Walk the Meares Island Big Cedar Trail
"Big Mother" redcedar on Big Cedar trail.
>Want to experience really big ancient redcedar trees? Walk the Meares Island Big Cedar Trail in Meares Island Tribal Park directly across the water (Browning Passage) from Tofino. The 3 kilometre circuit trail takes you past some of the oldest and largest lifeforms on Earth. The Hanging Garden Cedar, for example, is estimated to be more than 2,000 years old and is 18.3 metres (60 feet) in circumference.
Meares Island forms the forested backdrop and source of fresh water for the village of Tofino. It was first declared a Tribal Park by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations in 1984. A court case launched by the Nuu-chah-nulth against MacMillan Bloedel regarding aboriginal rights to Meares has held logging at bay since 1985. But the still-unresolved legal battle also prevents the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations from further developing sustainable eco-tourism ventures in this remarkable part of their traditional territories.
The awe-inspiring Big Cedar Trail was first cleared by Tofino residents in 1981 to increase public support for preservation of the Island. A beautiful boardwalk to protect the sensitive soil, plants and tree roots was constructed to the Hanging Garden Cedar in 1993 by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations.
To book a short boat trip over to Meares Island to hike the Big Cedar Trail, phone John Tom's Water Taxi at 604-725-3747.
Hike the Clayoquot Valley Witness Trail
Thick, hand-split cedar treads cover "Witness Trail" boardwalk built by WCWC volunteer in 1993-94.
Wild Side trial goes through an ancient Sitka forest to top of Mt. Flores(left background).
The 29 kilometre Clayoquot Valley Witness Trail was constructed during the summers of 1993 and 1994 by Western Canada Wilderness Committee volunteers under the guidance of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations. The trail was built to garner public support for the preservation of the salmon-rich Clayoquot River, a pristine watershed that MacMillan Bloedel had already begun flagging for logging road construction and clearcut logging. Currently the valley is under moratorium until full and thorough inventories of all resource values, including spiritual, cultural, biological and recreational values, are conducted. The Witness Trail winds through big-treed ancient forests, alongside lakes and rivers and over two mountain passes. A minimum of four days are needed to hike the route and experience the deep rainforest wilderness.
A hiking map of the area can be purchased from the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations in Opitsaht (604-725-3233) or from WCWC in Vancouver (604-683-8220) or in Victoria (604-388-9292).
Walk the Wild Side Trail
The Ahousaht Wildside Heritage Trail packs an awe-some array of wilderness experiences along its 16 km. long route. The trail is located on the wild west coast of Flores Island, a region steeped in the history of local First Nations people.
It traverses a dozen surf-swept sandy beaches and rainforested headlands and winds its way to the top of Flores Mountain, the highest point on the island. Although parts of the trail are under construction in 1996, you can still hike most of the route. The First Nations village of Ahousaht on the breathtakingly beautiful Flores Island is the gateway to the Wild Side Heritage Trail. The one-hour boat trip to Ahousaht from Tofino journeys through reefs, islands and inlets into the heart of Clayoquot Sound.
