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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. Western Forest Products
also owns a small number of company homes and industrial property
throughout the village and is in the process of selling off large
parcels of property for real estate development.
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. Western Forest Products 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.
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.
Shells
Fish & Chips and Corner Store
Fortunately there are now some places in Jordan River where you
can get some food and provisions. Located on Hwy 14, in the former
Chula Espresso & Juice Bar location is Shells Fish & Chips
and Corner Store. Shell generally has fresh cooked halibut, salmon
and cod with other items on the menu including oysters, clam strips,
prawns and kalamari plus hamburgers using fresh ingredients from
Glenwood Meats in Langford. The store sells a number of convenience
items such as fresh coffee, firewood, fresh produce, milk, eggs,
butter, bread and cheese.
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.
Information
on Jordan River
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