Hike to Schooner Cove

Alberni-Clayoquot C, British Columbia

Save

View all 5 photos

All 5 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

2.49 miles

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Carrie Cole

Schooner Cove in Pacific Rim National Park is a great afternoon adventure suitable for families. It features a rainforest, beautiful sandy beaches, and tide pools. This 4km roundtrip hike also includes 336 stairs you'll have to climb.

Park at the well marked parking lot off of the Pacific Rim Highway (4) about 16 kilometres south of Tofino. Start off on a relatively easy two kilometre trail. The scenic hike wanders through lush rainforest before arriving at a spectacular beachfront area. You will pass giant cedars, a number of small gullies and over a few bridges spanning small creeks. Near the end of the trail you will pass a 600 year old sitka spruce. As you get closer to the beach the rolling sounds of the ocean will greet you.

The pristine beach offers amazing views including rocky outcrops that can be accessed at low tide, so check your tide charts before arriving. A long day of exploring awaits you as you walk south along the beach to Long Beach which is a 10 kilometre expanse of beach. Allow a lot of time, because you will love exploring this area!

If you plan to stay to watch the sunset, remember to bring a flashlight as the densely forested trail back to the parking lot gets really dark!

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin

Photography

Hiking

Beach

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

Wildlife

Hike to Schooner Cove Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike to the Bomber Plane Crash Site in Tofino, BC

PARKING: Park in the Radar Hill lot on the west side of the Pacific Rim Highway, 7.3 miles (11.7 km) south of Tofino. Make sure you buy and display a parking pass at the kiosk or you will get a ticket. I have seen it happen. There is a large sign for Radar Hill so you should not miss it, but if you are coming from Tofino and you see the airport, you have gone too far. If you are coming from Ucl...

Surf Tofino's Cox Bay

Tofino, British Columbia, is magical. It sits on the most western coast of Canada, on Vancouver Island. It is a small surf town, with natural Pacific Northwest beauty everywhere.....ocean, beaches, forests, islands. and the beautiful Pacific Rim National Park.I personally like surfing Cox Bay because it's in front of the Long Beach Lodge Resort - we can walk to the hot tub, or inside to the fir...

Watch the Sunset Overlooking Cox Bay

Cox Bay is best known for its surf, but for an incredible view with minimal effort, scramble your way through the forested hills on the southern end of beach to let sunset soak in. From the northern end of the beach near the parking lots/access trail, walk 1.5km south until the beach turns into forest. You'll need to have some basic route-finding skills as the trail is not well-marked and meand...

Photograph Sunset Point in Tofino

You can park at the public beach parking at Cox Bay Beach Resort and make your way out on to the beach. Once you are on the beach, head north until you get to the "Sunset Point" trail sign. The trail walks through the woods for ~100m until you join up with a boardwalk that takes you out to the point. Follow the boardwalk approximately 500m until you get to a rocky outcrop with a picnic table. O...

Hike the Rainforest Trails in Clayoquot Sound

For an amazing jungle experience in Clayoquot Sound, the fantastic Rainforest Trails is the place to go. Located in the Pacific Rim National Park, the forest is deep, wet and massive. The wonderful aroma of nature fills your lungs as an incredibly elaborate boardwalk leads you along massive nurse logs, huge cedars and an astounding array of young and ancient trees.The trail has two routes, “Ro...

Explore Tide Pools at Chesterman Beach, Tofino, BC

Beyond surfing, skim boarding, biking, and hiking, there are plenty of beaches to comb and coastal tide pools to explore near Tofino BC. The best rocky coastal tide pools are between North Chesterman and South Chesterman beach just 3.6 miles south of the town of Tofino. This area is also known as Frank Island, but you are able to access it by land, no need to cross water to reach it. I recommen...