The Jordan River is a 70 km (43 mi) length river located south of Vancouver Island. It starts its way from Diversion Reservoir and ends in the Pacific Ocean. At the end of its path is Jordan River Regional Park, where there are several activities you can enjoy. It is a 187-hectare (388 acres) mixed coastal forest park located along Juan de Fuca Strait. It was established in 2010. A walking trail is available through coastal hemlock and cedar forest to Sandcut Beach, a long-cobble shore along the Juan de Fuca Strait. There is a fantastic view there. The Sandcut Beach parking area is almost 4 km (2.4 miles) east of the community of Jordan River.
Don't miss visiting the family recreational area at French Beach Provincial Park, east of the Jordan River. You can quickly get access to this beach by Highway 14. There is a wide swath of lawn in front of the pea-gravel beach where you can picnic, swim, beach comb and watch for wildlife. Waters here are great places for migrating gray whales.
The access to the Jordan River is via the West Coast Road (Highway 14). It is along Vancouver Island's southwestern coastline between Sooke and Port Renfrew, including China Beach, French Beach, Botanical Beach, and Juan de Fuca Provincial Park.
At the east of the Jordan River is the delightful Harbourside village of Sooke, in which there is a tranquil refuge far from the bustle of city life. In rural areas of Sooke, there is a relaxed, casual lifestyle. This place has been a thriving Coast Salish First Nations settlement for centuries.
At the end of Highway 14, the west side of the Jordan River is the small village of Port Renfrew. This port is called the Jewel of the West Coast. This place is famous due to its tranquillity and beauty. Port Renfrew is well known as the trailhead for both the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail and the historic West Coast Trail.
On southern Vancouver Island, via the West Coast Road, you can have a spectacular view of the open Pacific Ocean, which the logging community of the Jordan River offers. Before beginning to climb San Juan Ridge, you can get to the ocean by Highway 14. The Jordan River is about 30 km (19 miles) southeast of Sombrio Beach and is an excellent place for West Coast Surfing Association called Jordan River Surf Club. Surfing on Vancouver Island would be enjoyable at the best time. A summer safari to the West Coast is an unpleasant experience due to inconsistent wave conditions, significant weather, bone-tattling water temperatures and poor access. But the climatic environment intensifies, and wave riding provides an excellent opportunity for cryogenic researchers.
In winter, the ocean around the Jordan River looks grey and barren, but when you get out into it, you'll be surprised by how alive it is. It is a great feeling when it is cold and rainy with the water temperature in single Celsius digits and a sky growing darker as the day wears on, and you can have the swells on yourself. There are a useful picnic park and a small campsite for the overnight visitors at the Jordan River.
The Jordan River is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, halfway between Sooke and Port Renfrew.
In the late 19th century, a logging camp was established here. The second hydroelectric power plant of Vancouver Island is for the Jordan River. This river is famous among winter surfers.
At China Beach, 3 km (1.9 miles), the west of the Jordan River is the end of the Juan de Fuca Trail. In the vicinity of the Jordan River, just west of this river, China Beach exists in Juande Fuca Provincial Park. If you walk about 15 minutes through the glorious rainforest, you reach a broad sweep of a sandy beach and a hidden waterfall. In China Beach Campground, vehicle-accessible campsites are available in a forested area with an open understory just east of the China Beach day-use area.
The famous Juan de Fuca Marine Trail starts from China Beach (east trailhead) and continues along the shoreline and through the forest to Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew. Beach camping is permitted along the way.
From Victoria:
The fastest route for getting to the Jordan River from Victoria is via Juan De Fuca Hwy/Sooke Rd/BC-14 W and Juan De Fuca Hwy/BC-14 W. It is 69.7 km (43.3 miles) and takes about one hour and five minutes.
Follow Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N to Westshore Pkwy in Langford for 16.1 km (10 miles). Then follow Westshore Pkwy to Juan De Fuca Hwy/Sooke Rd/BC-14 W. After 4.2 km (2.6 miles), drive to Juan De Fuca Hwy/BC-14 W in Port Renfrew. You will reach the Jordan River after 49.3 km (30.6 miles).
