Temporary closure at Botanical Beach in Juan de Fuca Park

PORT RENFREW –

Summary

• Botanical Beach in Juan de Fuca Park will be closed for 72 hours to give members of the Pacheedaht First Nation time and privacy to harvest marine resources, connect with part of their territory
• The temporary closure for recreational visitors begins at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, and ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, 2026
• During this time, other day-use areas in the park remain open, including Mystic Beach, Sombrio Beach and China Beach

Botanical Beach in Juan de Fuca Park will be closed for 72 hours to give members of the Pacheedaht First Nation time and privacy to harvest marine resources and reconnect with an important part of their territory.

The temporary closure for recreational visitors begins at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, and ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, 2026. During this time, other day-use areas in the park remain open, including Mystic Beach, Sombrio Beach and China Beach.

Beach one of four main areas in the park

Located near Port Renfrew, Botanical Beach is one of four main areas in Juan de Fuca Park, which spans 47 kilometres along the southern coast of Vancouver Island. The beach is known for tide pools that display a variety of marine flora and fauna, such as red, purple and orange starfish, sea urchins, white gooseneck barnacles, blue mussels, green sea anemones and sea cucumbers.

Historical and cultural significance

Historically, Pacheedaht had a village called li:xʷa, located just above Botanical Beach, which is known as Big Wave Beach to Pacheedaht. The village facilitated Pacheedaht’s stewardship of the area and its rich marine resources that continue to sustain Pacheedaht culture. These resources are now challenging for members to access due to the popularity of Botanical Beach, which averages approximately 13,000 visitors per month from June until September.

The temporary closure of one area of the park aligns with low tide, summer solstice and National Indigenous Peoples Day. For more information about the park, visit bcparks.ca/juan-de-fuca-park/.

Contact:

Ministry of Environment and Parks
Media Relations
envmedia@gov.bc.ca
250-953-3834

ILR5