Listings

Description

China Beach day-use area is a spectacular spot for family outings and day trips. The China Beach campground is a separate facility, located in a forested area with open understory just east of the China Beach day-use area and Juan de Fuca East trailhead.

Second Beach is reached from a one kilometre trail down from the campsite via stairs and a fairly steep gravel trail. The fifteen to twenty 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.

Location
The China Beach campground is adjacent to Highway 14, just east of the China Beach day-use, thirty-five kilometres west of Sooke and thirty-six kilometres east of Port Renfrew.

Camping

There are seventy-eight drive-in campsites available at this campground. Campsite reservations are accepted and first-come, first-served sites are also available. Some facilities are wheelchair accessible; pit toilets and water taps are located throughout the campground. There are no showers facilities and no sani-station/dump facilities at this park. Closest sani-station located at French Beach Provincial Park. No cycling on park trails; cycling is permitted on the campground road network only.

Remember this is a wilderness area – black bears and cougars may be present. As a precaution, it is recommended that you leave pets at home.

China Beach day-use area

The fine sand beach is ideal for picnicking, sandcastle building, wading and relaxing. Pack a lunch and your drinking water and please remember that fires are not permitted on the beach.

Take a short walk to the western end of the beach to the waterfall or wander at length to the east. It is possible to walk along the beach between China Beach and Second Beach. Please respect the delicate vegetation and natural and cultural features of this park.

In the spring and fall, look for the magnificent grey whale offshore as it travels along its migratory route. As many as 17,000 of these mammoth creatures travel down the coast throughout the migration period; some, in fact, spend the summer off the shores of Vancouver Island.

Juan de Fuca East Trailhead (China Beach)

Located at Kilometre zero, the Juan de Fuca East Trailhead is the eastern terminus of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. From here visitors can either start the forty-seven kilometre hike or take a two and a half kilometre day trip to beautiful Mystic Beach.