Pacific Spirit Regional Park
Encyclopedia
University Endowment Lands
The University Endowment Lands is an unincorporated area that lies to the west of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada surrounding the University of British Columbia...
, on Point Grey
Burrard Peninsula
The Burrard Peninsula is a peninsula in the Lower Mainland region of southwestern British Columbia, Canada, lying between Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south, and bounded by Georgia Strait on the west and the Pitt River on the east...
to the west of the city of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It surrounds the endowment lands of the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
on the shores of Georgia Strait
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. It is a nature preserve of the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
government and classified under Electoral Area A.
The park contains over 54 km of walking/hiking trails, 38 km of which are designated multi-use and available for cycling and horseback riding as well. There is a Park Centre which is located on 16th Avenue.
In 1975, BC Parks established ninety hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s of Pacific Spirit Regional Park as the UBC Endowment Lands Ecologial Reserve. This area is designated for forest research, and is not open to the public.
The entire section of beach in Pacific Spirit (running from Acadia Beach, at the northern end, to Trail #7 at the south) is designated as clothing optional. At the base of Trail #6 you can find the world-famous Wreck Beach
Wreck Beach
Wreck Beach is a popular clothing-optional beach located in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, which is in turn part of the University Endowment Lands just west of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
.
Museum of Anthropology at UBC
The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is renowned for its displays of world arts and cultures, in particular works by First Nations peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast First Nations...
, by the UBC Botanical gardens
UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
UBC Botanical Garden, at the University of British Columbia, was established in 1916 under the directorship of John Davidson, British Columbia's first provincial botanist. It is the oldest botanical garden at a university in Canada....
and in various visitor lots around UBC. Additionally, parking is available at different places along 16th Avenue, on SW Marine Drive from Gate 8 to the Museum of Anthropology, and along Old Marine Drive. Any of the UBC buses will also take you very close to the trails.
"Dogs must be under control at all times. There are on-leash and leash-optional areas in the park. Check local signs for details. Please show courtesy to other park visitors by removing your dog’s droppings."
There are washrooms at the head of Trail #7, Acadia Beach and at the head and base of Trail #6. "The washrooms and picnic table at the Park Centre on 16th Avenue are wheelchair-accessible. Other accessible facilities include Cleveland, Heron and Imperial Trails, as well as the Clinton Meadow picnic area. However, trails are subject to use and weathering which may degrade them to the point where their original accessible design has been compromised. It is advisable to take an able-bodied person with you."
"Pacific Spirit Park Society is actively involved in Pacific Spirit Regional Park. For more information or to get involved with this association, contact the Community Development Coordinator at the West Area Parks Office."