2017 is a pretty special year in Canada as we celebrate our nation’s 150th birthday. As a way of celebrating, Parks Canada is giving free entry to all of their parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas. This is a pretty big deal and a great way to get Canadians and adventure seekers from around the world to explore the natural beauty of the 40+ national parks throughout Canada.
Each month, throughout 2017, we will be highlighting a national park to give you an insight into that park. You’ll learn about the history of the park, where to stay, & what to do once you’re there.
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
This month, we’re going to introduce you to a park that we’ve seen a lot while we’ve been living in Tofino – Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
If you’re looking for a combination of adventure but also relaxation, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is a great park for you. Located on the western coast of Vancouver Island, upon your arrival, you’ll be amazed at the rough coastal areas, long beaches, & the stunning green of the lush temperate rain forest. The park is comprised of three separate units, each offering their own dose of adventure – the Long Beach unit, the Broken Group Islands unit, & the West Coast Trail unit.
Sections
Section 2: The Broken Group Islands Unit
Section 3: The West Coast Trail Unit
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Size: 511 sq. KM
Opened: 1970
Brief History
-Pacific Rim National Park Reserve was opened in 1970 as Canada’s first national park reserve.
-The park was designated a national park reserve due to a land claim by the Nuu-chah-nulth tribal Council and the Ditidaht First Nation.
-Discoveries of various archaeological sites indicate that there has been a human presence in the area of the park for 4300+ years.
-At the parks opening ceremony in 1971, Princess Anne was in attendance and presented with a driftwood sculpture by future Prime Minister – Jean Chretien.
-Prior to the opening of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, the area was a hideout for American draft dodgers. A lot of them settled on Long Beach, only to be evicted when the park was officially opened in 1970.
Long Beach Unit
The park is comprised of three separate coastal areas that stretch along the coast from Tofino in the north to Port Renfrew in the south. The most accessible section of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is the Long Beach unit, named for the world-famous Long Beach – not to be confused with the famous California beach of the same name. Most of the park’s trails and attractions are located within the Long Beach unit.
A couple of surfers getting ready to hit the waves of Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
© Parks Canada / Scott Munn
How To Get There
While the Long Beach unit is the most accessible section of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, that doesn’t mean it’s not an adventure getting there whether you’re arriving by car or plane.
By Road
If you’re arriving by car, you’ll have to drive the only road to/from the area – Highway 4. From Port Alberni, you’ll travel through the mountains including the Sutton Pass and wind along the steep, single lane road. There are some spots along the drive where you can pass slow moving vehicles. There are also pullouts for slow moving vehicles like RVs & transport trucks. There are some narrow sections of the road where the rock cliffs are essentially a part of the road.
While the drive can be a bit of an adventure, it’s actually quite fun and offers stunning views of the mountains and crystal clear lakes. This may actually be our favourite drive to do in all of Canada (that we’ve experienced) and we recommend you do it at least once. The drive from Port Alberni will take you between 1.5-2 hours. We also recommend that you stock up on whatever supplies you need for your getaway while in Port Alberni as costs for essential items are considerably higher in Tofino.
If you prefer to sit back and enjoy the trip from Port Alberni into the park, you can travel by bus with Tofino Bus which operates throughout various destinations on Vancouver Island. You can also take a luxurious ride with Pacific Rim Navigators that will get you to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in style.
By Air
If you’re looking to get to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve a little bit quicker and with some great views, you can do so by air where you will fly into the Tofino-Long Beach Airport. You can fly into Tofino through Vancouver on the mainland or various locations throughout Vancouver Island. Tofino Air, Orca Airways, & KD Air all offer air transportation to Tofino. Make sure you have your camera ready because you’re bound to see some incredible sights as you fly over the mountains before making your way to Tofino.
Where to Stay
Green Point Campground
Green Point is the only Parks Canada campground within the Long Beach unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The campground offers 94 drive-in sites, 20 walk-in forest sites, & 1 group walk-in site. The campground is usually open in early May and closes in early October. Due to the popularity of the park, it’s imperative to book a reservation well in advance. A quick search shows that many of the sites are already completely booked for the duration of the 2017 season and it’s not even February.
