Hike The Skookumchuck Rapids In Egmont On The Sunshine Coast BC
We missed a visit to the Skookumchuck Rapids in Egmont on our first day trip to the Sunshine Coast. So on this return visit, we ensured we enjoyed this great water adventure on the Sunshine Coast.
The hike in was a bit challenging. But we sure enjoyed watching the rapids at high tide. The kayakers and surfers had so much fun as we watched. It was worth following the weather and tide schedules to visit at just the right time.
Heading To Egmont
For our stay on the Sunshine Coast, we booked an Airbnb in Sechelt. We had our own car with us for this long fall stay in British Columbia (BC). So we often went out for day trips and for new adventures on the Sunshine Coast.
On our last day trip to the Sunshine Coast, we meandered up along the coast to Egmont and discovered the path that led to the Skookumchuck Rapids. It was late in the day when we arrived that day so we did not hike in. But just looked at the views from the marina.
During our visit we watched both the weather and the tidal ranges for the Skookumchuck Rapids. Twice a day the flow of saltwater reversed direction at the Skookumchuck Rapids. This created turbulence in the water and the difference in water levels along the rapids can exceed 9 feet. This made it a great spot for kayakers and surfers to ride the waves.
When the sunny day coincided with the highest tide range, we knew what our plan was for that day. The Skookumchuck Rapids were an outdoor adventure on the Sunshine Coast we did not want to miss.
The drive north to Egmont from Sechelt was about an hour. Although when we travelled on the Sunshine Coast Highway, traffic slowed down considerably if we were on the roads at ferry times. We knew the hike in was at least a full hour for us. So we planned our travel with enough time to ensure we hit the rapids at the exact right time.
See The Hide Tidal Flow At Skookumchuck Rapids
We parked at the path entrance and headed off. The hike was about 4 km each way. When we did our research, people said it took about 45 minutes to the rapids. We expected part of the path to be rough so we wore hiking boots and I took my hiking poles. We were sure glad we were prepared!
The first part of the walk was along the Doriston Highway dirt road before it went into the forest. Through the trees we saw the Bathgate Marina. We passed the Skookumchuck Bakery and Cafe deep in the woods. And even though the online times suggested it should be open, on this second visit it was again closed.
We entered the Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park at the end of the road. Slowly the path started to go up and down. Rocks and roots covered the path. It was a quite scenic hike at this point.
Through the trees we got a view of a tranquil bay of water. And then we came out at Brown Lake. We stopped and enjoyed this peaceful setting before we trudged on.
This first part of the Skookumchuck Rapids in Egmont proved to be a bit deceiving. But when we saw the AED Emergency Defibrillator mounted on a pole, we knew it was not easy for everyone!
The Harder Segment Of The Hike At The Skookumchuck Rapids In Egmont
There were two different viewpoints at the Skookumchuck Rapids. If we wanted big waves, we needed the Roland Point viewing area. The whirlpool and tidal pool activity was best seen from the North Point viewing area.
But which viewing point made sense depended on the timing of our visit. When there was a flood tide with high waters, Roland point provided great views. But when there was an ebb tide, North Point is the better selection. The tide charts with timing are all available online.
When we reached about the 3km point, the two path options were available. On this hike we timed it for a flood tide so we headed towards Roland Point.
Two of our children hiked to the Skookumchuck Rapids. They admitted it was not a beginner hike. But felt sure we could handle it. From this point on, the going became much tougher, the climbs and drops were steeper and the path much rougher. At this point we sure hoped the effort would be worth it.
It took us well over one hour. But the path finally came out at a rock outcropping. Right in front of us we saw the high waves at the tide point.
Fun At The Rapids
We settled in to enjoy the view of the rapids. It was obvious where the tidal change in water flow was. We spotted first a surfer and then several kayakers as they rode this wave.
The waters continued past the wave to rapids out in the middle of the river. Several of the kayakers rode the water down to the rapids. We saw boats out on the water taking in the view from another perspective.
