South Island. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Visitor guidelines
Get park information
Look in this ‘visitor guidelines’ section for general safety instructions and other important information about this park. For the latest information, see advisories.
Stay safe on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
Due to storm damage, there have been major trail closures in this park. At times, the Juan de Fuca Trail has been closed. Always check the advisories before heading out. Additional advisories may be posted at trailhead information shelters.
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a rugged backcountry trail. Hiking conditions are always changing. Your fitness, knowledge, skills, and equipment must meet the challenges of the area. All hikers in your group must be prepared for the following:
- Rough terrain
Watch out for uneven ground, slippery mud, creeks, steep slopes, and embankments - Damaged bridges and boardwalks
Wear and tear and weather damage can quickly impact the condition of hiking infrastructure - Accidents and injuries
Rough terrain and damaged infrastructure increase accident risk, and it can be hours before help arrives - Rain and damp mists
Prolonged wet weather in this area increases the risk of physical injury and can cause hypothermia
No harvesting
Harvesting shellfish, mushrooms, and all other marine life and crops is illegal in this park. The only exceptions are for Indigenous Peoples and harvesting permit holders.
BC Parks is committed to preventing shellfish harvesting in Juan de Fuca Park. All shellfish harvesting is strictly illegal in this park under provincial and federal law.
To report harvesting, call 1-877-952-RAPP (7277) or submit a report at Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP).
Leave a trip plan
Before heading into the backcountry, make a detailed trip plan. Leave it with someone you trust, to help emergency services find your party, if you run into trouble.
Make an ideal trip plan with the AdventureSmart trip plan tool.
Stay safe on beaches
Rogue waves are common on the exposed beaches along Juan de Fuca Park. Watch for unusually large waves that occasionally hit the beach. These waves can pull you into the water. Keep children away from the surf.
When hiking the coast, watch for orange balls. These mark exits from the beach to the trail, where you can reach safety. Beaches may be cut off from the trail during storms and high tides. Check the weather forecast and tide table before heading out.
Tide tables are posted at trailheads and available at local bookstores. Check the Fisheries and Oceans tide table for Port Renfrew, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Get more detailed information on water safety in our marine visitor guide.
Stay safe around wildlife
Juan de Fuca Park is prime bear and cougar habitat. On trails, make noise, to prevent unexpected encounters. Be aware that food waste and other scents will attract wildlife.
To learn how you can avoid dangerous encounters, see our wildlife safety page.
Leave No Trace
Juan de Fuca Park contains numerous special natural features, including waterfalls, grottos, old growth forest, estuaries, tide pools, and shale and quartz rock formations.
Always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. Minimize impacts on plant and animal life and be considerate of other visitors. Dispose of waste properly.
For detailed information on outdoor ethics, visit the Leave No Trace Canada website.
No drones
Operating drones without permission is illegal in BC Parks. In the rare cases when we grant permission, you must keep your drone away from wildlife and other visitors.
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
Getting there
Juan de Fuca Park is on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island. It extends from China Beach, just west of the community of Jordan River, to Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew. Communities near the park include Port Renfrew, Sooke, Victoria, and Duncan.
You can drive to this park from various points along West Coast Highway 14 between Jordan River and Port Renfrew. China Beach Campground is next to Highway 14, just east of the China Beach Day-Use Area. It is 35 km west of Sooke and 36 km east of Port Renfrew.
Things to do
- The western section of the park around Botanical Beach contains two smaller trails:
- Mill Bay Trail accesses a small pebble and shell beach; portions of this trail are steep. Parking for this trail is at the Mill Bay Trailhead, beside the road to Botanical Beach.
- Botanical Loop Trail connects Botanical Beach and Botany Bay. This is an easy to moderate walk.
- China Beach day-use: A scenic 1km trail leads from the parking lot through mature forest to the beach. A large viewing deck offers views of the beach and Juan de Fuca Strait. This is an easy to moderate, fairly steep trail.
