Pacific Rim National Park - Long Beach Unit

tofino surfing | tofino camping | long beach hiking trails

It is here that the temperate rainforests of Clayoquot Sound meet the surf-pounded beaches of the open pacific that the Long Beach unit of the Pacific Rim National Park resides. With miles of white sand, cozy coves and groves of old growth forest the park is full of potential adventures and discoveries. With the boundaries of Tofino literally touching the park it sits as a perfect home base for whatever day trips you might want to plan.

There are numerous interpretive trails, rich with history and ecology that are maintained by the park. Be sure to check out our map to see all that there is. As you enter the park from the south, there is the information center that can help you with whatever questions you might have and set you up with all appropriate passes you might need.

The Wickaninnish Center is a must see. This interpretive center has many resources and displays plus a restaurant overlooking the surf. Check out the parks official website for more details and up to date information. .

pacific rim national park hiking trails map

A: Radar Hill

Named for its World War II duty as a radar installation, this promentory offers a complete panoramic view of Clayoquot Sound to the north and the Pacific Rim coastline to the south. The lower parking lot has a cantelevered lookout peering down to Radar Beach.

B: Schooner Cove Trail

From the parking lot it’s about a 2km return trip over fairly easy terrain to the northern most end of Long Beach. Turn right when you hit the beach and go around the corner. A good place to go to get out of the afternoon westerly winds in the summer.

C: Spruce Fringe trail

Perched on the edge of the salty Pacific Ocean the forest here is an example of survival of the fittest. The trail is well marked with interpretive plaques that offer botanical information and descriptions. The 1.5km trail is moderate in difficulty with only one set of stairs to climb.

D: Rain Forest Trail

2km trail that crisscrosses the highway taking a half hour to walk. The Boardwalk takes you through a classic temperate coastal rainforest, offering interpretive plaques and many opportunities for investigation. Salmon spawning streams and giant old growth Cedars are only a couple of the wonders to be seen.

E: Shoreline Bog Trail

Growing like a bonsai garden, the forest in this bog is stunning. Winding through it is a wide and comfortable boardwalk, making it accessible to both young and old. The area owes it’s peculiar appearance to the acidic soil that stunts and deforms all that grows there. Trees hundreds of years old, may be only just overhead in height. The 800m loop takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to walk and is wheelchair compatible.

F: Nuu-Chah-Nulth Trail (Wickaninnish Trail)

A historic trail that has it’s roots as both a aboriginal path and an early pioneer roadway. Connecting Wickaninnish Beach at the south end of Long Beach and Florencia Bay this 5km loop passes through many different forest structures. Named after the Nuu-Chah-Nulth leader “Chief Wickaninnish”.

G: South Beach Trail

Starting behind the Wickininnish Center this 1.5km round trip takes you to one of the best beaches on the west coast to go storm watching. Thanks to the funneling action of the rocky headlands South Beach tends to get bigger waves than the surrounding area. Beware of wave surges that can quickly catch you off guard. The pebble beach offers great picnicking in the summer.

H: Gold Mine (closed)

An easy 3km trail that follows the Lost Shoe Creek to Florencia Bay. In the 1900s prospectors worked the beds of the creek in search of gold. In the 1960s the area was logged and turned into a tree farm. Witness the process of nature reclaiming itself.

I: Willowbrae Trail

This 3km return trip takes you down one of the original “corduroy” roads of the route that was used to travel between Tofino and Ucluelet. All around you there is evidence of the pioneers that once tried to tame the area. You can still see the nothches made by axes of early loggers as they cleared some of the early homesteads.

K: Half Moon Bay

Branching off from the end of the Willowbrae trail this path offers some of the most spectacular vistas in the park. Up top you wander past massive ancient Cedars and then decend down to Half Moon Bay under giant twisted Spuce trees that have been turned like cork screws by the coastal storms. The boardwalk down to the beach is very steep and not recomended for everyone.