[Laurel Brewster]

Hi, this is our first time posting here…!  We are heading to Clayoquot Sound for a week of paddling at the end of July.  Does anyone have any suggestions on where to leave our car for the week?

Also we are planning to stay in the sheltered waters, so likely heading to the north end of Vargas Island, and around the back side of Meares.  Open to any suggestions on places to camp – ideally we’ll have two base camps on the trip, for 3-4 nights each.

Topic

[Nick Heath]

My earlier reply does not appear to have been posted so I’ll try again.

1. We learned that the fee is ‘voluntary’, whatever that means… (I doubt they will issues tax receipts for ‘donations’ made.)

2. You should refer to the BCMT map but some of the camping sites on that map are no longer ‘approved’ by the Ahousaht, but I don’t know what they wil say or do if they find you camping at one of those sites.

3. I’d suggest Nuchatlitz or Nootka Sd instead of Clayoquot. (Long approach paddle for the former.)

[Laurel Brewster]

Thank you for the advice!  Do you recommend anywhere in particular as an alternative to Clayoquot?

[Laurel Brewster]

Thank you for all the links!  I’ll check them all out.

[Nick Heath]

Parking – some years ago I left 2 cars in the pay lot near the RCMP in Tofino. This seemed a reasonable fee and the proceeds went to the village, although it is against my religion to pay for parking… I don’t know what the options are this year.

An emerging item of note is that the Ahousaht have just announced that they will close several campsites and will patrol with their so-called Guardians to collect $15/day from independent paddlers who are in their traditional territory. While this is illegal except for sites that are in IR or Treaty Settlement Land,  the commercial operators have already caved in and agreed to pay (they’ll just pass on the cost to their customers). In the present emotional, politicized climate I don’t expect the prov govt will say anything – they did not object when the same band charged fees on Vargas for use of the hiking trail, even if one camped at the Prov Park and did not use the trail – arriving instead by paddlecraft.  So – my advice is really that there plenty of alternatives to Clayoquot and I would go elsewhere until we have a clearer picture.

The Ahousaht might have info on a web site – but I did not yet find any.

 

[Cameron Redenbach]

Hi Laurel

I highly suggest checking out https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/, unfortunately no notes about parking.

https://www.oceanoutfitters.bc.ca/parking-in-tofino

http://ioverlander.com/places/59304-overnight-parking-in-tofino

[Author]

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