BEACHES, LAKES & BIG TREES
Port Renfrew is surrounded by gorgeous beaches, sunny lakes, and trees that reach well over 200 feet into the sky. Spend some time in the area to explore some of our hidden treasures. You’ll be glad you did!
Beaches
From French Beach to Botanical Beach in Port Renfrew BC, you’ll find a string of amazing beaches with roaring surf, stretches for combing and intertidal pools to explore.
BOTANICAL BEACH
Located 2 kilometers from Wild Coast Wilderness Resort, this is a popular destination for science students and marine life enthusiasts with its tidal pools filled with fascinating intertidal marine creatures and plants. When the tide is low you get a good view of life under the ocean.
When visiting Botanical Beach be sure to make note of the tides. The best time to visit is at low tide but you also don’t want to be caught on the beach at high tide. It is also important to remember that this is a fragile intertidal ecosystem and marine life, shells, plants, and kelp should not be touched or removed from the beach.
SANDY BEACH
Port Renfrew also has a great sandy beach about 2 km long across the end of the port with lots of driftwood, crashing waves and no structures built. Pacheedaht First Nation does have camping available.
Lakes
There a several beaches and lakes in the Port Renfrew area for camping, swimming or fishing. The most common of which are Lizard Lake and Fairy Lake. Both lakes are just a short drive from Wild Coast Wilderness Resort and are home to tenacious Cutthroat trout. In the summer the beach area is popular with locals and tourists alike for sun tanning, swimming and hiking.
Big Trees
RED CREEK FIR
Believed to be the largest Douglas Fir in Canada, the tree is estimated at 750 to 1000 years old. It stands at 73.8 metres (242 feet) with a circumference of 12.55 m (41 feet, 2 inches). The tree is located 2.5 km outside of Port Renfrew and is accessible by hiking trail.
AVATAR GROVE
Avatar Grove is a phenomenal yet threatened stand of giant old-growth red cedar and Douglas fir alongside the Gordon River, approximately 15 minutes away from Port Renfrew, BC. This incredible old-growth forest growing on valley bottom, flat terrain could be the Cathedral Grove of Port Renfrew.
SAN JUAN SPRUCE
The San Juan Spruce is Canada’s largest Sitka spruce tree – second largest in the world! The mammoth-sized tree measures 38.3ft in circumference, 205 feet tall, and has a crown spread of 75 feet. It has a volume of 333 cubic meters with one cubic meter representing the amount of wood found in a single telephone pole. The tree grows within a Forest Recreation Site alongside the beautiful San Juan River.