Nuu-chah-nulth/Wickaninnish Trail                                Tofino & Ucluelet Hiking

The Nuu-chah-nulth (aka the Wickaninnish Trail), has the amazing distinction among all the other beach hikes in the Tofino-Ucluelet corridor, in that it is flanked on one side by the amazing, and historic Florencia Bay.  And on the other side by the unexpectedly, extraordinary and beautiful, Kwisitis Visitor Centre.  The Kwisitis Visitor Centre is in fact a pretty impressive little museum.  They have taken a very small space and filled it with jaw dropping murals, carvings, exhibits and an amazing full sized native whaling expedition in mid-attack.  Amazing.  You certainly don't expect such a well designed exhibition to be so understated.. and free.

And if that wasn't enough there's more.  The Wickaninnish Restaurant is excellent.  Reasonably priced and good food.. and every table has a million dollar view of the wild Pacific beyond and below.

The restaurant juts out, over the ocean, and the waves crash here as you dine, loud, big and beautiful.  You would be hard pressed to find a more amazing view for lunch or dinner, at such a reasonably priced restaurant, anywhere.  But enough about the great restaurant, back to the great trail.

The Nuu-chah-nulth is an interpretive trail that gives a glimpse of the local First Nations culture as it meanders 2.5 kilometres through the rainforest from Florencia Bay to Wickaninnish Beach.  Certainly a good way to hike this area is to park at the Florencia Bay/Nuu-Chah-Nulth parking lot and take the short hike to Florencia Bay.

Take a look at the view from where the Florencia shipwreck memorial plaque is, with a beautiful view out to the island that the Florencia wrecked near.  Go down and see the beautiful beach at Florencia Bay, then backtrack up the trail to where the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail branches off toward the Kwisitis Visitor Centre and Wickaninnish Restaurant.  And then finally walk back to your car at the Florencia parking lot.

Give yourself about an hour to enjoy the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail (each way), plus an hour at the short side-hike to Florencia Bay, and however long you take at the restaurant and Visitor Centre.  Maybe five hours total for this roundtrip hike and museum/restaurant tour.  But an amazing five hours immersed in the native history, shipwreck history and natural history of Clayoquot Sound.

Directions to the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail:

13k from Ucluelet or 28k from Tofino look for the turnoff to Wick Road.  This road leads to Florencia Bay, Wickaninnish Restaurant, the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail and the beautiful Kwisitis Information Centre (museum).

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Other Area Highlights:

Kwisitis Visitor Centre

Wickaninnish Restaurant