Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, British Columbia

Experience the stunning ecosystems found throughout British Columbia's Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island. Networks of trails including the West Coast trail wind through beaches, spruce bogs, marine ecosystems and the temperate rain forest. CREDIT: Venture Vancouver, SOURCE: www.venturevancouver.com

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is an ideal destination year round with storm watching, trails, wildlife and a range of ecosystems.

STATS

HOURS

RATES

Type:

Park

Season:

All Seasons

Weather:

All Weather

Time:

8 hours

Cost:

What to bring:

Camera, Binoculars, Sense of Curiosity, Drink, Snack, Hiking Boots, Compass, Bird Book

Located along Vancouver Island's rugged West Coast, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is composed of thee separate sections: Long Beach, the Broken Islands and the West Coast Trail. The most accessible is Long Beach which offers sand, surf, storm watching and hiking while the Broken Islands are a paddlers paradise and the West Coast Trail offers a spectacular hiking adventure along a the Park's spectacular temperate rain forests, beaches and coastline.

Vancouver Island's west coast is one of British Columbia's most raw environments with a mix of rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, temperate rain forests and spruce bogs which stretches along one of the Canada's most breathtaking locales which is frequented year round. Created to protect this spectacular ecosystem for the enjoyment of future generations, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve protects 511 square kilometres and is composed of three separate sections, Long Beach, the Broken Islands and the West Coast Trail:

LONG BEACH: The most accessible of the three sections, Long Beach is situated between Tofino and Ucluelet and offers a wide range of recreational opportunities such as ten hiking trails, several beaches, an interpretative centre and Green Point campsite.
BROKEN ISLANDS: Accessible only by water, the Broken Islands is an archipelago of more than one hundred islands with eight campsites and offers some of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve's most stunning coastline.
WEST COAST TRAIL: This arduous 75 kilometre trail is considered one of Canada's most difficult hiking trails, taking backpackers through along temperate rain forests, sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, caves, sea arches, sea stacks and beaches. Open for travel from May 1 to September 30, the West Coast Trail includes ladders, cable cars and boat connections which makes this five to seven day journey one of the most spectacular hikes in North America.

The Park's history began in 1907 due to its treacherous coastline which was the final resting place for hundreds of ships and their sailors during storms. To lead shipwrecked sailors to shelter, a 75 kilometre trail was constructed along existing First Nations trails, known as the 'Lifesaving Trail'. Abandoned in the 1950s, the trail was revitalized in the 1960s when a permanent road and endless recreational opportunities brought people by the thousands. Soon after in the 1970s, the region was declared a National Park Reserve to protect the history and ecological integrity of the region.

The spectacular environment, flora and fauna and historic value of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve make it one of British Columbia's most visited National Parks. Whether spending a few days or a few hours, the Park has much to offer from birding to hiking to surfing or just watching the storms roll across the skies.