Pachena Bay Campground on Vancouver Island British Columbia

The best thing about Pachena Bay Campground is certainly not the drive in. From Port Alberni B.C. it is about a 80 kilometer drive down an active logging road that takes 2 hours. Can you say washboard ! Parts of this road you need to slow down to 10km/h to not destroy your rig. I think a lot of units start to leak from twisting and flexing too fast down roads like this. Important Note: To units with poor tires or wheel bearings that have not been re-packed, this will be the ultimate test of your luck. Now really if you drive slowly and sensibly this road is totally do-able, but make sure your rig is up to snuff. I think what makes Pachena Bay Campground popular is it's location, right at the head of the Westcoast Trail. There is a constant flow of people starting and finishing the famous 7 day trek. Today is Canada Day 2011 so my youngest and I thought we would do a day hike of the trail. She was quite impressed with the bridges and 4 and 6 story ladder systems. This trail is quite challenging in it's entirety and a day hike will give you an idea of what a 7 day trek would be like. Last year some friends and I did the trail, but that's another story. After dinner we went out for a tear on our mountain bikes. We ran into what we think is the most scenic campsite, R1 has an ocean view and is right on the beach. The next morning we spent the day exploring the expansive sandy beach. You can see eagles in their nests and the tidal pools are full of nature. No trip to Pachena Bay would be complete without visiting Bamfield. Bamfield is a destination for ocean kayaking, sport fishing, the Westcoast Trail and is home to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.