- Second Beach Trail: Second Beach can be reached from the China Beach campground via stairs and a 1km long fairly steep gravel trail. The 15 to 20 minute hike (each way) through the mature forest of Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, and western red cedar leads visitors to the great rolling breakers of a tumultuous sea. Benches along the way provide a spot for visitors to stop to enjoy the views of Juan de Fuca Strait.
For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
There are no designated swimming areas at Juan de Fuca Park.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Canoeing and kayaking opportunities exist at this park, however exposure to the open Pacific Ocean can result in extreme sea conditions. Please be aware of ocean currents.
This park offers opportunities for saltwater fishing. Botanical Beach, Parkinson Creek from Little Kuitsche Creek to about Payzant Creek are closed to fishing.
Fishing is permitted as per provincial and federal fishing regulations. All anglers should check the current regulations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada prior to fishing.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
There are interpretation services available at the Botanical Beach area of the park. For more information, please contact the park operator.
Terrific views can be seen from many points along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, particularly at the Loss Creek Suspension Bridge and the Minute Creek Suspension Bridge. The Juan de Fuca trail also offers spectacular views of the coastline, Juan de Fuca Strait, and the Olympic Mountains. Whales, marine birds, and other wildlife can also be seen in the park.
Botanical Beach offers one of the richest tidal areas found along the west coast and opportunities for viewing in these tide pools is excellent. A low tide of 1.2 metres or less is best for viewing the tide pools.
Visitors should reference a tide table prior to visiting the area. Use Canadian Tide Tables Port Renfrew section. Remember to use the PDT (Pacific Daylight Savings Time) for tidal times during March to November.
When visiting Botanical Beach, please look in the tide pools only. Do not touch the marine life.
Do not remove, collect or disturb any tide pool life, shells, plants, flowers, kelp, or other natural objects. Even touching the water in a tide pool with sunscreen on your hands can create an 'oil slick' that could kill the vulnerable creatures in this sensitive ecosystem. Photographs make great souvenirs.
Pets and other domestic animals are allowed, but must be on a leash at all times. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Dogs are allowed on the trail but backcountry areas of this park are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears and cougars. It is recommended that pets be left at home.
Dogs are allowed on the beach area of China Beach and also China Beach day-use area, but please ensure that dogs are kept on a leash at all times.
Bicycles must keep to roadways. Cycling is not permitted on the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Various logging roads in the area may be available for mountain biking. Cycling on park trails is not permitted. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Juan De Fuca Provincial Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
Limited opportunities exist for scuba diving in Juan de Fuca Park due to the extreme ocean conditions, tides, and currents.
The foreshore around Botanical Beach and Botany Bay as well as the foreshore from Little Kuitsche to Payzant Creek is closed to scuba diving.
About this park
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was created through the Commonwealth Nature Legacy as an enduring reminder of the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games. Preservation of a living legacy of unprecedented natural beauty, accessible to all, was considered a fitting tribute to the spirit of the games.
Construction and preservation of the trail has been made possible by the efforts of government, local industries, First Nations, and citizens. Land exchanges and gifts of land have come from Western Forest Products and Timber West. Trail upgrades have been undertaken with funding from Forest Renewal BC and the Environment Youth Team (E-Team).
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail was originally part of a lifesaving trail that serviced this area, known at the time as the Graveyard of the Pacific.
The park protects significant marine tidal pool life at Botanical Beach as well as black bear and cougar habitat. The region is so biologically significant that the University of Minnesota installed the first marine research station in the Pacific Northwest at Botanical Beach in 1901.
Since then, the area has been used for research by a number of universities in BC and Washington. Red, purple and orange starfish and sea urchins, white gooseneck barnacles, blue mussels and green seas anemones, and sea cucumbers only begin to hint at the colourful spectrum of intertidal life thriving here.
Do not harvest shellfish or other plants and animals. They form an important part of the area’s natural environment and are protected under the Provincial Park Act.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.
Contact
| Reservations, changes, and cancellations | Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
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| Park operator | This park is operated by RLC Park Services. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