From Nanaimo:
You can get to the Jordan River from Nanaimo via Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S. The route is 148 km (92 miles) in length and takes about two hours.
Take Wallace St to Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S. After 550 m (1804.4 ft), turn right onto Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S. Continue for 94.1 km (58.4 miles) and drive to Juan De Fuca Hwy/BC-14 W in Port Renfrew. After 53.5 km (33.2 miles), you will reach the Jordan River.
There is no designated hiking trail to reach the Jordan River. The nearest path is Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, which starts from Juan de Fuca Provincial Park.
In 1790, Lieutenant Francisco de Eliza, a navigator and explorer from Spain, explored an area between Nootka Sound and Victoria, BC. This place was initially named Rio Hermoso by his Sub-Lieutenant Manuel Quimper on June 14, 1790. Later the name was changed to Rio Jordan when Gonzalo Lopez de Haro built the Carta reducida.
Logging of the Jordan River Watershed refers to the 1880s. Due to the construction of 6 km (4 miles) of railway tracks in 1907, timber harvesting intensified. In 1934 Western Forest Products took over the tree farming activities and still controls the forest area today. The railway was abandoned and replaced by log hauling trucks.
In 1911 people began developing the Jordan River Watershed and constructing the hydroelectric plant and finished it later. During the construction of the hydroelectric plant, about 1000 workers were in the Jordan River.
In 1912 the old Otter Point Road was extended to River Jordan, connecting the town by land to Sooke and Victoria.
The Jordan River has an unobstructed view of the Strait of Juan De Fuca, from Cape Flattery to Port Angeles and is ideal for developing radar systems. This geographical ocean location makes the town a surfing destination today.
In 1953, The older Otter Point Road became a part of the newly created Highway 14. Highway 14 was extended west to the remote community of Port Renfrew by 1975, and paving was finished in the late 1980s.
The Jordan River is the location of the second hydroelectric generating station of Vancouver Island. Water collects at Diversion Dam about 8.8 km (5.5 miles) to an equalizing basin and flows to a steel penstock for 330 vertical meters (1082.6 ft).
You can hike, walk, jog, bike, rollerblade and do other activities like storm watching in Jordan River Regional Park. Whenever you want, you can hike and ride as long as you desire. You can go out and back, design loops that incorporate portions of the trail and city street, or drop you at one access point and pick you up at another. Here there is a fully developed trail with a few gaps in most of the areas.
Experience the softness and strength of the Jordan River. Feel the release of adrenaline in your blood or the comfort of being in nature. Jordan River, which ends in its regional park and the Pacific Ocean, brings you chances to do lots of adventures like hiking, biking, and popular activities such as storm watching, surfing, and kayaking to the sea.
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Wear decent hiking boots for a moderate hiking trail near Sooke. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is an enjoyable trail that leads you to Grass Lake and featuring Monument Mountain makes it possible to have amazing views from the top. Doing the Grass Lake Trail overnight and camping by the lake turns it into a memorable trip. Enjoy the trail in warmer seasons and get a dip into the lake.
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It is time to put your heart into hiking and step into a moderate multi-use trail with some great views along the way and on top. Mount Manuel Quimper has a beautiful summit worth the climb, which gives you excellent vistas of Sooke Harbour and a chance to visit one of the last fire lookouts left on the island.
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Here is a highly recommended and well-marked trail for challenges enthusiasts. Hiking on Mount Empress from Sooke Potholes via Mary Vine and Todd Creek Trails offers you insane 360° views of the Sooke Basin, Victoria, and San Juan Islands.
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Hiking on the entire East Sooke Coastal Trail is an experience not to be missed! This beautiful trail is a mix of the fantastic coast and beautiful greenery. Hiking boots are required! The route takes you along bluffs and cliffs by the Pacific Ocean that worth it for the views. This well-marked trail can take full-day hiking in East Sooke Regional Park.
