Pacific Rim National Park Travel Guide

Perhaps it's the hike. Perhaps it's the not-so-obvious trailhead. This lovely cove is not as crowded as Wickaninnish or Combers' Beach. A few rock-islands on the beach create habitat for crabs and starfish, making things more interesting.

While beachcombing at the Cove, I was joined by a couple of deer from nearby forest. In the past I had only seen deer in the mountains, and I was surprised how comfortable they were with the waves. They walked in the shallow water and chewed on seaweed. They were probably attracted by the salt content in the water that's not easily available in the forest.

The biggest attraction in Long Beach is of course the beach itself. And the best way to enjoy the beach is to simply spend some time there. In the summer this is the spot to surf. In the winter this is where you watch huge waves crashing on rocks. For me, some quiet time to myself with nothing but the sound of ocean is soothing.

A good portion of the beach is easily accessible by car. A few steps from the parking lot your feet are already on the sand (e.g. Wichaninnish Beach, Combers' Beach). Others require some hiking through the rainforest (e.g. Schooner Cove).

Before you start exploring, stop by the Wichaninnish Centre to acquire parking permit and trail map. The Centre has a theater and nice exhibiiton. Upstairs there's a restaurant with beach view. Then, walk down to Wichaninnish Beach to get your first taste of Pacific Rim National Park.

The only way to get to Schooner Cove is to hike the Schooner Trail through the thick rainforest. Both the trail and the cove are highly recommended. The trail is about 1 km each way, and is entirely on boardwalk in the rainforest. Even on a bright sunny day, the trail is cool, dark, and humid. Along the way, you occasionally cross small streams running under boardwalk. Once you hike through the rainforest, the sky opens up and you are rewarded with the soft, sandy Schooner Cove.

I noticed most trails in Pacific Rim National Park are on boardwalk. It's convenient but I assume they were built some time ago. By today's conservation thinking, these can be intrusive to the nature. Just a thought.

Long Beach is said to be the best surfing spot in Canada. I was told there's a Canadian pop song called "Surfing in Tofino" -- not sure if it's true. Anyways, I did see quite a few surfers -- more long boarders than short boarders, which may have to do with the waves here. The beach was far less crowded than southern California where I live, so surfers didn't have to cut through 3 fellow surfers to catch 1 wave, which is nice.