Pacific Rim National Park trails and beaches make for great walking

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

On a recent trip to Tofino and Pacific Rim National Park we spent most of our time exploring trails and beaches. Of course most people have heard of Long Beach and it is certainly well worth a visit- we in fact walked on 2 different sections and since it is 16 km long there is lots to explore. We really enjoyed the section off of parking lot 2 since it has nice views of the off shore island called Lovekin Rock. As well we liked walking the very southern tip of Long Beach near the Parks Canada Visitor Centre (Kwisitis) which has fabulous views and is also has displays of the natural and human history of the park. In this area we also did a hike to South Beach which is a fun little hike to a more isolated beach. It is just 1.5 km return and has stairs in places to help descend to the beach so is accessible by a wide range of people. 

                                                                    Surfer off of Cox Beach

We also found that Cox Bay had the most surfers and is a smaller beach than some of the beaches. Also nearby is scenic Chesterman Beach which has various entry points and we first walked from the public access off of Chesterman Road and were rewarded with nice lighting with flocks of birds to add to the experience. The next day we walked from the Lynn Rd access where there is another large parking lot. From there we walked toward the famous Wickaninnish Inn which occupies a prominent headland. The rewarding thing about walking these beaches is that they always seem to be changing with the rise and fall of the tide,  changing waves, the passing of clouds and changing sun angles. You could walk the same beach day after day and often have a different visual experience. Check out these and other beaches on your next trip to this area. You will not be disappointed. See you on the trail. We should note that parking access to many of these beaches involves either getting a national park pass for beaches like Long Beach or pay by the hour parking for beaches like Chesterman and Cox Bay. 

Gulls on Chesterman Beach 

                                      Walking at Long Beach with Kinlove Rock off shore 

                                                      Enjoying the changing weather on Cox Beach