West Coast Old-Growth Hikes

Hiking Guide Central West Coast

On the west coast of Vancouver Island, near the coastal towns of Tofino and Ucluelet, lies Clayoquot Sound, home to the greatest expanse of intact old-growth forest on the island and one of the world’s most significant remaining temperate rainforests. This world-renowned UNESCO Biodiversity Reserve and its incredible forests are a must-visit for any nature lover in BC. Thankfully, Clayoquot Sound and the journey along Highway 4 to the spectacular west coast offer unforgettable old-growth experiences to suit anyone’s taste — from easy 15-minute boardwalks through towering Douglas-firs just steps from the highway, to remote wilderness trails accessible only by boat. Read on to find out more about these old-growth hikes!

Where can I see the biggest old-growth trees on the West Coast of Vancouver Island?

Cathedral Grove – Port Alberni

The most famous old-growth forest in Canada is the world-renowned Cathedral Grove, located just off Highway 4 in MacMillan Provincial Park, 16 kilometres east of Port Alberni. Beloved by locals and tourists alike for well over a century, Cathedral Grove is home to a superlative forest of towering Douglas-firs and redcedar trees.

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The trail on the south side of the road leads through the most magnificent firs, including a colossal ancient specimen that is one of the largest Douglas-firs remaining in the country, measuring over 10 feet (3 metres) in diameter and 230 feet (70 metres) tall. The soaring columns of dozens of towering firs give the impression of the ornate pillars of a vast Gothic cathedral, while the light filters through a high green canopy as if through stained glass.

The trail on the north side of the road leads through some magnificent western redcedars and gorgeous views of Cameron Lake. To stand in such a hallowed space with these ancient beings is a truly spiritual experience. Cathedral Grove is indeed well named.

For the newcomer to rainforests in BC and the most experienced old-growth explorer alike, Cathedral Grove never fails to astound and inspire. It also serves as a window into the past. After more than a century of industrial logging, old-growth Douglas-firs on Vancouver Island have been reduced to less than 1% of their natural extent, making this forest one of the rarest ecosystems in Canada.

Cathedral Grove Map

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Big Tree Trail – Meares Island

The Meares Island Big Tree Trail in Tla-o-qui-aht territory offers an incredible journey through some of the most magnificent redcedars on earth. It winds through a lush, ancient forest full of colossal trees measuring three, four, and even five metres in diameter, and likely well over a thousand years old.

Access is via a quick 10-15 minute water taxi from Tofino, with multiple daily departures. The Big Tree Trail offers varying levels of difficulty and length. The shortest and easiest option is to head left upon arrival along the rustic boardwalk, which takes you past many gigantic redcedar trees.

Eventually, you’ll reach the famous Hanging Garden Tree, with a diameter of 18 feet or 5.6 meters! Carry on for a few more minutes before turning back the way you came for a 45-minute to 1-hour experience.

For the more adventurous hiker, continue to complete the roughly 3.5-kilometre loop trail. The boardwalk doesn’t extend through this section, so greater balance and mobility are needed to navigate the muddy sections and fallen trees. The trees along the trail become a bit smaller for a while, but you will once again encounter more giant cedars and Sitka spruce before arriving back at the dock where you began. Leave 2–3 hours to complete the loop.
The timeless serenity of this forest is interwoven with conflict. In 1984, the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation blockaded the proposed logging of Meares Island and declared it the first Tribal Park in Canada: Wah-nuh-jus – Hilth-hoo-is.

After 40 years of struggle, in July 2024, this incredible forest was granted permanent legal protection in the form of a Conservancy, thanks to the leadership of the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht Nation. The Big Tree Trail played a crucial role in the campaign to save Clayoquot Sound, offering the public access to ancient forests on the brink of destruction and showcasing to the world the magnificence of threatened old-growth forests in BC, which thankfully still stand today.

Big Tree Trail Map

Rainforest Trail – Tofino

The Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park offers a perfect, easy-access introduction to the richness and diversity of the temperate rainforest, featuring a network of boardwalks and stairways that quickly bring visitors into the heart of this magnificent forest. Along the trail, visitors can marvel at the giant cedars and hemlocks, as well as the sheer diversity of shades of green, ferns, shrubs, mosses, and more. Interpretive signs share insights into the ecology of old-growth forests and the diverse array of creatures that inhabit them.

