Vancouver Island

The city of Victoria is indeed the most popular destination on Vancouver Island, but we blew right past the tea and crumpets and a wonderful opportunity to pretend we were British. And Old. And Aristocrats.

Rather, we drove to the China Beach campground and enjoyed some Canadian microbrews. I had a fine nap while Lauren took Scout to the nearby beach, and in the mean time the camp host delivered a nice bundle of firewood right to our campsite. This campground boasts some very nice spacious sites and is a short hike from China Beach with views of the Olympic Peninsula. From this beach you can hike to the start of the 30-mile San Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, which follows along the coastline. It is very popular for backpacking, and with a hike of only a few miles you can camp directly on several beaches.

We did the stretch from China Beach to Mystic Beach on a trail that was adapted to the heavy deadfall. At any time we could have been on a North Shore mountain bike trail with all of the wooden bridges and ladders that carried us over old stumps and fallen trees. There is even a cable suspension bridge that crosses a deep ravine. Scout was not a fan of the metal grating on the bridge and instead decided to take the more difficult route down into the ravine and back up the steep side.

Orcas Island

We next went to Orcas Island and took a hike up Mt. Constitution. There are several routes to the top of varying difficulty, and while the easiest is to drive, the view at the top is one you should have to earn. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Baker and Rainier, and many of the other surrounding islands. There is a tall watch tower at the top, but it was closed for repair. 

The campground at Moran State Park offers nicely divided campsites tucked into the dense forest. From here you have easy access to several swimming lakes, and the longer route up Mt. Constitution begins at the campground. 

Destination: Kirk Creek Campground, Los Padres NF

Location: Rugged mountains falling into the sea.

Weather: Coastal, but often sunny and warm even in winter.

Neighbors: Well spaced sites, popular campground but often possible to get a site on Friday afternoon.

Activities: Hiking, beach, cycling, backroad exploring, surfing.

Dog: Leash required but rarely enforced.

Facilities: Flush toilets, non-potable water.

Kirk Creek has become a go-to spot for myself and several of my friends. When the rare weekend comes along with a blank space on the calendar, we will throw some firewood in the truck and cruise down the winding Carmel and Big Sur coastline. This is one of those destinations where the drive to get there is part of the fun.

Just a few miles south of Lucia, the campground sits on a cliff between Highway 1 and the ocean, and nearly every well-spaced site has a view. The remoteness and distracting beauty of Big Sur make it exceedingly easy to let go of the real world. Bring binoculars for seasonal whale and dolphin spotting.

A short trail leads down the cliff to the narrow beach, which depending on tide may be under water. One of the best features of Kirk Creek is the often favorable weather; in fact winter is probably the best time to go if a sunny weekend is in the weather report. The beach here is nice for sunning and playing with the dog, and the sheer cliffs provide privacy and wind shelter.

Should the beach here be submerged, there are plenty of other activities within reach. Nacimiento-Ferguson road, which begins across the highway from the campground, leads all the way across the Ventana Wilderness and is the access to many hikes and forest fire roads. Cone Peak is one excellent short hike, providing a mile high, 360-degree view of the surrounding wilderness and ocean.

Cut in a half-circle from the cliffs, Sand Dollar beach is a short drive south on the highway, directly across from Plaskett Campground. It is popular with surfers, and gentle waves are good for kids while you enjoy the sun and the view.

Limekiln State Park is just north of Kirk Creek. It is currently closed due to the recent fires, but offers extensive hiking and exploration of the historic lime kilns used by the mining operations there.

Be aware that the fires of last year caused much of the Big Sur area to be closed. Kirk Creek and most everything on the ocean side of Highway 1 was unaffected. See this map for the area of the National Forest closure. There is no official word on when the wilderness will reopen, but it is likely that when the threat of mudslides has passed we will be able to explore the Santa Lucia range again.

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