We sat and enjoyed the views of the Skookumchuck Rapids with the other people who hiked the path that day. When the water levels started to drop, we headed back on the path.
It was a harder and slightly slower walk back. We let out a sigh of relief when we hit the dirt road. Our car was not far away!
Plan To Visit The Skookumchuck Rapids In Egmont On The Sunshine Coast
We were so glad we hiked to the Skookumchuck Rapids in Egmont during our stay on the Sunshine Coast in BC. It was definitely one of the fun outdoor adventures on the Sunshine Coast. Now that we know what to expect, we would definitely plan a return visit and take the path to the North Point viewing area for a different outdoor experience.
Have you visited the Skookumchuck Rapids in Egmont on the Sunshine Coast in BC? Did you plan it at the right time for a great show?
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While I would love the hike and observing others on the rapids, I would prefer to kayak on the calm part of the lake. Great photos. You really captured the essence of the rapids.
We loved to see the adventurous ones out on the rapids. But we enjoyed our view from the shore.
I love that the Skookumchuck Rapids are tucked away from plain sight – and then are so breathtaking! As someone who loves both a walk in the woods and coastal scenes, this would be such an enjoying experience! Appreciate the word of caution on the difficulty, though. I would definitely plan to pace myself. Looks worth the effort though!
The hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids was definitely worth the hike – even if it was a bit challenging. Great to have a great view when we settled in at the end.
Too bad the Skookumchuck Bakery and Café was closed. It would have been a good spot to pick up a sweet treat for the hike you ventured on. Glad to know about the trail difficultly up front, so you can know what to expect. The views of the rapids makes it worthwhile in the end.
We learned to be a bit cautious when our kids say a path is “not so hard”. But it was worth the hike to the rapids – even if we did not have a snack to start!
What a fun hike and tour of this cool experience and to watch how these thrill seekers actually do the rapids there at Skookumchuck – this name gives me the chuckles when I try to pronounce it. But, the trails and gorgeous forrested areas with the ferns and thick groves of pine trees really makes this a fantastic hike, IMHO>
It was indeed fun to watch the thrill seekers enjoying the rapids. We were happy we planned our visit for such a high tide moment.
What a cool place to surf and kayak! Also a fun little hiking adventure. Thanks for sharing.
Skookumchuck was definitely a great spot for adventure.
I loved doing the rapid in my home country some years ago and reading about Skookumchuck brought back some nice memories! It’s definitely an experience I would love to try, for the fun and the thrill. The landscape around also looks just perfect to have a nice adventure! Thanks for sharing this!
Skookumchuck was indeed a great spot for adventure. We loved the hike in and then watching the great water fun. A perfect day on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia.
Wow, kayaking on the rapids looks like a lot of fun! I’ve only kayaked in calm waters but I would like to try rapids one day – maybe after a little more practice though! It sounds like the challenging hike was well worth it – what a beautiful spot! Thanks for sharing it!
It was sure fun to watch the kayaking on the rapids. Not sure we are good enough to try that either!
I feel so lazy reading about all your adventures! I’m a newbie hiker so would I be able to do this? That’s so cool that people use the rapids for their sports, it must feel great to get out in nature. It’s a pretty spot in BC.
It was a good hike in. And if out of shape older people can do it, I am sure you could do it too. We just wanted people to be aware that it was not just a stroll in! But well worth a little effort. And a great spot to catch your breath before heading back.
I love the photos! I couls stare at people in the rapids for hours! This looks like a fun adventure hiking or kayaking.
We were so glad to sit and watch the show when we got to the rapids. A great day at Skookumchuck Rapids.
Skook…… well, the place you’re introducing looks so wild yet serene. I would totally enjoy it. Now that it’s so hot, I’d love to cool down in those rapids. I wish we had a place like this somewhere near to spend weekends there 🙂 At least we are close to the sea and some really cool islands 😉
It was great to finally do the hike and get to see the rapids at Skookumchuck. A great day trip when travelling around the Sunshine Coast in BC. Yet another spot for your Canada list!
