5040 Peak Hike, Guide and Directions (Port Alberni-Clayoquot, BC)
5040 Peak Summit Hike
5040 Peak is a mountain in the Clayoquot region in between the towns of Tofino and Port Alberni. The mountain is called 5040 because the summit lies at 5,040 feet. It has amazing 360 degree views of the surrounding area with the rugged Triple Peak and Cats Ear Peak in direct view. 5040 Peak has some of the most incredible cloud inversions I have ever seen. It truly is spectacular up here and very much worth the drive.
Where Is The 5040 Hike?
5040 is located on Vancouver Island 53km west of Port Alberni and 73km east of Tofino off highway 4. We Recommend pairing this hike with a trip to Tofino as you are already most of the way there.
5040 Hike Information
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult
- Elevation: 1350m
- Elevation gain: 900m
- Distance: 8km round trip
- Time: 4-7 hours
- Dogs – Allowed but its difficult for pups
- 4×4 – Or high clearance required If road has not been graded recently
The beautiful ACCVI hut at 5040
Where To Stay for 5040 Hike
5040 is great to do mid summer to early fall because there is a lot of snowfall in this area. You can do this hike in a day, or you can make it an overnight by camping near Cobalt Lake or staying in the backcountry hut that was recently built by the Alpine Club of Canada.
The hut is very nice and reminiscent of the higher end lodge you find in the alps. It has a big warm sitting area with a pellet stove, gas cook tops and a well stocked kitchen. When we were last there the bed were dorm style split between three rooms. You can book it here.
Wildflowers At 5040
5040 is famous for its wildflowers. You can get some stunning views over the alpine valley looking at triple peak. Because you are at a bit of elevation wildflower season starts here later at the beginning of August. Some of the best photo spots like this one are heading up to the summit.
How Hard Is The 5040 Hike
5040 is a typical Vancouver island mountain trail. We personally don’t find this hike that difficult but we would rate it as hard. There is a fair bit of scrambling up tree roots and rocks because of the eroded trail on the first section to Cobalt lake. You elevation gain is 900m of 4km so it is fairly steep..
Facilities at 5040
There are not toilets at the trailhead but there is a brand new outhouse by the Alpine hut. If you are staying at the hut they have cook gear a pellet stove and cooking utensils. If camping or hiking you will need to bring everything you need.
Where To Get Water At 5040
This is a great hike to bring a water filter on so you can carry less weight. Cobalt lake is a great stop to refill the bottle and there is a small tarn by the Alpine Hut. The lake is fresh clear water and I would fill everything here. The tarn by the hut is your last water source but its not ideal
When To Hike 5040 Peak
This is one of our favourite hikes on the island and you can get very different views depending when you hike up. It is actually doable all year but I think it is particularly special in July and August when the flowers come out.
I have left some pictures below of a cloud inversion on a early spring hike so you can see what it looks like with snow. The sunny pics below are from August.
If you are looking to hike in winter be aware there is a slightly different ascent route and you may need to cross country ski the road to get to the trail head.
Camping At 5040
There are 2 real camping spots at 5040 and a third if you are really comitted.
Bear caches can be found at the main site by the hut. If you are camping at Cobalt Lake or the summit you will want to bring a bear bin.
Cobalt Lake Camping At 5040
If you have the motivation to hike your gear up there are some great camp spots at Cobalt Lake half way up. Cobalt Lake is a great spot for a swim and is an excellent camping spot in its own right. There are about 3 decent spots for a tent as you first get to the lake and a couple more to the left farther down the trail.
Camping by the 5040 Hut
This is the most popular spot for people to stop. There are many sites and a little water tarn nearby. The views from here are incredible. On weekends in the summer you want to hike up early to get a spot with a view!
Camping At 5040 Summit
We decided to stay overnight at the summit for the best possible views. It was cold and there was barely space for a small tent but the morning views were incredible.
Sunrise and Sunset at the summit of 5040 Peak!