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There’s the option of two loop trails on either side of Highway 4, with a parking lot conveniently located on the west (ocean) side, right beside the trailheads. Each loop is approximately 1.2 km long, though Loop A takes you through the rainforest with the biggest trees. Located near the coast on the edge of the open Pacific, these forests are nourished year-round by mist and rain. Even in the dog days of summer, when eastern Vancouver Island is hot and dry, these trails remain a lush, damp paradise, offering a refreshing escape.

Rainforest Trail Map

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Ancient Cedars Loop Trail – Ucluelet

Just minutes from town and right off Highway 4, the Ancient Cedars Loop Trail offers one of the most accessible and awe-inspiring glimpses of old-growth forest on Vancouver Island.

This 1-kilometre loop winds through an impressive rainforest of western redcedar, Sitka spruce, and western hemlock, including colossal redcedars up to 13 feet (4 meters) wide and likely over 800 years old. Along the way, interpretive signs added in 2025 share insights into the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) First Nation’s long cultural connection to these ancient forests and highlight Culturally Modified Trees (CMTs), living evidence of sustainable use by Indigenous Peoples.

This trail is part of the new Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet, an 8-kilometre trail that traverses a spectacular range of wild west coast ecosystems, including windswept coastal headlands, pocket beaches, bogs, and old-growth forests.

Ancient Cedars Map

Wildside Trail – Flores Island

Mighty Flores Island lies north of Tofino in Clayoquot Sound in Ahousaht territory and is one of the largest contiguous areas of old-growth forest left on Vancouver Island. Here, wolves, bears, and cougars roam a vast coastal wilderness, featuring breathtaking sandy beaches and ancient forests teeming with giant trees. The stunning 11-kilometre walk along the Wildside Trail travels up the island’s beaches while dipping in and out of the amazing coastal rainforest, until it eventually reaches the blue waters of Cow Bay. Offering one of the gentlest and most spectacular coastal hikes in Canada.

Access to the trail is via a water taxi from Tofino. Contact the Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society for water taxi reservations and to pay the trail fees.

Wildside Trail Map

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Giant Cedar Trail – Canoe Creek

The perfect stopping point on the long drive along highway 4 to the west side of Vancouver Island is the colossal Canoe Creek Cedar. This monumental ancient redcedar measures an incredible 13 feet (4 metres) in diameter and soars 150 feet (45 metres) tall. Nestled within a grove of other towering redcedars along the scenic Kennedy River, it offers a stunning and easily accessible encounter with some of the island’s most magnificent old-growth trees. The trail to the giant is a short, gentle out-and-back route that covers 1.4 kilometres and gains 167 feet in elevation, making it an ideal stop to stretch your legs and experience the rainforest’s grandeur up close.

Giant Cedar Trail Map

Hot Springs Cove – Hesquiaht

Hot Springs Cove is a stunning natural hot spring located in Clayoquot Sound within Nism̓aakqin Marine Provincial Park in Ahousaht territory. A 2-km boardwalk trail winds through a spectacular old-growth forest, home to magnificent giant cedars, before ending up at the famous hot springs that flow over a waterfall into rock pools on the edge of the ocean. It’s hard to think of a more magical experience on the coast than soaking in these pools surrounded by the forest and the sounds of crashing waves.

The trailhead can be reached via a scenic 1.5-hour boat tour out of Tofino. We recommend using Ahous Adventures, an eco-cultural tourism company owned by the local Ahousaht people.

Hot Springs Cove Map

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Hiking is a very enjoyable and healthy activity. However, trails can pose many dangers for people who are not adequately prepared. Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) provides these hiking guides for reference purposes only. Under no circumstances shall AFA, its officers, directors, or employees be held liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information obtained through our website. AFA does not warrant that any trail descriptions or other content of this website are accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free. Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which AFA shall not be liable.

Hiking Guide Central West Coast

Where can I see the biggest old-growth trees on the West Coast of Vancouver Island?

Cathedral Grove – Port Alberni

Big Tree Trail – Meares Island

Rainforest Trail – Tofino

Ancient Cedars Loop Trail – Ucluelet

Wildside Trail – Flores Island

Giant Cedar Trail – Canoe Creek

Hot Springs Cove – Hesquiaht

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