Canso Bomber Ruins Trail

The Canso Bomber Ruins Trail is an informal 5 km (3.1-mile) out-and-back from the lower Radar Hill Road parking lot in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. A paved pathway leads to a forest route and the surviving wreck of a Royal Canadian Air Force Canso bomber that went down in 1945. The wreck is the payoff; the walk there is muddy, rough and hard to follow in places. Count the paved approach and the return in the distance.

Follow the paved multi-use path from the lower lot to the forest trail. The broad start climbs gradually to a derelict building; beyond it the track narrows and drops into a bog. Mud can linger into late summer, and local route directions describe markers and ropes through the wettest stretch. After the bog, the route crosses rough coastal forest, passes a nearly circular pond and reaches the wreck on a hillside. Return the same way, including the climb back out of the bog. Allow about two to three hours; the slow footing and time at the plane matter more than the modest distance.

The Canso's damaged fuselage and tail sit among trees on a slope, with the tail visible as you approach. The airframe has weathered and been vandalized; stay on the ground and don't enter or climb on it. The pond is a useful landmark just before the plane. For a photo, pause where the tail first appears through the trees so the wreck still has its forest setting around it.

This is an informal route, and Parks Canada doesn't list it on its main hiking page. The available sources don't establish its current formal access status, so check with Parks Canada before setting out. The lower lot is inside the national park: a park entry pass is required, and parking is included. Pet rules for this route aren't confirmed.