Long Beach: 16 km of exposed sand

Long Beach runs roughly 16 km between Box Island and Quisitis Point, the centrepiece of the park's Long Beach Unit. It is broken visually, if not physically, by a scatter of small headlands and creek mouths rather than one uninterrupted stretch. The two direct parking areas — Incinerator Rock and the Long Beach lot itself — sit toward the southern half; Schooner Cove and Combers Beach, further north, offer quieter, less-visited sand reached by short trails through the forest edge rather than a parking-lot walk-on.

Soft upper sand is tiring to walk for long distances; the firmer, faster walking surface is usually right at the waterline, which only exists at certain tide stages. Prevailing wind and swell come from the southwest, so a walk that feels easy heading north can be a slog on the way back. Turn around with energy and daylight to spare, not when you're already tired.

At low tide, Long Beach exposes a wide, firm sand flat that makes for the easiest walking and the best access around small headlands. As the tide rises, several creek mouths that cross the beach widen and deepen, and the dry sand strip narrows fast. The Coast Clock above models this shift for planning purposes only — official Fisheries and Oceans Canada tide tables for the Tofino station remain the authoritative source, and conditions can differ from the model during storms or unusual swell.

Sneaker waves can surge far beyond the normal waterline without warning, and driftwood logs afloat in that surge become genuinely dangerous, not just an obstacle. Keep well back from both, especially during or after storms. Water temperature rarely exceeds 14°C even in summer — falling in is a real hazard, not an inconvenience. Always know your route back off the sand before a headland or creek mouth can cut it off.