| Location: The park headquarters is two
hours west of Port Alberni on Highway 4.
Description: Pacific Rim National Park is a spectacular
park on the outside edge of southern Vancouver Island. The next
stop is Japan! It features long empty beaches, an island
archipelago, rugged headlands, huge trees, a tangled forest and
scenery without equal. The park is divided in to three sections.
The Long Beach Unit has the easiest access and is
where the best beaches are located. Located between the villages
of Ucluelet and Tofino, this unit is popular with swimmers,
sunbathers, surfers, birders, and people who like to scavenge
for interesting souvenirs on the beach. At the Wickaninnish
Centre, there is an interpretive centre and restaurant. Various
hiking trail-heads are located along the highway through the
park. Interpretive signage is available to assist visitors in
understanding what they are looking at. All the hiking trails
are very easy. But some people might have trouble with some that
have stairs. Campgrounds are available that are suitable for
recreation vehicles or tents. There is limited space, so
reservations are recommended.
The Long Beach unit is the most civilized section of the
park. It is reached via a 2- hour drive on Highway 4 from Port
Alberni through some amazing mountain scenery. Hotels, motels,
lodges, and camping facilities that can accommodate most budgets
can be found in both Ucluelet and Tofino. If you are planning to
stay a while, you might find it a little cheaper to stock up in
Port Alberni as you pass through the town. In additions there
are plenty of shops and galleries full of souvenirs. As well
there are plenty of tour operators offering whale-watching,
kayak, and fishing trips. A small hospital is located in Tofino
should anyone have an unfortunate accident!
The Broken Group Unit is the middle unit of the park and a boat is
needed to visit it. Enormously popular with kayakers, this unit
has over 50 wooded islands and dozens more rocky islets and
shoals. It is a maze of sheltered lagoons, kelp beds, rugged
reefs, and narrow passages. There are 8 heavily sought after
campsites on the islands.
The West Coast Trail Unit is most southerly part of the park
It stretches from Port Renfrew to Bamfield. The hiking trail
goes up and own through very rugged terrain. It is often muddy
and, being a rainforest, wet. But the scenery more than makes up
for these discomforts! Be prepared for a 5-7 day hike of a
life-time!
Nearest Towns: Ucluelet, Tofino, Port Alberni
Nearby Services:
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