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Port Renfrew is only a two hour scenic drive away from Victoria. Lots of activities are readily accessible for the avid eco-tourist as well as to those just wanting a quite, beautiful place to relax and take it all in.
Whether you want to hike for a week, a day, or an hour there is a trail for you. Choose from more than a dozen well marked and maintained hiking trails including the world renowned West Coast Trail and Juan De Fuca Marine Trail as well as short day trails that take you along the beach, beside rivers and waterfalls, or through old growth forest. See the Red Creek Fir, the world's largest fir tree at over 240ft. tall and almost 1000 yrs old.
Visit Botanical Beach with its' rich tidal pool marine life and beautiful coastal forest walk.
Port Renfrew offers some of the best Saltwater Fishing in B.C. off the world famous Swiftsure Banks. Salmon, Halibut, Cod and awesomely sweet crab are here for the taking.
We also have great Freshwater Fishing in the rivers which feed into the San Juan Inlet. Steelhead, Cutthroat and Salmon are just a cast away.
Adventure sports abound. Kayak or Canoe the rivers, inlet and ocean. Surf, mountain bike or go on a marine eco-tour for whales, proposes, sea lions and much more.
Gorgeous Sandy Beaches, fresh water lakes, and great wildlife viewing all await you
.........AND MORE!
Click on photos for larger view
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BOTANICAL BEACH - a world renowned protected reserve of stunning tide pools containing a vast variety of colorful shellfish & sea flora. Awe inspiring storm watching and unique forest walks make this one of the most amazing places on the West Coast |
| RED CREEK FIR - The largest Fir Tree in Canada weighing in at a height of 73.8m (242'), a circumference of 12.55m (41'2"), it's crown is 22.9m (75') and is estimated to be between 750 to 1000 yrs old. A true giant. |
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WEST COAST TRAIL - Open May 1st through October this trail is rated one of the top three trails in the world. At 75km this trail is not for the faint of heart. The train was originally constructed for ship wreck survivors in the early 1900's after a national tragedy. The trail stretches from Port Renfrew to Bamfield in the north and offers some of the best old growth in B.C. |
| JUAN DE FUCA MARINE TRAIL - A newly opened trail spanning 54km from China Beach (just north of Jordan River) to Botanical Beach in Port Renfrew. Four trail heads allow for easy access for those wishing to do only shorter sections. |
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HIKING THROUGH HISTORY - Too many to list here. Trails vary in length(30 min to all day) and difficulty (easy to strenuous). Hike through old growth, coastal rain forest, along serine rivers, waterfalls and much more. Great opportunities for wildlife sightings. |
| SALTWATER FISHING - Some of the best Salmon (all five types), halibut and deep water fishing in B.C. are found in Port Renfrew off the Swiftsure Banks. This is the first area where migratory salmon from the open ocean encounter their spawning grounds in the rivers along the coast. Port Renfrew is the closest town serving as a landing point for the Swiftsure Banks. Even novice fisherman go home with a full cooler of fish. |
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FRESHWATER FISHING - The Gordon and San Juan Rivers drain into the San Juan Inlet allowing for great river bank fishing as millions of salmon begin their journey up stream. Fly fish for salmon, steelhead and cutthroat on deserted riverbanks, pick a spot along a pristine river and fish all day. |
| WILDLIFE VIEWING - Take a guided tour or just set out on your own adventure. Black bears, cougars, elk, wolves, mink, and pine martins; Eagles, ospreys, ravens, woodpeckers, Kingfishers & offshore birds such as puffins and albatross. Whales, dolphins, porpoise, sea lions seals and otters have all been easily spotted in the Port Renfrew area. |
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MARINE ECOTOURS - Explore the mystical shoreline of the famous West Coast Trail. Every expedition is an adventure into the pristine beauty of B.C.'s west coast. The rugged shoreline, draped in old growth forests, is the final resting place for over 137 sailing ships and their crews. Sea lions, dolphins and a Grande Slam of Whales; orcas, grays, and the ever playful humpbacks are all commonly sighted. |
| KAYAK AND CANOE - Paddle the sheltered waters of the San Juan and Gordon River or Sea Kayak the outside waters of Port Renfrew. Another world awaits. Tranquil tree lined rivers and inter tidal wetlands to coastal old growth along the ocean. Awesome. |
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SURFING - A little known secret at the mouth of the Gordon river right in the San Juan Bay in Port Renfrew. Sombrio Beach and of coarse Jordon River are home to some of the best surfing conditions on the Island.
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BIRDING - Chickadees, Wren, Pipers and Jay greet you inland while on shore the tide is out and several species of Gulls, Terns and Killdeer rest on exposed gravel bars. Mergansers fish along the far shore, while a flock of Brant Geese lift off. A Bald Eagle circles overhead, while Starling flitter back and forth. Paradise.
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MOUNTAIN BIKING - Hundreds of miles of old logging roads, some dating back a hundred years, make Port Renfrew ideal to visit points of interest no longer accessible by car and too far to walk.
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A RICH HISTORY - awaits those who journey to Port Renfrew-from the resident First Nations Band of the Pacheedaht to the "discovery" of the area by the infamous Capt. Cook on through to gold rushes, 137 ship wreck sites, and the turn of the century mining, fishing and logging.
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