Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 817

JUAN DE FUCA PROVINCAL PARK
The 47km Juan de Fuca Marine Trail ( www.juandefucamarinetrail.com ) in Juan de Fuca
Provincial Park ( www.bcparks.ca ) rivals the West Coast Trail as a must-do island trek.
From east to west, its trailhead access points are China Beach, Sombrio Beach,
Parkinson Creek and Botanical Beach.
It takes around four days to complete the route - the most difficult stretch is
between Bear Beach and China Beach - but you don't have to go the whole hog.
Be aware that some sections are often muddy and difficult to hike, while bear
sightings and swift weather changes are not uncommon.
The route has several basic backcountry campsites and you can pay your camp-
ing fee ($10 per adult) at any of the trailheads. The most popular spot to pitch
tents is the comparatively salubrious, family-friendly China Beach Campground (
800-689-9025, 604-689-9025; www.discovercamping.ca ; campsites $30; May-Sep) , which
has pit toilets and cold-water taps but no showers. There's a waterfall at the west-
ern end of the beach. Booking ahead in summer is essential.
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Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Dramatic, wave-whipped beaches and brooding, mist-licked forests make the Pacific
Rim National Park Reserve ( www.pc.gc.ca/pacificrim ; park pass adult/child $7.80/6.80) a
must-see for anyone interested in experiencing BC's raw West Coast wilderness. The
500-sq-km park comprises the northern Long Beach Unit, between Tofino and Ucluelet;
the Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound; and, to the south, the ever-popular West
Coast Trail. First-timers should drop by the Pacific Rim Visitor Centre (
250-726-4600; www.pacificrimvisitor.ca ; 2791 Pacific Rim Hwy; 10am-4:30pm) for maps and
advice on exploring the region. If you're stopping in the park you'll need to pay for and
display a pass, available at the visitor center or from the yellow dispensers dotted along
the highway.
Long Beach Unit
Attracting the lion's share of visitors, Long Beach Unit is easily accessible by car along
the Pacific Rim Hwy. Wide sandy beaches, untamed surf, lots of beachcombing nooks
plus a living museum of old-growth rainforest are the main reasons for the summer tour-
ist clamor. Cox Bay Beach alone is an ideal hangout for surfers and families - seabirds,
sand dollars and purple or orange starfish abound.