Pebbled Beach, French Beach Provincial Park

The economy of the T'Sou-ke people was based on hunting, fishing and gathering, and extended families among the Strait's people owned the lands and resources, which could not be sold but only inherited.

Great hiking trails lead you through second growth forest of Douglas-fir, Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock and Western Red Cedar. A wide swath of lawn fronts this pea-gravel beach where you can picnic and swim. Hundreds of miles of shoreline along the Strait of Juan de Fuca make for some memorable beachcombing. Expect to be surprised at how easy it is to spot otters, seals and seal lions playing offshore, while bald eagles and ospreys glide the thermals overhead.

Juan De Fuca Strait off French Beach

French Beach is an excellent location for whale watching. The magnificent Gray Whales migrate to northern feeding grounds in Alaska in the spring and return to their breeding grounds in Baja Mexico in the fall. Roaming pods of resident Killer Whales are often seen offshore.

There is a 69-site spacious campsite - no showers and no hook-ups. There are yurts available, and one can be reserved by phone only through Discover Camping.

The park is open all year. Fees for full services collected from March 15 to October 31. There is a winter fee with minimal services provided charged from November 1 to March 14; campers must be self-sufficient. Reservations are accepted and there are some first come first served sites.