Juan de Fuca Marine Trail: Bear Beach to Chin Beach

11.9 km point to point.

Terrain: Very rough

Approximate Elevations (in meters)
Start:	130	End:	130
Minimum:	0	Maximum:	135
Net Gain:	135	Cumulative Gain:	800

Trailheads

Transportation is required at both ends.

Bear Beach Trailhead: (74 km from Saanich Hall). Drive west from Victoria on highway #1 to the Colwood exit. Take this exit and continue to where the road becomes BC#14 thru Sooke to Jordan River. Approximately 8 km past Jordan river look for gravel pit on left hand side of the road (between 2 steel bridges which are fairly close together). Park on the side of the road.

Facilities available at the trailhead include:

Campsite (6 sites)
Water is available

Campsite is on the beach, see "Bear Beach" trail.

Chin Beach Trailhead:

Uses

Backpack	Moderate to strenuous.	7 hours one way.	Best from April thru early October.
Dayhike	5 boot (strenuous).	5.5 hours one way.	Suitable all year.

Description

This section is the trail is known as the 11 hills. The trail goes up one and then down to a creek crossing, up another and back down for a grueling 15 or so km. There is a squatter"s hut at about 15 km from Bear Beach. Caution is required crossing the creek at the west end of Bear Beach if there has been much rain.

Features

This trail features beaches, canyons, forests, rivers, views and waterfalls.

Hazards

Boardwalk (can be very slippery in wet conditions)
some streams are crossed on footlogs
suspension bridge crossings of some creeks or rivers

Trail subject to mud, especially in fall, winter and spring. Log crossings of some creeks.

Comments

The trail can be quite muddy, especially in the fall, winter and spring. Gators and well water proofed boots are a must.

Club Comments

Although the elevation gain is never all that great, the number of times one must go up and down put this rating at 4 boots.

Campsites along the trail

Bear Beach

0.0 km

0 meters

Bear cache/wire
Pit toilet

Water is available quality is good.

Water

Plentiful in spring, winter and fall, unknown in summer.