Camping Permits for 5040?
You currently don’t need any camping permits for the 5040 hike area. It sits just outside of Strathcona Provincial Park so there are no extra restrictions. Please follow the leave no trace principles as this is a sensitive and beautiful area.
Best Hike Views On Vancouver Island?
5040 is claimed to have better views than the Golden Hinde, which is the highest summit on the island and takes a couple days of overnight hiking to reach! Great bang for buck view wise here!
I have done this hike countless times now and the first time we went up it was completely clouded over. The second time we went up we stayed in the backcountry hut. It was completely cloudy and fogged over all day and night, but around sunset we got extremely lucky when there was a break in the clouds. The whole area totally cleared, so we decided to take advantage and rush to the top. It took us about 30 minutes to get to the summit from the hut.
Getting To The 5040 Trailhead
The cobalt lake route up to the summit of 5040 starts at the 9.6km mark on Marion Rd. Marion Rd is not always open and can also be rough depending on the time of the year. I would recommend checking All Trails and see if there are recent posts about road condition if you don’t have a 4×4.
The road is usually rough with a couple washouts and some steep sections. Despite this if it has recently been graded it should be okay for small SUVS. The
5040 Hike Directions (2025)
9.6km in there is a fairly obvious pull in on your left with a small marked trail behind the parking lot.
The trail is pretty grown over and steep, but it is easy to follow up the mountain. The first part is through old growth forest with views of old logging areas. The trail will eventually come to a river and the trail will pretty much follow the river all the way to Cobalt Lake. The route is pretty much straight up until you reach the lake so plan for a bit of a grind. If you are hiking in shoulder season bring crampons for your boots.
There are a couple small waterfalls you pass by on this route and rock bluffs to relax on.
The trail is pretty straight forward but there are rock cairns and flags along the way.
Once you get to Cobalt Lake you hike to the left of the lake which will bring you up through a forested slope. It is about 45 minutes from here where you will reach the backcountry hut.
Cobalt Lake
Looking down at Cobalt Lake In Summer
Cobalt Lake In Early Spring
5040 Peak Saddle And Summit
At the hut, you hike past the camping spots towards the peak cascading above and follow the rock cairns to the summit. There is a summit capsule at the top where you will find amazing views of the area. I have hiked several mountains on Vancouver Island and I found this to be one of the most rewarding hikes on the island.
5040 Cloud Inversion
5040 Peak Driving Directions
To get to 5040 you have to drive on Highway 4 between Port Alberni and Tofino. There are no signs on the road for 5040, so you really have to pay attention for the turn off.
Heading towards Tofino once you see the Summit Pass sign, reset your odometer and after 5km you will see a logging road on the left. The road is called Marion Main. Drive 9.6km down Marion Rd, where you will see a small clearing on the side of the road for parking. The trail is flagged on the left just before the parking area. These directions are for the Cobalt Lake route. You will need a 4WD or a high clearance car for the drive on the logging road you can see below.
Extra Hikes On Westcoast Vancouver Island
If you still have energy this is a great hike to pair with a trip Tofino. You are 3/4 of the way to the coast so might as well. Check out some of our other hike guides on that side! If you still want to see more check out the amazing Lone Cone lookout on Meares Island Tofino or the incredible Cox Bay Lookout. The whole west coast area is magical and deserves to be explored!
The iconic Canso Bomber plane crash hike is another must do easy hike in Tofino.
If you are looking for another hike as epic as 5040 Peak Landslide Lake and the Elk River Trail is a magnificent part of Strathcona Provincial Park.
If You Are Not A Camper
If you don’t feel like lugging your camping gear up and the hut is full there are some great options in Tofino. We really like the Iconic Long Beach Lodge and Cox Bay Beach Resort if your fancy. If you are on more of a budget the Best Western Tin Wis is so nice it has no business being a Best Western and there is also the more budget friendly Hotel Zed.