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The East Sooke Coast and Interior Trail Loop is a well-marked trail with beautiful scenery. It is a combination of an easy access road and a more challenging coastal pass, which offers you incredible viewpoints. This excellent trail is along the Pacific Ocean and allows you to see marine life such as whales from a distance.
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While exploring Sooke Area, if you happen o take a long calm walk on the Otter Point shoreline, you may see whales from the beach. Otter Point Park provided you with other activities, too, such as hiking, wildlife and birdwatching, and also a scenic nature to appreciate.
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As one of the best tourist attractions of Sooke and Vancouver Island, West Coast comprises many outdoor excitements that cannot be denied. You are provided with different wildlife to watch and various food to eat, not to mention that you observe a rare nature that is outstanding. So, chances are high to see different whales and other marine creatures.
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You would better plan a visit to Cabin Point Coastline between April-September. It is the best time for those preparing for Sooke Whale Watching in one of the famous coastlines for it in the Salish sea. You are given adequate opportunity to gaze upon these marvellous sea creatures.
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Beechey Head and its loop are two of the hot spots for whale watching in Sooke. In addition to fantastic opportunities for whale watching, Beechey Head is a hiking and nature trip location that offers you excellent activities, such as birdwatching.
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Spirit Bay has a rich community offering settlings for whale watching lovers beside incredible wildlife; therefore, it would be an excellent point to start your Sooke Whale Watching. Plus, it has a cute beach. You cannot get over the beauty of it and its scenic views.
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Featuring wildflowers and fantastic sceneries, Creyke Point Trail is a suitable spot for whale watching, bird watching, and nature trips with splendid beaches and forests. So if you are having a great time in Sooke, remember to stop by Creyke Point to have more fun.
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Among all the adventures in Sooke, which leave you speechless by the wat, whale watching opportunities are undeniable. The chances of observing the world's largest Mammals vary season by season, but it is best to come during May-October. Sooke will bring you the opportunity to experience a whale-watching trip to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. So, let your journey take you to the destined places.
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Almost 70% of whale-watching adventures take place in the BC capital. So, while you are in Victoria, try to make the most out of your freedom from work and check our incredible whale watching tours provided for you there. A trip to Race Rocks Ecological Reserve may also be available for the admirers of nature.
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Enjoy discovering the best spots for whale watching on Vancouver Island, starting from Port Renfrew, in which chances are high to gaze upon these majestic sea creatures. Adventure awaits in Port Renfrew, and you can capture the pictures of the whales and the memory of it aside. While fishing around Port Renfrew, whales during their movements and diving or spouting near there might be observable.
If you want to make every moment on Vancouver Island worthwhile, remember to plan for a kayaking adventure on the waters next to Pacheedaht Beach. The San Juan River Estuary Ecological Reserve is the habitat for a variety of wildlife worthy of visiting. In addition to paddling, visitors can enjoy themselves doing other outdoor activities in the region.
If you are an adventure lover or a backpacker who enjoys hiking in the forest, make your way toward the Juan de Fuca trail and hike through the trails to get to Botanical Beach. It is a gift for nature lovers, a remote beach to hike, camp and watch the wildlife live in the tidal pools at the shoreline. In March and April, you have the chance to watch orcas or killer whales.
Jordan River is a small settlement famous among surfers. It has many tourist attractions like Hidden Falls, Mystic Beach and Mystic Falls, Sandcut Beach Waterfall and Sandcut Beach, China Beach, Juan de Fuca Trail Trailhead, and Jordan River Regional Park. Enjoy storm watching, kayaking, and Camping or have a picnic in the area, which could be an experience of a lifetime.
Sooke is known as the Tall Tree Capital of Canada. The area's popularity is mainly based on tourists visiting the wilderness parks, hiking the West Coast Trail and the extremely popular Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Sooke is also famous for its beaches and is a destination for cycling and mountain biking. The arts community of Sooke is vibrant and hosts the annual Sooke Fine Arts Festival.
