Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada

Protecting and Presenting

Parks Canada is responsible for ensuring the sustainability and integrity of the natural and cultural resources in its care. Working with others, we strive to provide Canadians and their visitors with the opportunity to learn about the heritage of this country.

The entire national park reserve falls within the traditional territory of the Nuu-chah-nulth people who have inhabited Vancouver Island's west coast for countless generations. The Nuu-chah-nulth are comprised of many individual nations. The West Coast Trail Unit lies within the traditional territory of the Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht and Pacheedaht First Nations.

Parks Canada and the Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht and Pacheedaht First Nations work collaboratively to ensure protection, preservation and presentation of these lands. We need your help. Appropriate respectful behaviour by hikers will lead to a safe and rewarding experience and contribute to a healthy, functioning ecosystem.

Backcountry Etiquette: Low Impact Camping

Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.

Use a stove: Do not rely on fires. Small fires are permitted on beaches: fires are not permitted in the forest. Use only driftwood (no thicker than your wrist). Never cut trees or other vegetation and keep fires away from logs. Make sure fires have burned out and fire rings are dismantled. No trace of the fire should be left. Try camping without a fire.

Camp above high tideline on the beach at designated camping areas. This helps reduce impacts in vegetated areas. Never remove branches from trees around the campsite; the endangered Seaside Centipede Lichen grows on the lower branches of Sitka Spruce near the high-tideline in this national park. Hikers could potentially kill the local populations by removing branches and twigs.

Use outhouses when possible: protect the integrity of freshwater sources. If you are stuck between outhouses, dig a hole 20cm (7 inch) deep, at least 30 metres (three bus lengths) away from freshwater, campsites and the trail. Bury the human solid waste. Dispose of toilet paper in outhouses or pack it out. Pack out hygiene products.
Wash yourself, your clothes and dishes in the ocean or at the mouth of rivers. Dispose of any dirty water at least 30 m from freshwater. Use only biodegradable soap. Better yet, try soap free camping.

Your actions can kill wildlife and endanger hikers. Use metal food lockers when they are available. When they are not, hang your food, garbage and toiletries out of reach of animals and away from tents.

Pack it in: pack it out. There are no garbage cans on the WCT: Everything you pack in you must pack out (orange peels, hygiene products, tarp ropes, wet clothes etc). Before arriving at the WCT, minimise packaging to reduce garbage and weight.

Indian Reserves (IR) are private property. Stay on the main trail and obey all signs when on reserve lands. Violators will be prosecuted. Guardians regularly patrol the trail and may be able to provide information about these areas. Patrol cabins are for Guardians, they are not for hikers.

It is an offence under the Canada National Parks Act to collect, remove, destroy or deface any natural or cultural heritage resource within national park boundaries. This includes cutting trees for firewood or makeshift shelters and collecting or removing marine life, shellfish, fossils, artefacts, plants, etc.

Leave Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in as good or better condition than you found it.