Parking
Park at the Kwisitis Visitor Centre; the trailhead is behind the building. A Parks Canada entry pass is required. The automated Park Use Machine accepts credit cards only.
Overview
About South Beach Trail
Why go
- A short route to a distinctive pebble beach and wave-watching.
Heads up
- The final beach access can be steep, eroded and strewn with driftwood.
- Large waves and strong currents make the water unsafe for activities.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Pacific Rim map
Full mapElevation0–40 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Pacific Rim alerts
- 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
- ClosureWest Coast Trail winter access restrictionFrom October 7 through April 30, only day use between Pachena Bay trailhead and km 8 is permitted; overnight use and the remainder of the West Coast Trail are closed.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Pacific Rim Tour Guide
Your drive to South Beach Trail, 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
Kwisitis Visitor Centre and South Beach0:00 / 0:34
“You're nearing Kwisitis Visitor Centre, above the south end of Wickaninnish Beach. I'd stop for the exhibits as well as the deck: look for the replica longhouse and the displays connecting salmon with the rainforest.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Pacific Rim Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Wickaninnish Beach
- Shorepine Bog Trail
- Florencia Bay North
- Trees Growing from Trees
- 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 South Beach Trail
Is this the short coastal walk you want?South Beach Trail is a short out-and-back from behind the Kwisitis Visitor Centre to the pebble…
South Beach Trail is a short out-and-back from behind the Kwisitis Visitor Centre to the pebble shore: 800 m each way, or 1.6 km round trip. Parks Canada rates it moderate; allow about 30–45 minutes for the walk, plus beach time. I’d pick it when you want a real coastal destination without committing to a long hike. The distance is modest, but stairs and the rough beach access make it more than a level stroll.
The route from KwisitisStart behind the visitor centre and follow the shared Nuu-chah-nulth approach to the marked…
Start behind the visitor centre and follow the shared Nuu-chah-nulth approach to the marked South Beach turnoff. The route changes between asphalt, gravel and boardwalk. There’s a steep slatted ramp; at the junction, the wooden boardwalk narrows to about 0.8 m, with stairs and handrails on the elevated sections. The way is marked, so the main thing is watching your footing as the path gets rougher near the shore.
Stay back from the surfThe final beach access can be steep and eroded, with driftwood underfoot.
The final beach access can be steep and eroded, with driftwood underfoot. South Beach is pebbly rather than sandy, and in calmer conditions the sound of waves washing over the stones is part of the appeal. Big surf brings large waves and strong currents; Parks Canada advises against water activities here. Keep well back from the water. For a photo, work from firm ground and frame the wave wash against the rounded stones instead of edging toward the surf.
The name at the startParks Canada translates Kwisitis as “the other end of the beach,” a reference to the visitor…
Parks Canada translates Kwisitis as “the other end of the beach,” a reference to the visitor centre at the south end of Wickaninnish Beach. The centre’s exhibits introduce the land, sea, sky and First Nations stories of this coast, including salmon’s role in the rainforest. It’s a worthwhile extra if the centre is open; washrooms are there when it is open, and also at Wickaninnish Day Use Area.
Parking and basicsPark at the Kwisitis Visitor Centre; the trailhead is behind the building.
Park at the Kwisitis Visitor Centre; the trailhead is behind the building. A Parks Canada entry pass is required for the park. No food or drinking-water service was found at the start, so plan ahead.
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.
