It goes without saying that 2020 has been incredibly unique compared to previous years. For us, we live relatively simple lives and being able to go outside to explore the beautiful Pacific Northwest is a joy that we don't take for granted. Around this time of year - American Thanksgiving followed by, of course, by Black Friday - we would normally make trips down to the US to do a bit of shopping with hikes in between.

But of course, as with many other things to have happened this year, traveling has been different. Rather than crossing the border, our trips have been more local than usual, but that doesn't mean it's any less interesting. There is something distinctly great about living in the Pacific Northwest; that even when borders are closed and we're limited to staying within the north side, there are no shortage of things to do.

Our explorations this year have taken us up north and into the interior of beautiful British Columbia to discover new trails and sights. This week, we continue our exploration by traveling to Vancouver Island along its western coast.

We took a day out to check out Sombrio Beach, one of the beaches along the western-most coast of Canada while we were staying around Cowichan Lake. Despite it being cold, the beach was fairly busy with plenty of families and surfers spending an afternoon. Sombrio beach is a popular spot for relaxing and admiring the Pacific Ocean from a distance, but the thing that drew us to the beach in the first place was a secret that even those who were on the beach didn't know about.

About Sombrio Beach

• Type: Beach/Trail

• Length: 1.0 km

• Traffic: Moderate

• Route Type: Out & Back

From the parking lot, Sombrio Beach is easy to get to. From where you enter, you'll want to follow the signs and walk towards East Sombrio beach on the trail. This is generally the busier path and you might find surfers and families with backpacks for their picnics going down the path with you. The path to the beach is about 15 minutes along and relatively easy for anyone and their dogs to walk.

The main reason why we visited Sombrio Beach was because we had heard of the hidden waterfalls. Once you get on the actual beach, about 15 to 20 minutes further down the sand strip is a hidden cave with a majestic waterfall beyond some shrubs and trees. With sunlight shining down into the cave and illuminating the falls, this hidden waterfall makes this trip worth making.

The neat thing about this waterfall is that it is completely hidden from the beach. For this reason and unless they're told about it, people don't generally know about it and they end up walking right past and missing the experience. In fact, it's not easy to find even for those who are actively looking for it. We've put together a small set of instructions to guide you and your dog to discovering this wonderful spot together!

Chasing Hidden Waterfalls

From the parking lot, the first thing to do is take the path towards East Sombrio beach. This is a short and relatively flat trail and it'll take about 15 minutes to get to the beach. Once you've arrived on the beach, it's another 15 minutes or so to get to the waterfall if you're able to find it right away.

Once you get to the beach, start heading south east (left) for about 15 minutes or so. Eventually, you will arrive at an area where it feels like it's turning a corner and the surrounding area is a bit rockier. Around here, you should see cave-like structure on your left. This is the first marker to pay attention to.

Keep walking past this first marker and you'll eventually come across a changing room area beyond the trees and shrubs. This is not the area either, but it is a good marker that you're getting close. Stay on the beach and keep walking for another 50 feet or so, but start paying attention to your surroundings.

When you've walked past the two markers, start looking for a small stream in the sand. Depending on the time of day, the stream might not be very obvious. We were able to find the stream while we were there, but it was drier than we expected it to be. That said, you can tell it's the right spot because the sand on the beach will look a little different and it'll have more rocks and pebbles where the stream should be.

Along the side of the stream, you can follow it upwards and through the bushes, eventually leading you to the waterfall. Beyond the bushes, the path is fairly obvious until you reach the cave. You'll also be able to start hearing the sounds of rushing water and you'll know that you're in the right spot.

As a heads up, you might want to bring water shoes or something secure that you can walk in water with. The water is about ankle deep, but it is also really cold and lined up with sharp(-ish) rocks beneath, which isn't a great combination. A lot of people take their shoes off right before entering the cave, so unless you don't mind getting your shoes wet or stepping on sharp cold rocks, you'll want to wear something more protective. All that said, it is possible to do it in barefoot, but just be very careful and take it slowly.

What we liked

• The waterfall at the end of the walk is amazing and it's worth making this trip for just this alone!

• The walk from the trailhead to the beach and along the beach to the waterfall was easy and not very long.

• The view from the beach out into the Pacific Ocean is beautiful as well and it's worth spending some time to sit and relax while you're already here.

What we didn't like

• Walking barefoot in cold streaming water on sharp rocks does not feel great so be prepared with the proper footwear.

• There's little to no cellular reception in this area, so if you need to download maps or these instructions to the waterfall, make sure you do it before you're out of reception!

Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs

If you're bringing your dog with you, just be prepared to have to do a small climb and that your dog is going to get wet in the stream. Because a lot of the ground is covered in water, your dog might not be able to see the floor for where they're jumping onto so they might hesitate. Just be prepared to lead your dog or give them a boost up or down. Our dog Markus was okay stepping into the stream and working his way up towards the waterfall, but it was also misty and rather loud in there (it didn't help that there were screaming children) so he didn't like being in there for too long.

In terms of coming across other dogs, you're more likely to run into them on the beach rather than towards the waterfall. We came across a few off-leash dogs along the earlier parts of the beach, but as we got closer to the waterfall, there weren't as many. As we mentioned, not very many people are aware of this waterfall to begin with, so the chance of someone going in with their dog is even less. Do keep in mind that this area going towards the waterfall is rather tight - especially when you're inside the cave - so this is something to consider if your dog isn't comfortable in tight spaces.

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.