Port Renfrew is the Southern most boundary of the Pacific Rim National Park and the Northern terminus of the Juan de Fuca Marine Park & Trail and famous Botanical Beach & Botany Bay. Beach Camp Town Park: Starting in town is a small village park for toddlers centered in what is called Beach Camp. Swings & slides in a grassy area centered in the middle of Beach Camp. Access from Parkinson Road at the Port Renfrew Ambulance Station 115 will take you down to the center of this little beach village. A little further down is also access to the public beach area. Pacheedaht Beach The Pacheedaht Beach is not a park but could easily fall under the definition of the word Park as do most of the beaches around Port Renfrew. So we have included them since they represent that definition. The Pacheedaht Beach is located between the two mouths of the San Juan River and the Gordon River, where they come together in a protected area know as the San Juan River Estuary Ecological Reserve. Here occasionally can be see Roosevelt Elk grazing on the swamp grasses and fresh water ferns, many species of water fowl and river otters, black bears and deer. During the camping season, Pacheedaht Beach has room for campers and some RV hookups at the far end of the beach from the main bridge that brings you onto the beach area. This area can be accessed in the summer time and people camp right on the beach with their tents and campers/rv’s. Sometimes in the spring you will see fisherman with tidal fish lines anchored from the beach, surfers catching waves off the sandbars at the mouths of the San Juan River or maybe head along the beach through the driftwood cemetery looking for that certain piece that caught your eye. West Coast Trail is located in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Port Renfrew is also famous for the southern access to the “West Coast Trail” and it’s other big hiking challenge the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail located in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park Includes Botanical Beach, Parkinson Creek, Sombrio Beach, and China Beach, all provincial parks before they became one park called the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. So our main beaches and parks basically are all one of the same thing. Backcountry passes for camping must be purchased from BC Parks. A shuttle service to/from Port Renfrew and China Beach (as well as Victoria) is available during the summer months with West Coast Trailbus Botanical Beach is mile 0 for the Juan de Fuca Marine Trailhead in the north. Check out our beaches link for more information. Parkinson Creek Trailhead Leaving town on West Coast Road hwy 14 is Parkinson Creek. A short drive brings you to the parking lot . Do not leave valuables in cars. Thieves are known to frequent this area. The beach here is not that great for sun bathing but the shallow tidal pools during low tides are what makes this spot so special. Sombrio Beach Trailhead is now a trail-head for the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail which is located inside the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. See Trails for more information. Loss Creek Provincial Park A 21 hectares (52 acres) Class A park created on June 29, 1959 at the bridge over the creek of the same name. It was the closest park to Sombrio Point prior to the existence of the current park, though it was never completely developed. This is now part of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. There is no vehicle access to this part of the park. Loss Creek is also known for it’s placer gold deposits found in the early 1900s by gold panners lured to Vancouver Island and Leech Town where gold was discovered in 1864. It is geologically very interesting since the creek follows the Leech River major thrust fault, and forms a distinct border between two different terrains: In the south the Crescent Terrain, an ancient volcanic island, and in the north the Pacific Rim Terrain, composed of gneiss and schist. Many deposits of gold can be found along these fault lines. Loss Creek and and the Leech river run along the same fault line. Sombrio Beach Trailhead A few more miles down the road headed south east, you will come to Sombrio Beach. This beach has a history of families that used to live there back when it was not part of the Juan de Fuca Marine Park. This is a great hike to get to it and a parking lot can be accessed with a trail to the beach that takes about fifteen minutes. This is also another trail entrances to the Juan de Fuca Marine trail. Please check out our Trail links for more information. Juan de Fuca Provincial Park China Beach East Is a day use area with a short easy access to the beach. Another hike to the western end of the beach will bring you to a waterfall. The area is sandy and a great place to explore both east and west. This part of the beach will connect to the beach access further down at the campgrounds. A major feature of this park is the 47 kilometres Juan de Fuca Marine Trail . This is considered mile 0 of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. If your heading north. The other end is Botanical Beach in Port Renfrew. The China Beach campground is adjacent to Highway 14, just east of the China Beach day- use area and has 78 drive-in campsites available for reservations and First come First served bases. Second Beach can be reached from a 1 km trail down from the campsite via stairs and a fairly steep gravel trail that takes about 15-20 minutes. Trailheads include China Beach East, Parkinson Creek, Sombrio Beach, and Botanical Beach at Port Renfrew. French Beach Provincial Park This park was created in 1980 as the first family- oriented park on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. Encompassing 136 acres with day use area and covered picnic area for groups. The drive in camp sites have picnic tables, fire rings, washrooms and fresh drinking water. The short walk to the beach is only minutes away. Easy access. There is also a sani-dump located across highway 14. Very convenient. Overlooking the Juan de Fuca Strait and the Olympic Mountains on the Washington’s side. Beautiful green lawns surround the day use area. Very pristine and family oriented. This location is used for events, weddings, and family get togethers. All campsite and group site reservations must be made through Discover Camping. Fishboat Bay Community Park Located in Shirley and a short drive past the entrance to French Beach Provincial Park is Fishboat Road cul-de-sac a 7.7 acre Nature Park featuring a long sandy beach accessed by a short trail. Sooke, BC, Parks Sooke Potholes Regional Park is very popular in summer months along with Whiffin Spit Beach, part of Quimper Park in Sooke, Gordon Beach is up the road a few kms from town headed towards neighbouring communities such as Shirley and Jordan River. These beaches include Sandcut, French beach, Fishboat Bay, China beach, Mystic beach . Sooke Potholes Provincial Park Sooke Mountain Provincial Park The 10 km Coast Trail Whiffin Spit Park Visit the Sooke Chamber of Commerce for more information NORTH of Port Renfrew Nitinaht Lake pronounced “Nit-Nat” World famous wind-surfing lake. Nitinaht Kiteboarding Guide (Nitinaht) Nitinaht Lake Ecological Reserve Nitinaht Triangle Hitchie Creek Provincial Park Bamfield This year there will be as of April 16, 2020 a restriction in BC on all fire burning. Please check with your local fire halls and municipality offices for official fire regulations