Today we wanted to do some hiking in Canada’s Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, which lies in between Tofino, where we’re staying, and Ucluelet. The national park is 197 square miles, bordered on one side by the Pacific Ocean. It is divided by a highway that runs through it and connects the two towns (Tofino and Ucluelet). It has a number of trailheads that can be accessed by car, as well as by foot and bike due to the multi-use trail which also connects the two towns.
Our first stop this morning was Combers Beach Trail. There was plenty of parking in the large lot on (what was then) a misty/foggy day. As required, we purchased a day use pass from the handy pay parking machine in the lot. The cost was a very reasonable $22 Canadian ($16.22 US, £12.22), especially as it was a group price for 2 to 7 people.
The trail to the beach was a relatively short downhill trek. When we got to the beach the tide was out, which really made the beach seem huge.
We left our car parked and walked a little over a mile to our second trail, as it was connected by the great multi-use trail that parallels the Pacific Rim Highway.
Our second hike was the two-loop (one on each side of the highway) Rainforest Trail. Unless you’re allergic to green or damp, it was an almost mystical hike, almost entirely on boardwalk, through the rainforest.
as it wasn’t amenable to passing, except in some pull-off areas
Maybe skunk cabbage, although we didn’t detect any odor.
Finally, I had read about a Lighthouse Loop in the town of Ucluelet. We headed to the southernmost point of the town for our final hike of the day. This one would provide us with lots of views of the Pacific Ocean without the morning mist/fog.
Below are some photos of the scenic route.
which hugs the coast.
Peckish Travels 