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Jordan
River
Jordan River or sometimes called River Jordan is located 31 km (19
miles) north of Sooke and 40 km (25 miles)
south of Port Renfrew on Hwy 14.
Logging
Camp
Jordan River is named after the river located here that flows into
the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Jordan River is a very small hamlet that has traditionally operated
as a logging camp harvesting the forests starting in the late 19th
century.
Western
Forest Products
Today
Western Forest Products has a large dryland log-sorting area near
the river and can be seen from the West Coast Highway hill towards
Port Renfrew. At one time Western Forest Products owned a small
number of company homes and industrial property throughout the village
but most of these are gone
Jordan
River Surf Club
The beach and tidal area that fronts Jordan River is a point where
the ocean waves that break are of the type popular for surfing especially
in the winter. At one time a long-time established Jordan River
Surf Club, made up a group of locals, had been surfing off the Jordan
River coastline and farther north-west at Sombrio Beach for a number
of years. There are three different locations at Jordan River to
surf called Rock Piles, Sewers, and The Point.
Oceanfront
Campground
There is a campground at Jordan River operated by Western Forest
Products located right on the water near where the old clubhouse
for the Jordan River Surf Club sat. The popular campground offers
beachfront campsites with fire-pits near where the river empties
out and within walking distance to Hwy 14 and the rest of Jordan
River. The CRD also has a day-use, walk-in recreation site at Sandcut
Beach, with the parking lot situated about 2 km (1.3 miles) south
of town on Hwy 14.
BC
Hydro
The electrical utility, BC Hydro, also operates a small one-unit,
hydro-electric generating turbine from Jordan River, with the original
construction finishing in 1911. The generating plant is a product
of a number of dams and lakes situated upstream on the Jordan River
that had been originally built to power the Bamberton Cement Plant
and Victoria. The series of dams and
generators have since been upgraded with a penstock feeding a one-unit
turbine located behind the community near the dryland log sort.
BC Hydro, because of possible dam safety in the event of an earthquake,
is also buying property when it becomes available as a precaution.
As of this there are very few structures except for the Cold Shoulder
Cafe.
China
Beach
Jordan River is just south of China Beach which happens to be included
in the Juan
de Fuca Provincial Park. At China Beach you can find a provincial
campground, beautiful beach and the southern trail head of the Juan
de Fuca Marine Trail that travels 47 km (29 miles) north-west to
Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew.
Juan
de Fuca Marine Trail
Unlike the West Coast Trail, the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail requires
no reservations and is open all year round. The hike takes you along
beautiful ocean beaches by going through lush rain forests to Mystic
and Sombrio Beaches. Several rustic campgrounds have been made along
the way to enhance your hiking experience. Just remember to pick
up a camping permit, tide table and practice 'wildlife awareness'
and 'bear-safe' techniques when hiking.
Tansky
Motorcycle Trails
For people who love Enduro riding and, especially those who belong
to BCORMA, make sure you get to try riding up the Tansky Main. Located
near the entrance to China Beach Provincial Campground is where
you'll access onto forestry roads leading to the previously logged
Tansky Main forestry road. Here you can find at least 20 square
km (7.7 square miles) being developed into off-road Enduro trails
by the Victoria Motorcycle Club and the Juan de Fuca Enduro Riders.
Bear
Country
If you are enjoying the countryside around British Columbia, please
remember this is bear country. Try to avoid the rivers during heavy
salmon spawning times unless you feel comfortable with bears around
and take the usual precautions. There is also the possibilities
of encounters with wolves or cougars so please play it safe.
Information
on Jordan River
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