The damage from the recent stormy weather is extensive along the renowned West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, say Parks Canada officials.

Weeks of high winds and surging tides have left numerous trees down, and other damage to the famous hiking trail along the rugged coastline.

Spokeswoman Louanne Ralston told CBC News that crews have surveyed a 12-kilometre stretch of the trail, and found it littered with about 600 fallen trees.

She said that means there may be more than 3,000 trees blown down along the entire length of the 75-kilometre trail, adding that's not all.

"One rather large, serious landslide at Kilometre 12, and we also are aware of one bridge at Carmanah that has been demolished, and a downed cable car."

She said it's still not clear whether some sections of the trail can be restored.

"In some cases, certainly, where you have seven or eight trees down on top of each other, it would take a lot of work to get in there, so we might have to look at a reroute around that."
 
Ralston said park crews hope to complete their assessment by the end of the week. But it's not clear how much of the damage can be repaired before the trail's annual opening on May 1.