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve was established to preserve intertidal and subtidal communities that became very rich due to strong tidal currents. It features marine mammals like whales, sea lions and seals, birds like ducks, cormorants, black oyster-catchers and bald eagles. Fish species, marine invertebrates, and animals like marine algae and seagrass are among other inhabitants.
Located north of Sooke, the San Juan River Estuary Ecological Reserve was established in 1996 to protect the lower alluvial forest communities on the San Juan River flood plain. The ecological reserve's first aim is to preserve forest communities and rare sensitive plant species like Mimulus dentatus and Tooth-leaved monkeyflower.
Mystic Beach is placed between the Pacific Ocean and a forest. It gives you a mixture of land-based and water-based adventures. Marine animals, birds, Mystic Beach Waterfall, sunrise and sunset, are worthy of watching. Feel the beach by standing where the ocean kisses the shoreline and listen to the waves. Hiking on the beach and Juan De Fuca Marine Trail could be at the top of the list.
Being at China Beach could be a memorable experience. The beach is a mixture of sand, pebbles, and grit, with access to the Juan de Fuca Trail. China Beach is suitable for watching whales, seals, dolphins, and even storms. With perfect waves, you would have an unforgettable adventure surfing there. If you desire to get the most out of the beach, stay at China Beach Campground.
Time does not move on the beach, but your mood does with currents. French Beach is a rocky beach in French Beach Provincial Park, which has a wide swath of green lawn at the backside and the blue ocean in front. Relax and enjoy having a picnic with your family or take a dip in the water. You can have a view of Olympic Mountain if the weather is not foggy.
French Beach Provincial Park is the perfect combination of a pebble beach, a lush forest, and the blue ocean. Step into the French Beach Trail and choose your camp between tent and RV sites. Watch marine wildlife on the beach or birds flying over your head. With Juan de Fuca's Strait view, you may have chances to see migrating gray whales in spring and fall.
On the west coast of Vancouver Island, Jordan River Regional Park is a scenic place nestling among coastal hemlock, fir and cedar trees. The park features a long cobble shore and the Juan de Fuca Strait with a fantastic overlooking of the Olympic Peninsula. Locating on the ocean side made it a perfect choice for swimming, kayaking, and surfing.
Victoria has a lot to say when it comes to attractions, and among them is Mystic Beach Waterfall. This stunning waterfall is placed right in front of the sea, water cascading gorgeously from a high rock cliff on the sandy beach. If you want to make the most valuable use of your time and sunset is your favourite colour, stay long enough to watch the sunset by the waterfall.
Being on the beach with the ocean in front and trees and a waterfall backside is a perfect view. A cheery on top of Sandcut Beach is Sandcut Beach Waterfall. This picturesque beach waterfall cascades gracefully from the rock cliff over the pebble beach. Watching the sunset is spectacular by the fall; the orange sky and the last rays of sunshine reflexing in water drops are something worth seeing.
Juan de Fuca Provincial Park is a spectacular seaside park with waterfalls, beaches with tide pools, and chances of watching marine species and land animals. Going into the several hiking trails along the Pacific coastline of the Strait of Juan de Fuca would be pleasant. Enjoy wilderness camping and do water activities such as fishing, kayaking & canoeing, surfing, and windsurfing.
It worth searching the hidden beauty, especially for what the mother of nature made. As mysterious as its name, Hidden Falls or Sombrio Beach Falls is hiding by a cave, which is why the waterfall was named Hidden Falls. The magical aura with pristine nature is mystic and thrilling, making your wilderness hiking experience memorable. The surrounding wildlife and birds deserve lots of attention.
Beaches fix everything, and the tides convey perfect vibes. Sandcut Beach embodies the visual aspects of the west coast beauty. A glorious attraction for those who enjoy walking through a coastal forest and a fantastic spot to spend a peaceful time relaxing. It is where the sound of the waves running over the pebbles would touch your soul. Sandcut Beach is delightful for children and an excellent spot for a romantic picnic.