Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Referred to locally as PRNPR, or simply The Park, Pacific Rim National Park is one of the most beautiful areas of Canada.
The first provincial-federal agreement regarding Pacific Rim National Park was signed in 1970 and then redone in 1987, taking First Nations land claims into consideration. Referred to locally as PRNPR, or simply The Park, Pacific Rim National Park is one of the most beautiful areas of Canada. Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, the park encompasses a total area of approximately 511 km2 (197 mi2) that is broken into 3 groups: the West Coast Trail, the Broken Islands, and Long Beach.
Whichever section of the park you choose to visit you’re sure to see something interesting. There are some restrictions while using the park and a daily fee, so please take a look at the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve website for more information.
West Coast Trail:
This challenging 75km hiking trail was originally a telegraph trail that was the only communication from the west coast to the rest of the world. As new technology was developed the telegraph was no longer needed but the trail was kept and now hosts large numbers of hikers each year. The trail can be accessed near Bamfield or Port Renfrew and reservations are needed as the number of hikers at any one time is limited.
Broken Group Islands:
Made up of more than 100 islands and islets and known for being an incredible area for kayaking, this part of the park is accessible only by boat. Visitors wishing to see the Broken Islands can launch their own kayak from Secret Beach, take a power boat and get dropped off with your kayak, or go with a tour. Secret Beach is part of First Nations land but is open to the public; it is accessed via the Toquart Bay logging road. For those without their own boat, take a tour out of Ucluelet with Majestic Ocean Kayaking or Archipelago Wildlife Cruises.
Long Beach:
The most easily accessible, and therefore the most popular, section of the park is Long Beach. Located between the towns of Tofino and Ucluelet, this portion of the park contains Long Beach itself, as well as a number of other beaches and several hiking trails. Walking these trails and beaches will allow you to see a wide variety of habitats from long stretches of sand, grassland, and rocky intertidal areas to ferns, shrubs, and giant evergreens. Animals you might see in the area include song birds, frogs, small mammals, sea birds, eagles, anemones, and maybe even a whale. Ask at our front desk and we’ll be happy to give you a map with all the details.