parks. These are operated by BC Parks. There are no admission fees for BC's provincial parks.

Camping

As well as using the Backroad Mapbook to find campsites, I use the BC Parks website and the Sites and Trails website.

Reservable campsites in provincial parks can be reserved three months in advance. National park campsites are available for reservation in January. More info and tips in this campground reservation guide.

Campground already fully reserved? Check for cancellations often and use the Notify Me option on the BC Parks and Parks Canada websites.

For backcountry sites, let CampNab check for cancellations for you.

Starting in 2026, BC's provincial campgrounds now charge a $25/stay fee for non-BC residents.

Recreation Site campgrounds on South Vancouver Island are a mix of reservation and first come, first serve. Most (but not all!) in the North are first come first serve.

The majority of Vancouver Island's backcountry campsites do not have a reservation system (first come first serve). Exceptions include the West Coast Trail and the Broken Islands, both in Pacific Rim National Park. Permits are needed for most backcountry hikes in provincial parks.

Before going camping, always check whether there is a campfire ban in place on the BC Wildfire Service website.

Transportation

• BC Ferries - Reservations and schedules for foot passenger and vehicle ferries

• BC Ferries terminal webcams - Current ferry traffic

• Hullo - Fast foot passenger ferry from Vancouver to Nanaimo

• Harbour Air - Intercity seaplane services

• BC Ferries Connector Bus - Vancouver to Victoria/Nanaimo bus service

• Island Link Bus - Serves most Vancouver Island communities

• DriveBC / Mobile DriveBC - Road closures, construction and road condition

• BC Highway Road Cameras - Traffic and weather conditions

• Ministry of Transportation - Winter tire requirements

Weather and wildfires

• Environment Canada - Weather forecast and current conditions

• BC Wildfire Service - Current campfire restrictions

• FireSmoke - Wildfire smoke forecast

• BC Wildfire Service - Current wildfire situation