Camping at Green Point Campground in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
© Parks Canada / Scott Munn
Crystal Cove Beach Resort
If you’re looking to book an RV site outside of Pacific Rim National Park, we have to recommend Crystal Cove Beach Resort as it’s the spot that we’ve been enjoying in Tofino since mid-October. The resort features over 30 luxurious cabins but is also home to one of the best RV parks we’ve enjoyed in Canada. Located right on MacKenzie Beach and only a short drive from the Pacific Rim National Park – Crystal Cove is a great destination for you and your family. Crystal Cove is also the only RV park open year round in the Tofino area.
Our new home at Crystal Cove Beach Resort in Tofino.
Other Options
There are other campgrounds located in both Tofino & Ucluelet that offer both tent & RV camping as well as many high-end resorts if you’re looking for a luxurious stay in the temperate rain forest or along the rugged coast.
What to Do
Where to begin? The Long Beach unit of Pacific Rim Park Reserve offers a wide range of adventure opportunities for you and your entire family. There’s plenty of hiking, surfing, & other activities to keep you busy throughout the duration of your trip.
Surfing
Since the mid-sixties, Long Beach has been a popular surfing destination in Canada. The waves and swells offer up plenty of opportunities to get wet and have some fun. Since Long Beach is so large (10km), even during the busy summer season, there is lots of room for you to safely catch some waves. Throughout the park, there are multiple change rooms where you can change in & out of your wetsuit and also hoses to spray down your surf gear.
If you’re new to surfing but want to learn, there are plenty of surf companies in Tofino & Ucluelet that offer gear rental and lessons. Stand Up Paddle Boarding has continued to gain in popularity and you can find many spots that will rent you paddle boards and gear.
Long Beach and Wickaninnish Beach are the only beaches within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, but there are many other beaches in the Tofino area that are also suitable for surfing, including the world-famous Chestermans Beach.
Hiking
Connected by beaches and forest paths, it feels like you can hike forever in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Located in the Long Beach unit, there are 8 trails with the longest being 2.5km. Most of the trails twist through the green rain forest and often end at a pristine area of beach where you relax and enjoy the view or search through the many tide pools for marine creatures.
Most of the trails include long, steep flights of stairs that take you down through the forest onto a beach. The trails in the Long Beach unit are some of our favourite short distance trails in all of Canada. Seeing the temperate rain forest where everything is a striking green colour is incredible. The trees are massive and the air is fresh.
Our favourite hike is the Schooner Cove Trail which takes you through the rain forest and onto the beach which is dotted with homes of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations. The South Beach trail is a wonderful, short trail that is broken up into tiny sections of seclusion and features plenty of tide pools where you can try to find a starfish or other marine life.
One of the mossy wooden footpaths at Schooner Cove.
The Long Beach Challenge
At low tide, runners can enjoy a 9.5km run along Long Beach. You can pick up a time card at the two visitor centres in the park which will keep track of your run time which is then displayed at the Kwisitis Visitor Centre.
Storm Watching
If you choose to visit Pacific Rim National Park Reserve during the low season during the winter months, you’re still going to be in for a treat. From November til the end of March it’s officially storm season on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Get yourself a good rain suit and head out to the beach to watch the powerful Pacific storms crash massive waves along the rocky coastline.
Swimming
The Pacific Ocean is cold and rarely warms to a temperature that is comfortable for a relaxing swim. With that being said, during the warmer summer months, you can quickly cool off by plunging into the ocean if you’re brave enough. Depending on tide times, you may be able to find deep tide pools that would be considerably warmer than the wide-open ocean.
Geocaching
Over the past decade, adventure seekers looking for a bounty have taken to Geocaching where you hunt for a treasure with the help of your GPS. Located throughout Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are multiple geocaches. You can get the coordinates from geocaching.com and even borrow a GPS unit from the Kwistis Visitor Centre.
Wildlife Viewing
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is full of wildlife that you may spot during your stay. There are various ground mammals like black bears, cougars, & coastal wolves. Keep in mind while you’re on a hike in the park it is possible to stumble on these animals which while beautiful, can be dangerous. Be careful of your surroundings when on a hike and always keep your dogs on a leash.
Seals on the coast of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
© Parks Canada
The marine wildlife is also wonderful with seals, sea otters, & sea lions. Of course, the whales around Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are extremely popular. There are gray whales, humpbacks, and the most popular of all – the Orcas. There are many private companies that will take you out for the chance to spot whales during your stay at the park.
