Wildside Ramble, Tofino- Judy Smith 🇨🇦

Judy Smith is an intrepid Rambler who loves to hike, bike, and participate in competitive rowing in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, Canada. She is a lifelong educator, school principal, and mother of two grown kids.

Tofino is my favourite place on the planet. Full stop. So when I say I travelled there in late May with six of my closest friends, you should already know it was bound to be a good time.

Tofino—affectionately called “Tuff” by those in the know—is our annual tonic. No matter what’s going on in our lives, we seem to find our way back to the ocean, the rainforest, and to some fine sisterhood time at our favourite house rental - Hannah’s Hilltop House.

Each trip to Tofino includes an epic adventure. One year, we kayaked. Another time, we rode bikes to Incinerator Rock, wind in our hair and great snacks in our backpacks. We’ve trekked to the Canso bomber site and emerged muddy and thrilled. But always—no matter what—we fill our weekend with laughter, board games, happy hours, beach walks, crafts, appies, great dinners, and deep contentment.

We love our Saturday tradition of walking into town, exploring the market and Pharmasave (an adventure unto itself), and contributing to the local economy in the best possible way—by buying candles, earrings, and snacks we didn’t know we needed.

This year’s grand adventure? The Wildside Trail.

The trail begins in Ahousaht on Flores Island, which means it starts with a water taxi—always a promising beginning. We lucked out with a local connection: a school teacher from Ahousaht who just happened to be catching the same ride.

Pro tip: always befriend the teacher. She will know everything 😊

Ahousaht is a remote community on Flores Island and home to the Ahousaht First Nation—part of the Nuu-chah-nulth people. The name “Ahousaht” refers to the people of Ahous, one of the original hereditary houses. Accessible only by boat or floatplane, Ahousaht is rich in culture, history, and connection to the land and sea. The Wildside Trail itself was created and is maintained by the local community as a way to share their beautiful territory while supporting Indigenous-led tourism. Walking this trail felt like more than a hike—it felt like an invitation to step gently through a place of deep meaning.

Once in Ahousaht, we walked a few kilometres to the trailhead and began our 11 km journey through absolute West Coast magic. The Wildside Trail lives up to its name: part rainforest, part beach, all beauty. We stopped to breathe, to snack, to marvel. We let the pace of the place set the rhythm, and we felt our city selves dissolve with each step.

We opted for a water taxi pickup at Cow Bay, which added a splash of adventure we hadn’t exactly planned on. There's no dock at Cow Bay—just slippery seaweed-covered rocks, a swell rolling in, and a boat driver nosing in, motor running, ready to make a fast getaway (with us aboard, ideally). Boarding the boat was an exercise in agility, balance, and trust. We laughed the whole way through, mostly because the alternative was to cry or fall in.

Later, we heard from our teacher friend that the taxi driver had referred to us as “seven elders” hiking the trail. At first, we gasped, then we laughed, then we leaned into it. I mean—if you're going to be called an elder, you might as well earn it on the Wildside.

As if that weren’t enough, on the ride back to Tofino, we stumbled into magic. Whale-watching boats in the distance gave us a clue, and our driver followed the signs—right into a gathering of orcas. As we watched them rise and fall in the waves, he played a haunting Nuu-chah-nulth song about orcas. The moment was surreal—salt air, whale song, and shared silence among seven awe-struck “elders.”

Back on land, we were sore and happy. While the trail wasn’t technically difficult, it asked something of us—and gave even more in return. For those curious: yes, it’s doable in one day, out and back, but Cow Bay also offers camping platforms if you want to stretch it out. Just know you’ll have to earn that ride home.

Tofino gave us what it always gives us: deep breaths, good stories, and time to remember why we travel together in the first place.