"Come back in winter to feel the power of the ocean at her best" - Oyster Jim

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Quotes from 76 pages of reviews:

“The shoreline is always interesting – coves, rocks, beaches and expectations at every turn. Will we see an eagle? A bear? A whale? Yes, to all of the above".

- Chas D, Sammammish, Washington

Parking

The main parking area is at Brown's Beach (Frog Parking Lot). You can also park at Tugwell Field on Forbes Road(Frog PArking Lot), then walk or cycle the bike path along the highway to the trail just 10 minutes away. Please leave bikes in racks provided at parking lots.

Toilets at all main trailheads, but no water
Portable toilets are provided at Brown's Beach Sea Star Lot and all other main trailheads. Toilets have no running water.

Keep the trail wild!
Please pack out doggie bags and anything you carry in. There is no clean-up crew following you! Please also stay on the trail to keep vegetation intact. No plant or animal harvesting allowed.

Stay off the rocks
Just because you see someone on the rocks do not assume it is safe.

Artist Loop section

45-60 minute walk (2.75 km section from marker 4 to 6.75)

Grade is moderate to challenging as you climb small hills and stairs. Be sure to explore spectacular NEW viewing decks and painter’s perches. A stroller bypass route is also available for sections with stairs.

Prepare to be inspired – whether you start from Brown’s Beach parking lot or from Big Beach Park south of Black Rock Resort (see below). The trail is tucked into a Krummholz tunnel – fantastically wind-twisted trees reminiscent of Edward Scissorhands – tracing the edge of cliffs. For the best vistas follow every Artist's Loop along the coastline, or detour on the rainforest “stroller route” to enjoy the hush of the forest.

Experience the power of the Pacific from oceanside viewing nooks and decks directly above surge channels and other coastal features and watch for seals and sea lions playing offshore. For prime viewing, step up into our wooden painter’s perches or larger decks – a photographer’s paradise!

The final loop in this trail - completed in 2015 - offers dizzying cliff-side views as aquamarine waters churn against rocky headlands and the barrier reef below. Waves swirl and pour with centrifugal force around jutting rocks, making them vanish and reappear. On a clear day you can see along the coastline towards Long Beach and the next proposed trail extension to Oyster Jim’s favourite spot.

Follow the Ancient Cedars sign to continue to an ancient grove of western red cedar and more incredible coastal vistas across the one-way Rocky Bluffs section.  

STAY ON THE TRAIL, bare rocks are frequently pounded by the surf.

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Big Beach Park and Picnic Area

Add 15 to 20 minutes to your walk by starting at this child-friendly picnic area. New Children’s Interactive Signs featuring local creatures from sea to sky.

If you follow the path to the south, past a series of beach-view picnic tables, you will reach the remains of a turn of the century SHIPWRECK! An interpretive sign captures the often sad history of these massive vessels who met their end in the "Graveyard of the Pacific".

BEACH ACCESS
If the tide is low, take a moment to stop and enjoy this easily accessible beach. In summer months you may be able to take a tour of tidepools here with an aquarium guide. Remember if you find a small crab always return it to the spot you find it. Please do not collect shells, they often hide a small animal that will die in your luggage. Also watch for waves even when you think you are at a safe distance from the ocean.

To continue north on the Wild Pacific Trail, follow the beach to a path through Black Rock Resort parking lot. When the beach is not safe due to tides or storms, follow the trail behind the eagle sign, across a bridge and through Black Rock Resort (or exit to Marine Drive for a very short walk to your left to bypass the resort). The trail begins again on the far north of the parking lot.

Lighthouse Loop Section | Ancient Cedars Section | Bog Loop