Birding is a popular activity in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with over 300 species in the area throughout the year. You’ll be able to easily spot bald eagles, great blue herons, many songbirds, as well as shorebirds that stop in the area during the spring migration.
Bald eagles in the treetops in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
© Parks Canada
Cultural Experiences
While visiting Pacific Rim National Park Reserve you can enjoy many opportunities to learn about the history & culture of the Nuu-chah-nulth people. The Kwistis Visitor Centre features many opportunities to learn about the historic Nuu-chah-nulth culture and even hear some stories told by some Nuu-chah-nulth elders.
Along the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail, there is a beautiful totem pole which features carvings of a bear, killer whale and thunderbird.
Beach Clean Ups
One unfortunate thing you will notice while visiting the beautiful beaches of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is that there is a lot of washed up marine debris laying along the shoreline. A lot of this is a result of the 2011 earthquake in Japan. Marine debris from Japan continues to wash up on the shore of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. At times it’s possible to see hundreds of little pieces of plastic mixed in with various shells.
All of this marine debris has a negative effect on the marine wildlife which is why it’s imperative that it gets cleaned up. The Pacific Rim branch of the Surfrider Foundation holds regular beach clean ups where you can get together as a group to clean up the beach. You can also help out by bringing along a bag to fill while you casually walk the beaches. Yes – cleaning beaches doesn’t necessarily sound like a fun way to spend a getaway but it’s helps preserve the health of the marine wildlife which we too often take for granted and don’t protect.
Broken Group Islands Unit
To the south of the Long Beach unit, you’ll find the remaining two sections of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve – the Broken Group Islands Unit & the West Coast Trail Unit. The Broken Group Islands unit is a collection of over 100 small islands located in Barkley Sound. This unit is accessible by boat only and is a popular destination for kayakers.
Kayakers paddle through the crystal clear waters of the Broken Group Islands in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
© Parks Canada / Scott Munn
How to Get There
While getting to the Long Beach unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is an adventure, getting to the Broken Group Islands is even more so. If you want to enjoy the remoteness of the Broken Group Islands unit, you will have to arrive by boat or kayak.
The best access to the Broken Group Islands is at the Toquaht Nation’s Secret Beach Campground and Kayak Launch. This campground and launch is located about an hour from either Tofino or Ucluelet down an active logging road. The road is a rough gravel road that has to be driven slowly for about half an hour before arriving.
If you prefer to paddle by kayak to the Broken Group Islands you can be transported by boat by one of the many private companies offering those services.
Where To Stay
Wild camping is available on 7 of the islands within the Broken Group Islands including Hand, Turret, Gibraltar, Willis, Dodd, Clarke and Gilbert Islands. In order to reserve a campsite, you must either contact Parks Canada via phone at 250-726-3500 or purchase them in person at the Ucluelet & Port Alberni Chambers of Commerce or the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre.
Something to keep in mind is that there are no dogs allowed because of how they disturb the wildlife in the area. There is also no fresh water available which means you will have to transport your own water with you to the islands.
What to Do
Kayaking and island hopping is the main draw of the Broken Group Islands unit. By kayak, you will be able to explore the many different distinctive features of the Broken Group Islands including lagoons, coves, sea caves & of course – wildlife.
If you wish, you can book guided trips from a selection of companies in the Ucluelet, Port Alberni & Bamfield areas.
A kayaker explores the rocky shoreline of one of the Broken Group Islands in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
© Parks Canada / Scott Munn
West Coast Trail Unit
The West Coast Trail unit is likely the most adventurous of the three sections of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. This section of the park is home to the 75km West Coast Trail that winds its way along the coast from Port Renfrew up to Bamfield. It’s regarded as not only one of the best trails in Canada but the entire world.
The trail was initially built in the early 1900’s as a route to help rescue sailors who were shipwrecked in the area. By the 1950’s, the trail was no longer used until 1970 when Pacific Rim National Park Reserve opened & revived the trail, creating a popular backpacking/hiking destination that takes 5-7 days to complete.
Multi-level ladders are one of the many obstacles of hiking the West Coast Trail.
