Pacific Rim National Park

Pacific Rim National Park
	Wickaninnish Beach, Long Beach Unit
Location:	British Columbia , Canada
Next city:	Victoria (British Columbia)
Surface:	511 km²
Founding:	May 1970
Visitors:	1,056,801 (2016/2017)
Address:	Pacific Rim National Park; Box 280 ; Ucluelet, BC ; Tel. (250) 726-7721
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The Pacific Rim National Park ( English Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada , French Réserve de parc national du Canada Pacific Rim ) is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia . It consists of Long Beach , the Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail . Founded in 1970 and formally proclaimed by Princess Anne , the park was converted into the Pacific Rim National Park Reservation (PRNPR) on February 19, 2001 under the Canada National Parks Act (CNPA) to implement First Nations participation . The park is subordinate to Parks Canada and has a total area of 511 km², its length is around 130 km. It now attracts almost a million visitors a year.

The dominant tree species is the Sitka spruce . In the months of March and October, gray whales can already be observed from the coast, moving along the Pacific coast between their winter and summer quarters. Great killer whales (orcas) also live in the more protected bays .

geography

The park consists of three parts, which are separated by bodies of water.

Long Beach

Beach in Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia, Canada

The Long Beach region of the national park attracts by far the most visitors. It extends in the south of the Clayoquot Sound along the coast between Tofino and Ucluelet and consists of miles of sandy beaches, interrupted by wooded knolls and the immediate hinterland of the coastal strip. The Long Beach region has a large number of well-developed hiking trails that are gently integrated into the landscape. Often there are explanations of flora and fauna as well as the special features of the temperate rainforest there .

Broken Group Islands

The Broken Group Islands region is made up of around one hundred small islands in Barkley Sound . The largest islands are Effingham, Turret, Turtle, Dudd, Jacques, Nettle and Gibraltar Island. There is a boat connection to the islands from Sechart and Toquart Bay .

West Coast Trail

The southernmost section of Pacific Rim National Park is the West Coast Trail . It is one of the most famous and, depending on the weather, toughest hiking routes in Canada. The trail is 75 km in total and stretches along the west coast of Vancouver Island between Bamfield and Port Renfrew . In 1907, the expansion of this path began to help shipwrecked people to quickly find their way back to civilization. The path was completed in 1910. It was used for its original purpose until the 1950s, but then lost its importance thanks to technical advances in seafaring. In 1970 it was renamed the now known West Coast Trail. Experienced hikers can complete the path in about a week. In order to protect nature from the negative effects of mass use of this path, the number of hikers is limited to 68 per day (does not apply to day trips). The path has been expanded in recent years.

The Quu'as Partnership, a corporate joint venture of Pacheedaht First Nation , Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht with Parks Canada , responsible for the maintenance of the trails.

Information can be obtained from the park's own Info Centers and from the K ^w isitis Visitor Center (formerly Wickaninnish Interpretive Center ). The numerous tasks in the park have ensured that it has become one of the largest employers in the region.

Tsusiat Falls, a campsite on the West Coast Trail

literature

Kathrin Bibelriether: In the footsteps of Captain Cook. Pacific Rim National Park - Vancouver Islands - Canada . In: National Park . No. 117 , 2002, pp. 8-13 .
Parks Canada leaflets and brochures ( online )