Parking
Florencia Bay North day-use lot off Wick Road. Parking is limited and may fill; roadside parking is prohibited. RVs and buses should use the Kwisitis Visitor Centre lot. An outhouse is at the north lot.
Overview
About Florencia Bay North Beach Access
Why go
- Direct north-side access to a cliff-backed sandy beach.
- Florencia Islet is an easy landmark offshore.
Heads up
- The wooden staircase is steep and must be climbed on the return.
- Tides and surf can shorten a longer walk along the shore.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Pacific Rim map
Full mapElevation23–46 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Pacific Rim alerts
- CautionLong Beach trails: limited access and boardwalk hazardsMentions Long Beach, referenced in this guideShorepine Bog and Willowbrae trails have limited access, and Combers Beach Trail is rated Caution; use care and follow posted signs.Official details
- CautionWolf warning in Long Beach UnitA wolf warning remains active in the Long Beach Unit; leave pets at home because dogs attract wolves. Check current trail conditions before travelling.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Pacific Rim Tour Guide
Your drive to Florencia Bay North Beach Access, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Pacific Rim audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Florencia Bay North0:00 / 0:30
“You're coming up on Florencia Bay North, the access to a five-kilometre stretch of Pacific shore. Choose this stop for a beach walk below forested cliffs, with the low, wooded Florencia Islet just offshore.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Pacific Rim Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Shorepine Bog Trail
- Kwisitis Visitor Centre and South Beach
- Wickaninnish Beach
- A Bill Built for Shellfish
- 34 audio storiesacross Pacific Rim’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Orca, Humpback Whale, Black Bear, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 19 trails, 52 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Florencia Bay North Beach Access
A short route to the north beachFlorencia Bay North Beach Access is a 0.
Florencia Bay North Beach Access is a 0.4-mile out-and-back from the north day-use lot to the shore. The mapped trail is the lot-to-beach access; once on the sand, you can walk farther and turn back where the tide, surf and your plans allow. Give the access and a short beach stop about 30 minutes.
The stairs and shorelineA dirt path bends through the trees, then a long wooden staircase descends to the beach.
A dirt path bends through the trees, then a long wooden staircase descends to the beach. The stairs are the steepest part, and you climb them again on the way out. Florencia Bay opens into a broad sandy shore backed by forested cliffs. Near the north end, the low wooded Florencia Islet sits just offshore; look for rounded rocks and shallow pools along the water's edge.
If you want a longer walkThere is no marked beach turnaround, so the distance grows with how far you follow the sand.
There is no marked beach turnaround, so the distance grows with how far you follow the sand. Tide and creek conditions can limit travel along the shore; check the tide before extending the walk and return by the same access. The separate Nuu-chah-nulth Trail reaches this lot from the Kwisitis Visitor Centre after 2.5 km one way, through forest and mixed trail surfaces. That longer connector is not included in this beach-access route.
Parking and accessUse the Florencia Bay North lot off Wick Road.
Use the Florencia Bay North lot off Wick Road. Spaces are limited and the lot can fill; parking on the road shoulder is prohibited. There is an outhouse at the lot. A National Park Entry Pass is required. Dogs are allowed in the Long Beach area on leash and under physical control, including on the beach and in the water.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Pacific Rim
11 sightingsOrcaMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
16 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
174 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
16 sightingsSea OtterMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
134 sightingsSteller Sea LionMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
18 sightingsCalifornia Sea LionMost seen around noonSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Pacific Rim. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
