Tsusiat Point Hole-in-the-Wall

The Hole-in-the-Wall is a wave-carved sandstone arch at Tsusiat Point, about 27 km along the West Coast Trail’s beach route. A broad opening cuts through the layered rock at the edge of the Pacific, making it one of the trail’s most memorable shore features. You reach it on foot during a demanding backcountry hike, not from a roadside stop.

At low tide, hikers can walk through the opening. Tides can make the beach passage unsuitable, and Parks Canada’s route itinerary directs hikers to use the forest route when that happens. The West Coast Trail is seasonal and requires reservations, so build the arch into the official route plan rather than treating it as a standalone outing.

Waves have worn a passage through the sandstone. From the shore, step back enough to frame the whole arch and keep the water beyond it in view; that gives the opening its scale and depth. The tide changes how much of the rocky shore is exposed, so the scene can look quite different from one visit to another.