I’m actually really surprised by the intensity of the waves! These pictures look pretty awesome. Would love to come just to see folks surfing the waves! Great post, thanks for sharing.
We were very happy we went when the water levels were high and we got to see such a great show on the water. Fun for sure!
This place looks fantastic & well worth the effort to get there. Those rapids are amazing. Can’t believe they surf on them! Looks a lot of fun (if I could surf that is!)
I was perfectly happy just watching them surf and kayak on the tidal wave. Lots of fun and indeed worth the hike in.
So beautiful but the defibulator…what the what? LOL. Sounds like our kind of place though. Glad to see you with hiking poles…I never leave home without them, what a difference it makes. I’d love to go here…adding to the BC wish list.
You should definitely plan to spend some time on the Sunshine Coast when you get to BC. We loved when we finally got to the Skookumchuck Rapids and enjoyed the water fun.
I had never heard about this place! It looks very pretty and relaxing. I would love to do some hiking and kayaking there.
We were glad we got back to the Skookumchuck Narrows on our return visit to the Sunshine Coast. Hope you get to do the hike one day.
It really looked like a tough hike. But what a delightful reward you had waiting for you after the climb. The rapids look both breathtaking and scary at the same time. What an intrepid surfer and kayakers!
The tougher hike was definitely worth it for the new at the end. I was sure impressed with how well the surfers and kayakers did on the waves.
I would like to hike to Skookumchuck Rapids in Egmont. It looks challenging with rewarding views!
A hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids is a great thing to plan if you even visit the Sunshine Coast in BC. Definitely worth the hike for the views when the water levels are high.
I’m always very impressed by your remote and beautiful locations! Hiking in the Skookumchuck Rapids looks totally up my alley. I don’t think I would fair well as a surfer though lol! Thanks for sharing such interesting places!
We too loved the hike but were not tempted to surf or kayak on the water at high tide. But it was a lot of fun to watch.
I’m absolutely in awe at the beauty stemming from these photos! I’d love to go hiking here as well as kayaking for those views alone. I’m glad you had an amazing time, thank you for sharing your experience!
There were so many great hiking spots on the Sunshine Coast. We were glad we did the hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids at the perfect time to see a great water show.
Oh my goodness, I didn’t even know that it’s possible to surf on rapids! It looks wonderful and certainly worth that slightly difficult hike there – good thing that you’d taken your walking poles.
We were not sure what to expect either when we started the hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids. But it was fun to watch the water fun on the rapids.
A hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids a perfect idea while visiting the Sunshine Coast. As I plan to visit friends in BC soon I have added it to my list. Brown Lake looks beautiful. It great that you share details about this hike and where are the most challenging section. I love the idea of spotting surfers and kayakers at Rapids on this wave is fantastic, as they are perfect for photographing!
I hope you do get to visit the Sunshine Coast when you get to BC. There are a lot of great outdoor activities that I am sure you guys would love. More posts coming up. And the hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids was worth it. Just check the tide times to plan your hike to get the best view.
Hiking Skookumchuck Rapids In Egmont and riding it both look awesome!
It was indeed fun to see so many people enjoying the Skookumchuck Rapids at high tide.
I’m not so much of a rapids person as a flat lake kayaker but these rapids do look awesome. The ability to surf on them is quite amazing
We too like our kayaking a bit less crazy than we saw at the Skookumchuck Rapids. But a fun sight after the hike in.
I’d love to kayak here or even give it a go surfing. What a shame the bakery wasn’t open that would have been ideal on the way back after exploring. Also love that they have thought to add a defib, we are pushing for defibrillators in more outdoor locations in the U.K.
We were a bit worried when we saw the defibrillator before our hike. But a great idea to have one close to the hiking areas. Well worth the hike in!
