Incinerator Rock

Incinerator Rock is a group of rocky outcrops at the north end of Long Beach, with a tree-covered mound at the water's edge and surf breaking around it. It's a quick stop from the Incinerator Rock parking lot off Pacific Rim Highway, followed by a short walk across the sand. Come for the landmark and the surf, not a hike. Display a Parks Canada pass while stopped in the reserve.

The rock's west tip can be under water at high tide, so come at lower water if you want to see its full outline. The north point blocks some swell, making this side more sheltered than Lovekin Rock farther south; left- and right-breaking peaks form along the beach. These are unsupervised Pacific beaches with powerful waves and rip currents. It's a good place to watch from shore, and check conditions before entering the water.

The name comes from an incinerator on Long Beach used during the Second World War to burn waste from Tofino's air base and nearby army camps; only its concrete foundation remains. The largest rock is also recorded as an old First Nations lookout and midden site, and as the location of a surfguard tower. That's a much longer human story than the quick beach-stop impression suggests.

From the beach, include the dark rock with a strip of sand and breaking surf; looking south brings the separate rounded mound of Lovekin Rock into view. A few steps along the shore change how the two formations line up. Beach-access parking can fill during busy periods, so come early on a popular day.