The Wild Pacific Trail is one of the most iconic destinations in Ucluelet, BC. The entire trail is 8km long, and can be hike in 2 main sections – the Lighthouse Loop which is a 2.6km loop trail along with the Terrace Beach Interpretive Trail which is .5km in one direction and the Big Beach to Rocky Bluffs trail which is 5km combined with the Ancient Cedars trail which is a 1km loop. The park is home to a variety of wildlife (including wolves) and it is important to respect that we are visiting their natural habitat. The trail is also the traditional territory of the Ucluelet First Nation.
Dogs are welcome throughout but must be kept on-leash at all times.
Each section of the Wild Pacific Trail offers a variety of stunning views and the opportunity to spend some quality time in nature. As you explore the trail you will find stunning coastal forests, mudflats, bogs and gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. There are many interpretative signs along the trail or you can opt to join a free guided walk with a naturalist. You can find a calendar of free events/walks in the park on the park website. Some of the walks are marked as “no pets” so do be sure to check to make sure the walk you are joining is dog-friendly.
You will find plenty of benches throughout the park so you can rest and take in all that the forest has to offer. You will also find garbage cans at the parking lots. Please be sure to pick up after your dog and dispose of it properly – even if this means you have to hike the poop out. There are also a variety of portable toilets in the park located at the trailheads and parking lots should nature call!
When visiting the trail consider donating to the Wild Pacific Trail Society (WPTS). They are a non-profit organization made up of board members who work on trail development, educational programs, administration, signage and more. The priority of the society is to connect people with nature – and their programming takes this goal into account. The society is made up of a volunteer board as well as one part-time administrator and a naturalist who assist them with their endeavors. They are supported by local businesses, volunteers and through donations from visitors to the trail.
Parking at the Wild Pacific Trail
There are 5 parking lots at different points of the trail, check out the park map to choose the best parking location for the area you would like to explore. There are a few RV parking spots located at the Lighthouse Loop parking lot. Smaller RVs can also park at the Brown’s Beach parking lot. This is not recommended for larger RVs as there is not much room to turn around. Please note that there is no overnight camping permitted in the parking lots.
Our Visit to the Wild Pacific Trail
We visited the Wild Pacific Trial several times with Avy. She absolutely loved exploring the trails, scrambling over the rocks on the beach and smelling all of the smells that the trail had to offer. On our first visit we explored the Big Beach to Rocky Bluffs trail including the artist loops and Ancient Cedars Trail. That was a lot of fun and we visited with my entire family which was a ton of fun! On our second visit we explored the Lighthouse Loop which had amazing scenery and was equally enjoyable. You really can’t go wrong with any section that you choose to explore. Do make sure you bring along poop bags as you will not find any dispensers on the trail.
