Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Photo: EcaterinaLitvin / CC BY-SA 4.0
Canada › British Columbia

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

ByWilderness Experts

Pacific Rim is Vancouver Island’s wild western edge, a coast of surf-pounded beaches, brooding temperate rainforest and one of the most famous long-distance hikes in the world, the West Coast Trail. Split into three units strung along the shore, it is a park of raw Pacific weather, where summer surfers, tide-pool wanderers and winter storm-watchers all come to meet the open ocean.

Fast facts

  • Established: 1970 (Canada’s first national park reserve)
  • Size: about 197 square miles (511 km²) along the west coast of Vancouver Island
  • Three units: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail
  • Famous route: the 47 miles (75 km) West Coast Trail
  • Gateway towns: Tofino and Ucluelet, British Columbia
  • Managed by: Parks Canada, with local First Nations

The landscape

The park is where old-growth rainforest of Sitka spruce, cedar and hemlock meets the open Pacific. Long Beach stretches for kilometres of sand between rocky headlands and tide pools; the Broken Group Islands scatter across Barkley Sound; and the West Coast Trail threads a rugged shoreline of surge channels, ladders, cable cars and forest. Grey whales pass offshore, and black bears, cougars, wolves, sea lions and eagles all range the coast.

Best time to go

Summer (roughly May to September) is the hiking and beach season, when the West Coast Trail is open and the weather is at its calmest, though never guaranteed. Winter is legendary for storm watching, huge swells hammer the coast, and for uncrowded surfing, while the rainforest stays green and dripping year-round. Spring and fall are quieter and wetter.

West Coast TrailPhoto: David W Enstrom · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Long BeachPhoto: Kyla Duhamel from Saskatoon, Canada · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Rainforest TrailPhoto: Aaron Carlson from Menomonie, WI, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Kwisitis Visitor CentrePhoto: David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Radar HillPhoto: Colin W · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Broken Group IslandsPhoto: Roy Luck · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
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Getting there and around

The Long Beach Unit is reached by Highway 4 across the island to the Tofino–Ucluelet area, and is the most accessible part by car. The West Coast Trail Unit lies farther south between Bamfield and Port Renfrew, and the Broken Group Islands are reached only by boat or kayak. A vehicle serves Long Beach; the other units require ferries, water taxis or your own boat.

Things to do

At Long Beach, surf the beach breaks, walk the sand and the rainforest boardwalk trails, and explore tide pools at low water. The Broken Group Islands are a premier sea-kayaking destination. And the West Coast Trail is a demanding multi-day backpacking rite of passage, ladders, mud, tides and cable cars over a wild, beautiful shore. Winter storm watching from the shelter of Tofino is a draw all its own.

Top 10 things to do in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve →

Staying safe

The ocean here is cold and powerful: rip currents, sneaker waves and cold-water immersion are serious risks, so respect the surf, never turn your back on the sea, and time shoreline travel to the tides using a tide table. Rainforest and beach trails are muddy, rooty and slippery, and the coast is bear, cougar and wolf country. Store food properly and keep children close. Carry a satellite messenger where cell service ends.

Know before you go

A Parks Canada pass is required, and the West Coast Trail needs a reservation, permit and mandatory orientation, with a limited season and daily quota. Book early. Green Point Campground at Long Beach is also reservable and popular. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; always confirm current conditions, tides, reservations and permits with Parks Canada before your trip.

Navigation
Coordinates
48.8311, -125.1474
Magnetic declination
15.6° E (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

95 places in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.

Getting there 4

Park entrances

Airstrip

Visitor centre

On the trail 25

Trailheads

Routes

Campgrounds

Sights 66

Viewpoints

Waterfall

Lakes

Beaches

Heritage site

Points of interest

Islands

Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).

Trip types
Day hikeMulti-day/expeditionCar campingSurfingSea kayaking

Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →

Terrain
CoastForestMountains
Key hazards
Cold-water immersion & rip currentsLarge surf & sneaker wavesBig tides & slippery rainforest trailsBlack bearscougars & wolvesRapidly changing coastal storms
Best seasons
Summer (hiking), Winter (storm watching)
Difficulty
Easy to strenuous
Access / trailheads
On the west coast of Vancouver Island: the Long Beach Unit via Highway 4 near Tofino and Ucluelet; the West Coast Trail Unit between Bamfield and Port Renfrew; the Broken Group Islands by boat.
Water
Streams along the trails; filter or treat all water, and carry ample on the beaches.
Cell / satellite coverage
Limited to no cell service outside the towns. Carry a map, tide tables and a satellite messenger.
Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
Marine emergencies: Canadian Coast Guard (VHF 16); life-threatening emergencies: 911.
Permits & regulations
A Parks Canada pass is required; the West Coast Trail requires a reservation, permit and mandatory orientation, and Green Point Campground is reservable.
Leave No Trace
Camp only at designated sites, store food from bears, pack out all waste, respect First Nations lands, and follow Leave No Trace.
Conditions by month

October This month

Average high56°F(14°C)14°C(56°F)
Average low43°F(6°C)6°C(43°F)
Rainfall13.5 in(342 mm)342 mm(13.5 in)
Daylight, mid-month10 h 53 minSunrise 7:39 a.m., sunset 6:32 p.m.

What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.

Plan a trip here →

Averages for 1981–2010 from Environment Canada climate normals, measured at the Tofino Airport station, 38 miles (62 km)62 km (38 miles) away at 80 feet (24 m)24 m (80 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.

Before you go Conditions, permits, fire bans and closures change constantly — we summarise and link out, but always confirm with the managing agency first.
Official park website → Last verified 2026-07-21

Nearby parks

Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.

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