Categories: Travel

This BC island has a trail through ancient rainforest with a scenic boardwalk

Photo via Shutterstock

Love uncovering new forested trails? BC’s beautiful Meares Island is home to some incredible ancient rainforest worth exploring this summer.

The site of Canada’s first Tribal Park (Wanachus-Hilthuuis), Meares Island is home to some of the largest redcedar trees on Earth. So get ready to step into the ancient forests of the past!

Visitors can take it all in via the famed Big Tree Trail, which includes a scenic boardwalk through a sea of towering trees that have been around for over 1,000 years.

The 3-kilometre trail was originally created by Tofino artist Adrian Dorst and his friends in an effort to prevent Meares Island from being logged.

Now, the trail is under the stewardship of the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks Guardians, who have ensured that the island’s ancient red-cedar forests remain protected.

On the trail, visitors can meet the reverred ‘Hanging Garden Tree,” which measures 18.3 metres in circumference and stands a whopping 42.7 metres tall!

Since its inception in 1984, the tribal park has been expanded to include the Clayoquot, Kennedy, and Tranquil Valleys, which include some of the last remaining old-growth temperate rainforests in southern BC.

While visitors can access the trail across from Tofino Harbour, rest assured that you’ll be completely immersed in nature and Tla-o-qui-aht culture and history once your journey begins.

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The trek to Meares Island might be on the long side if you’re coming from Vancouver, but once you’re in Tofino, it’s a short but scenic boat or kayak ride away.

Note that the wooden boardwalk is uneven in some spots, and slippery in wet weather. So caution is key if you’re exploring the area during the rainy months!

So there you have it, fellow tree lovers! Happy adventuring.