© Parks Canada / Scott Munn
Now available is a 2-3 day hike for those who can’t commit to a longer hike. Both hikes, however, are extremely challenging and will test your physical and mental capabilities. There are points on the trail where you will have to climb steep ladders, traverse canyons in a cable car, and hike along the rugged & unpredictable coastline.
The challenging hike is meant for those with significant backcountry hiking and camping experience. The full trail should be done by those with that necessary experience. The 2-3 day hike is more easily accomplished by those without experience but still wish to enjoy the trail in some capacity.
The West Coast Trail is open to hikers from May 1 until September 30th. A max of 26 hikers at each of the Pachena Bay and Gordon River access points are allowed to set off on the trek daily. All hikers are required to make reservations and have a permit to access the trail. You can reserve a spot on the Parks Canada website, or by calling them. If you wish to hike the trail but don’t have a reservation, you can be placed on a standby list should a spot open up. Among the costs for reservations and permits, you will be required to pay for a water taxi along the trail.
A hiker near a waterfall at Bonilla Creek, on the West Coast Trail.
© Parks Canada / Scott Munn
How to Get There
There are three trailhead access points for the West Coast trail – Pachena Bay in the north, Gordon River in the south, & Nitinat is in between. Access to each location will mean travelling down a mixture of paved and gravel logging roads. Rather than risk getting lost on logging roads or worrying about busting a tire, you can take a shuttle (West Coast Trail Shuttle/West Coast Trail Express) to and from each of the trailheads that will allow you to get to your access points on time and stress-free. It will also mean that you won’t have to leave your car in a remote area for a week or need transportation back to it after completing the trail.
Plan Ahead
Completing the West Coast Trail will require a lot of planning and preparation to ensure you have a comfortable and rewarding hike. Read everything you can about the trail. We’ve included a couple links below that will give you insight into some hikers who completed the trail and what they learned from their experience.
How Stuff Works: A Guide to Hiking the West Coast Trail
We hope this guide to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve has provided you with a sense of desire to travel to and enjoy this wonderful park. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with all our other #Canada150 national park features throughout 2017. If you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and family. You can Pin these retro-style posters, too!
40 comments
Sounds like fun! Happy birthday, Canada~
Such a useful and detailed post! I really want to visit Canada and hope to go later this year. I would love Long Beach I am sure!
With all the activities that you can do and sights to see, this is such a great all in one destination. I would love to visit it one day.
What a wonderful time to be a Canadian travel writer 🙂 this such a wonderful thing that the country doing. I have a feeling they will be seeing a lot of of Americans. I regret not making the road trip when we lived in The States.
I would love to visit this spectacular place! Kayaking looks perfect here, and the waterfall looks incredible too. I will be adding this to my never-ending bucket list! Happy Travels 🙂
what a great, very detailed article. We spent 2 weeks in the area last Oct and loved it. So much beauty!
It looks like such a great place for a small family outing! Would love to go here someday
I have never heard of the Pacific Rim
National park but it looks so picturesque. I would love to go storm watching and learn how to surf if the water isn’t too frigid. And so cool it’s Canada’s 150th birthday!! Happy birthday Canada!!
The water is definitely cold but the wetsuits keep you warm. At least thats what all the surfers say 🙂
I’ve always wanted to go to BC but have never quite managed it. My cousin lives in Vancouver and keeps asking me when I’m going to visit him. I love camping and hiking and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve looks like my kind of place. I’m booked up for Barcelona and Nepal this year but may make a determined effort to get to BC in 2018. I used to live in Canada in the 90’s (2 years in Toronto) and I loved it. I’m originally from Scotland. Great post and pictures
You should definitely head this way. Vancouver is fantastic for a city. Vancouver Island and Tofino and Pacific Rim Nat’l Park is a completely unique spot. Its amazing being able to enjoy a rain forest in Canada.
Sounds great, Adam – I shall try my best to get there – hopefully next year.
This is such an informative post! I had no idea that you could surf in Canada. I’ve now got it down on my list of places to surf 🙂
Yup – Tofino is the unofficial surfing capital of Canada. There’s not really a better place to do it in Canada. Big, big waves!
