Camping on the Island?

[decypher]

Ok so friday is a stat!! Was wondering if anyone knows the best places on the island to go camping? Lakes, cliffs, hiking, descrete spots? Name off a bunch of places and a little about them. I've never camped on the island, so im completely clueless. Thanks for the help.

[ebbomega]

Sombrio Beach/West Coast Trail
Sooke Potholes
Mt. Baldy

later on in the year Tofino'd be the place to be.

[stephen_c]

u need reservation well in advance for the west coast trail,
but generally the west coast of vancouver island is the best.
try beaches in and around tofino.

[mapleleaf4ever]

Kam, I'll MSN you later tonight with the D.Low about Island Camping. I've been all over, under, around and in between on the V.I.

[lou_belle]

CAMPING IS SO EXCITING!
If you need a real vacation..it's all about Tofino, cuz they have those beautiful beaches. But bring groceries and such cuz it gets pretty expensive over there..

:):):) yippee for campfires and hot dogs!!

You got me all excited..I'm gonna copy U*

[decypher]

I can't wait, i think were gonna do alot of mushrooms and run through a forest like hippys.

[lou_belle]

Yaaayyyy~
*flowers and cedar

[ebbomega]

Heh.

Hit up Duncan around summertime. Kick around Centennial Park (Down the street from Coffee on the Moon), hang out with the stoners. Guaranteed someone knows somewhere interesting.

Saltspring Island is beautiful. Me and my buddy went south of Beaver Point for camping one weekend that was awesome. We were squatting on someone's land, but there was no life other than nature anywhere around us for miles.

Island is notably colder than the mainland, too. Which is why I say maybe holding out for a bit of the year'd be a good idea if you're planning on heading much more north than Nanaimo.

Lake Cowichan is a beautiful deep lake that's really exceptionally clean. There's plenty of creeks and mountainous areas around there as well, if you want to just bushwack for a bit. I highly recommend going up the creek next to the Pub in Youbou (on the Northern end of Lake Cowichan). Be wary though. We call that one the Hike Of Doom for a reason.

[potface]

head north to jordan river campground. it is free, by the ocean,forrest, fishing in lakes. there is a little place called shakeys where you can get hamburgers, hot dogs, milkshakes. just follow the highway to port renfrew and you will pass right by it. a few key things to remember is the ocean will be on your left for a little while, and when you get to a small cement bridge, you are pretty much there- only a couple hundred metres. you will have to drive on a windy road that will leave you doing a hairpin turn going up a steep hill. if you have a big vehicle, it will be really tight. if you pass a row of small restaurants that include a fish and chips place, you have passed it. you can see the campground fromthere. its a bunch of trees sticking out right by the water. lastly, make sure that you bring pots for boiling water or bring your own. there is A water faucet. located in between the porta-toilets and the ocean. if its dark, you might have troubles finding it. oh yeah, and bring toilet paper. the toilets are often out. it is a couple of hours north of victoria so dont get too frustrated if you dont find it right away.

by the way, i suggest wearing bright clothing if you intend to go cruising around the dirt roads around there. if hunting is is season, there are hunters that camp in and around the area. dont worry though, hunting is far enough from where you camp that you dont have to worry about anything there. just the logging roads.


have fun camping wherever you go :D

[miss.myra]

^ I can testify that Jordan River is a really great place to camp on the island :)

[mapleleaf4ever]

China Beach and also French Beach are pretty good... I'm personally a little more biased towards the West Coast of the Island. Quatsino is breath taking wether it's sunny and nice or when it's stormy and grey.