Vargas Island Provincial Park is a popular hiking, camping and kayaking destination due to its great location close to Tofino. It has wonderful, wilderness camping for free and a beautiful feeling of remoteness from the world. And if you are lucky you might see whales pass in the distance from Ahous Bay. The flat and very overgrown old trail from the Tofino side of Vargas Island to Ahous Bay is just 3.6 kilometres long. Making this an easy dayhike from Tofino, at just over 7 kilometres roundtrip, trailhead to trailhead.
Far quieter than mainland beachesBeach faces the open Pacific Campfire under the stars is wonderfulNice & huge beach backed by forestBoat access is via taxi is funDeep forest trail across the islandMany campsite options along the beachMain beach extends to more beachesFeels like a perfect west coast beach
Fresh water is very hard to find
The Big Tree Trail 
Hot Springs Cove 
Lone Cone 
Nuu Chah Nulth 
Radar Beach 
Radar Hill Vargas Island Virgin Falls Wild Pacific Trail
Avatar Grove Bear Hill East Sooke Park 
Elk/Beaver Lake Esquimalt Lagoon Fort Rodd Hill Francis/King Galloping Goose Goldstream Park Gowlland Tod Grass Lake John Dean Park Juan de Fuca Trail Lone Tree Hill Mill Hill Mount Douglas Mount Tolmie Sooke Potholes Spectacle Lake Thetis Lake Witty's Lagoon 
Victoria Attractions Easy Hiking Trails Moderate Trails Challenging Trails
Vargas Island's, Ahous Bay has many characteristics that make it incredible. First, its location. Separated from the mainland, Vargas Island is visited by a tiny fraction of the hordes of visitors that descend on Pacific Rim National Park. If you visit Ahous Bay on a typical sunny day in June, you may have the entire beach to yourself. During busier days of summer, you will still only encounter a couple dozen visitors.. and these are spread out over several kilometres and multiple beaches. Another wonderful feature of Vargas Island's, Ahous Bay is its perfect west-facing beach. Facing straight out at the Pacific Ocean, with nothing but the blue ocean facing you. North America at your back and Pacific Ocean laid out in front of you, gives you a wonderful sense of perspective. When the sun goes down, you are entirely free of humanity and artificial lights of any kind. The lack of usage fee of Vargas Island Provincial Park is yet another great feature of the park. No park usage fees or hefty "trail upkeep" fees like you encounter at Flores Island and the Big Tree Trail on Meares Island. These lack of fees translate into a lack of amenities and upkeep in the park which you will notice immediately along the crumbling trail. The ancient boardwalk is disintigrating and the campsite area at Ahous Bay hosts only one pit toilet. This lack of amenities is arguably a good thing. The beach is free of artificial constructions that detract from the natural beauty. No giant signs, just a couple small park signs at the trailhead and campsite at Ahous Bay.
The old trail takes on a real, authentic historical feel with its lack of modern additions and upkeep. This makes the trail tricky to navigate at times as you will fall on your face at least once as you dance across loose and slippery wooden sections of the trail. Most of the western and most beautiful side of Vargas Island is within the Vargas Island Provincial Park. The massive and beautiful Ahous Bay is the camping destination for most on Vargas. You can camp anywhere on the beautiful beaches in the park for free, and there is one little pit toilet hidden in the forest at the south end of the bay.