The hike looks so much fun all though challenging. I would love to try it out but I think I would have to skip the kayaking part. That looks a bit dangerous to me but when I was younger I would have not cared.. ha ha. Skookumchuck Rapids definitely seems like a place well worth a visit.
We loved watching the kayaking even if we were not tempted to get in those rapids! A fun sight to reward us for the hike.
This sounds like a wonderful hike!! A little challenging but doable with a lovely viewpoint. It’d be so fun to watch people riding the rapid!
It was great that we timed our hike perfectly and got there when the rapids were the highest. Definitely a great fun show.
Impressive hiking, that looked like a good workout! Wow, what a payoff– your photos really capture the intense adventures on the rapids! British Columbia is so beautiful, loved the pictures of the hike too.
The hike was definitely a little more challenging than we expected – but doable! And all worth the great views along the way and at the rapids.
I’ve done white water rafting just once and unfortunately the rapids weren’t fast enough the day we went, so I’m always looking to do once again and your post in on time! It is interesting how the influx of saltwater creates such high tides here at Skookumchuck Rapids. The rapids here are an absolute delight. The hiking path looks wild, good that you were prepared.
I am sure you would find lots of excitement if you went kayaking at the Skookumchuck Rapids. A great hike in and some wild waters when the tide is high.
This looks like a great area for people to go who love being outdoors. I’ve always wanted to try water rafting so thanks for the tips!
The Skookumchuck Rapids hike was indeed a great spot for outdoor enthusiasts.
O Wow! What a fantastic place for kayaking… Magnificent views of the rapids and hiking is plus point for adventure. Thanks for sharing.
The Skookumchuck Rapids were indeed a great adventure spot. A good hike and great views at many spots.
I have never heard of people surfing in a river, so that is very cool! I also have never seen a defibrillator on a hike, which is a very good idea. I keep one in the back of my car.
It is a great idea to keep a defibrillator in the car. We may need to consider that. But it sure gave us an idea what to expect on our hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids on the Sunshine Coast.
Great Post ! I have read your other posts which are really informative for any traveler. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful informative information on the blog. Articles that have meaningful and insightful comments are more enjoyable.
We were so happy to share our great day trip to hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids. A great stop indeed on the Sunshine Coast in BC.
What a neat hike, I’ve never seen anyone surf anywhere but a beach before! The hike seems like a good length and the views definitely worth it if you go at the right time for the tide. Next time you’ll have to try the kayaking 🙂 !
We checked several times and picked the day with the highest tide range. Definitely worth the planning. But I am not sure I am up to that kayaking – however fun it did look!
What an awesome hike! I love learning about places like this where you have one expectation (rapids = river rapids) and then it’s flipped on its head into something like these! I’d love to be able to visit one day.
If you ever make it to the Sunshine Coast in BC, you should definitely check out the hike to the Skookumchuck Rapids. If you plan your timing for high waters, you will definitely get a great show as a reward for the hike.
The Skookumchuck Rapids looks like place for real adventures. I would love to hike there. Not so sure about other adventures! Thanks for sharing!
We were glad we did the hike. But were perfectly happy to watch the water fun!
Oooh I have been meaning to visit this area for a while- Skookumchuck rapids are so cool aren’t they!? I love that you got a proper introduction to hikes on this side of Canada- they are rooty and can be tough, but they are also incredibly rewarding.
I am so glad you had a blast!
I hope you do finally get to visit the Skookumchuck Rapids. This rooty path was definitely worth it for the water show we got. We would definitely do it again.
This must have been a wonderful hike. Everything looks so green and jungle-like and quite non-touristy also. Finishing at the Skookumchuck Rapids and watching the paddlers and surfers seems perfect to me. A pity that the cafe was closed.
The hike in to the Skookumchuck Rapids was tough but worth it for the great views of those enjoying the high waters.