Pacific Rim National Park, Canada

The Pacific Rim National Park is one of the most stunningly beautiful areas of British Columbia. It comprises nearly 200 square miles of rugged coastline and temperate rain forests, located west of the city of Victoria. The cool maritime climate is the ideal environment for many land and sea creatures to thrive. There are many trails and areas to explore in the Pacific Rim National Park hiking trails system. For true outdoors lovers and hiking enthusiasts, it does not get a whole lot better than what you will experience at the park. It faces out into the Pacific Ocean and is home not only to a wide range of animals, but also plant life and vegetation. If you are planning a trip to this part of British Columbia and want to make the most out of your stay, you may want to consider booking one of the Pacific Rim Park hotels, or consider camping. You will need more than one day to take it all in.


The Pacific Rim National Park is situated on a swath of land to the south and west of Vancouver Island. It is ensconced in the Vancouver Island Ranges (a part of the Insular Mountains), and to the west is the Pacific Ocean. There are three distinct regions contained within the park: the Broken Group Islands, the West Coast Trail, and Long Beach. The entire park receives more than 120 inches of precipitation every year. This is the result of the high surrounding mountains causing the moist air coming off of the Pacific to rise and deposit tons of rain in the wet season. Part of the mystique of exploring the Pacific Rim National Park hiking trails is the mist, rain, and rainfall. Spruce trees serve to protect the inland forests from the abrasive sand that gets blown off of the beach. You will also find western hemlocks and pacific silver fir trees, to name just a few.

Of the three distinct regions in the Pacific Rim National park, Long Beach is the most popular as well as the most easily accessible. It is comprised of the stretch of coast from Ucluelet to Tofino. The beach itself is the main draw here and you can take advantage of the nearly 100 campsites that accommodate tents and trailers. There are also some very nice trails in this area of the park. Some of the best Pacific Rim Park hotels such as Mills Landing and the Bamfield Inn can be found close to Long Beach.

The Broken Group Islands is comprised of over 100 islands and islets in the Barkley Sound. There are awesome, forested islands that are only accessible by boat. Kayakers will have a blast heading out to the islands and exploring their interiors. There are also eight areas for camping distributed throughout the islands.

The West Coast Trail is the most impressive of all the Pacific Rim National Park hiking trails. It is 47 miles long and runs from Vancouver Island all the way to Bamfield. You will find rocky beaches, thick forestland, and challenging terrain. If you are averse to camping, you can head off the trail and look for one of the Pacific Rim Park hotels. If you decide to stay the course, you can finish the entire trail in around five to seven days.

The Pacific Rim National Park is one of the shining gems in the geographical landscape of beautiful British Columbia and one of the best things to do in this region if you enjoy the outdoors.