On a recent trip to Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, we were able to squeeze in a couple of hikes with our dog Markus. The first hike we did was the Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park, which I wrote about here. Today, we're breaking down Skookumchuck Narrows, a hike that offers a very different taste of British Columbia.

About Skookumchuck Narrows

Driving higher up near the northern tip of Sunshine Coast, you'll find Skookumchuck Narrows. It's called the narrows because water is naturally funnelled through this space, creating very powerful rapids and whirlpools. If you come at the right time, you might even see kayakers rowing against the rapids, some of them able to do tricks.

The Hike

• Type: Trail

• Length: 7.4 km

• Traffic: Low

• Route Type: Out & Back

The hike itself is fairly easy, though it is long. With a dog, it took us over 2 hours and the hike itself is roughly 8km altogether. Along the trail are two viewpoints - the North Point and Roland Point. They say that the best views depend on the tide. At its lowest point, the best rapids can be seen from Roland Point. As its highest point, the best whirlpools can be seen from North Point. The best strategy is to check for the lowest and highest points of the tide for the day you're going to be there and plan your hike around that.

From the parking lot, you can head down towards the path and start walking past some houses and property. At the entrance, there is a bakery (Skookumchuck Bakery & Cafe) where the cinnamon buns are supposed to be really good. Unfortunately, the bakery wasn't open when we went, but based on what people have told us, it is a must-stop. That said, since you're about to embark on a 2 hour walk/hike, the smart thing to do is probably to stop on the way back.

From the bakery, you can keep heading down for a while until you reach a metal gate on the right and a sign that marks the beginning of the actual trail. As you keep walking through this trail, you'll eventually enter a forest full of trees and plenty of Markus' favourite ferns. Along this path, you'll eventually hit Brown Lake, though I can't recall if you can go in. Still, the lake is gorgeous, so at the very worst, it's great for pictures!

If you keep following this path, you'll hit a fork on the path where you can either head up towards North Point or keep going a little bit further towards Roland Point. North Point is a little bit quicker as it is just a few minutes away and Roland Point is about 10 minutes either way. Your choice on which one to do first might depend on the time of day it is and whether you're able to catch the rapids or whirlpools at low or high tide. 

North Point has a great view at the top and at Roland Point, we got to sit down for a little while to watch some kayakers battling the rapids. We've never seen this before and it was fascinating to watch. Whenever you're done at these two points, it's time to turn around and head back from the way that you came, but remember to reward yourself for completing this hike with a cinnamon bun!

What we liked

• The views at the end were really cool to see! It's not everyday you get to see whirlpools and rapids.

• The hike was easy and relatively quiet, which is great for reactive dogs.

What we didn’t like

• Although the hike was easy, it felt very long.

Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs

This is a good trail to take if your dog is reactive because it's a lot less busier than the Smuggler Cove hike though it is very long. It is also an on-leash park and we didn't come across too many dogs during our time. If your time is limited and you had to pick between these two hikes, I would personally recommend the Smuggler Cove hike if you think that your dog can handle being around more dogs and people.

The parking lot is along Egmont Rd. and you’ll have to walk down to Skookumchuck Bakery & Cafe and down to the trail.

Disclaimer

Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.

Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.