Wow this place looks stunning. I have been to the US and done quite a few of the national parks and I now have them on my bucket list, I am now thinking of adding Canadian national parks to it too. I would love to do the kayaking through the park too 🙂
There’s a lot of wonderful Canadian parks to explore. We’re going to be highlighting one each month. Be sure to come back or subscribe to our newsletter for updates on those 🙂
Happy 150th birthday, Canada! 🙂 I didn’t realize that Parks Canada was giving free entry to their parks as a way to celebrate — super helpful to know, as I will be visiting Canada at least twice this year. How do you like living in Crystal Cove Beach Resort? I would love to wake up to clean, fresh air and the tranquil sights and sounds of the forest every morning!
Living at Crystal Cove is amazing. It’s such a beautiful resort and it’s right on the water with a big beach to explore. The resort itself is in the rain forest so we’re lucky to have both the rain forest and beach constantly surrounding us. Quite magically, really.
OMG! That’s a biodiversity hotspot with so so so many flora and fauna! Those multi level ladders and wooden pathways are just so one with the nature!
There are so many beautiful spots in Canada! I’ve been to the Canadian rockies out west, but Tofino looks like a different kind of beautiful. I love that there is water surrounding the park, and I’d love to learn how to surf! Definitely putting this on my bucket list.
Before we got to Tofino, we didn’t know much about this park but it’s amazing. There’s so much to do and see and that’s just the Long Beach unit. We’d love to do the Broken Islands and maybe even the West Coast trail someday.
I like the idea of arriving at the broken islands by kayak, that makes it special. I didn’t know about the free national parks in Canada for this year, that will balance out how expensive it has become! I love how organised it looks too, after visiting parks in the 3rd world here will be so easy.
They can definitely be pricey if you’re staying for a week or something, but still relatively cheap to most other week long vacation. Plus you get outdoors which is super valuable. It’s a great park, that’s for sure.
Wow this is an amazing park. The national parks in the US used to be much more popular for vacations, but they fell off for awhile. There’s a big push to get young people to fall back in love with them. Are the national parks in Canada popular and typical for holidays?
Yeah – I would say they’re pretty popular. I know a lot of the campgrounds sell out well before camping season even commences. The #Canada150 campaign is really pushing the parks which will help bring them to new audiences, too.
BC is so pretty! I never made it over the the Longbeach, but the rest of the park is just stunning. Looks like I need to go back and explore the rest of it.
It’s a tiny area but so much to do. It would definitely warrant a return trip!
I solo traveled bit of Canada 2016, with free passes might be back ahain 2017! 😀 ps: Storm Chasing is a dream of mine, have you tried it?
Canada’s nature is all so beautiful and diverse. I feel so proud to also call Canada my home (although I’m from AB). 😀 I’m also going to BC this summer so I’ll definitely have to visit this National Park when I go!
This has been a must see destination of mine for awhile! The amazing shots you shared just make me more anxious to go!!
Canada is a truly gifted country when it comes to natural beauty. Those lakes are stunning and so are the landscapes. This looks like a great spot for witnessing the beauty of Canada and just take photos of because everything looks so picture-perfect!
Wow this park looks amazing! So much to do and see. Canada has such amazing natural beauty and I think it’s so cool that they are giving away free passes for 2017 to celebrate. I signed up for mine and now just have a plan to visit one!
Thanks for sharing this comprehensive guide! Canada looks like a perfect destination for me, particularly for the interesting wild life and nature! Not sure if I will be able to visit in 2017, but hope to do it soon!
Oh I love national parks! I’ve always wanted to go to Canada and explore national parks. Either on horseback or mountain bike!
Congratulations on the 150th anniversary. And a great excuse to visit Canada this year. Who wouldn’t want to travel and get free access to all the National Parks. Thanks for sharing.
BC is so beautiful! It’s definitely my favorite part of Canada in term of nature. There are just so many amazing places to discover in BC! There’s so much to do in this park! I love the variety.
I wonder if that’s National Park…means there’s so much to see besides the wildlife….i loved the tents and moreover your initiative to showcase one each month… i am sure it will make people more interested in parks which mostly don’t consider worth a visit…
Thanks for the heads up! Looks like some awesome scenery on offer there.
I’m visiting Canada this year and was looking for attractions in Vancouver besides the city itself. So glad to have discovered your blog and will be browsing more!
Have a great trip to Canada and Vancouver, Brooke. If you need any help planning things to do or places to go, shoot us an email!