Mystic Beach with Samsung Gear IconX

Whenever we visit Vancouver Island and are looking for an adventure, Mystic Beach always comes to mind. Mystic Beach is stunning, to say the least, with its quintessential Pacific Northwest coastline, stretches of soft sand, and massive waves that crash against the shore. At the end of the beach, a small waterfall flows from the cliff above, and the views across the Juan de Fuca Strait are breathtaking. We’ve been to Mystic Beach in all seasons, and each time the experience has been so different.

We had our heart set on visiting this portion of the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park during our last visit to Victoria – but the weather wasn’t playing nice. Heavy winds, rain and cold temperatures ripped across the island, and thousands were left without power. We decided to risk it and started the hour-long drive towards Sooke, BC, hoping that the tall trees would shelter us from the storm. As we approached the park, the temperature began to drop, but the clouds started to part, the sun came out, and the winds subsided – we couldn’t believe our luck! It was the perfect day to hit the trails for a #PersonalVictory and a west coast adventure.

Part of what makes Mystic Beach so unique is the 45-minute hike through the woods that it takes to get there. It’s all about the journey, right? At the start of the trail, we popped our Samsung Gear IconX earbuds in our ears and synced up our VancityWild playlist for the perfect outdoor soundtrack. We both used to use corded earphones when exercising on hikes or runs, and now neither of us can remember how we dealt with wires. The lack of cable is incredibly freeing, without compromising sound quality or comfort. You can even store up to 4GB of music right on the IconX’s so you can head out phone-free – it’s a great reason to leave your device at home! Something about listening to Lord Huron while walking through an empty forest with sunbeams streaming down through the trees is so incredibly magical.

The hike to Mystic Beach takes you through a dense forest, thick with trees, and the trail is lined with ferns. Along the way, you will balance along with logs, climb over roots and dodge puddles of mud. Wooden boardwalks cross over rushing streams, and a suspension bridge extends across Pete Wolfe Creek. It’s the perfect mix of terrain to keep things interesting! Oh, but the trees – the rows and rows of towering firs with sunlight streaming through the branches and hitting the forest floor – despite the well-groomed trail, there’s something about this hike that feels untouched. As you approach the end of the trail, a staircase made of a fallen tree begins the descent down to the beach, and you catch glimpses of the waves below. Once you reach the beach – the view will be so worth the trek. The cliffs themselves are beautiful with their colourful striped striations, and a small rope swing hangs from a tree above. The sunshine helped turn the waves a vivid green with seafoam lining the shore, and the heavy rains made the once trickling waterfall into a cascade of water. Mystic Beach – so appropriately named. You’ll never want to leave.

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