Cathedral Grove, British Columbia

Be enthralled by the giants of the forest found throughout MacMillan Provincial Park's Cathedral Grove located 20 kilometres away from the Inner Island Highway along the Pacific Rim Highway on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. CREDIT: Venture Vancouver, SOURCE: www.venturevancouver.com

Explore the old growth forest of Cathedral Grove located in MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island.

STATS

Type:

Park

Season:

All Seasons

Weather:

All Weather

Time:

1 hour

Cost:

By Donation

What to bring:

Camera, Questions, Sense of Curiosity, Hiking Boots

Walk among Vancouver Island's most popular stand of Old Growth trees in MacMillan Provincial Park's Cathedral Grove. Set aside in 1944 by timber baron H.R. MacMillan for the perpetual enjoyment of the public, the Park has attracted curious visitors since the 1920s as the grove is home to 900 year old trees measuring 9 metres in circumference. Be sure to take a trip to this beautiful stand of trees, walk its trails and experience what the Coastal forests of British Columbia might have looked like centuries ago.

Located 20 kilometres from the Inner Island Highway and Pacific Rim Highway junction, MacMillan Provincial Park was formed to protect its immensely popular stand of old growth Douglas Fir which attracts thousands of visitors annually. Timber baron H.R. MacMillan donated 136 acres of land in 1944 for the perpetual enjoyment of the public and in 1947 the region was declared a Provincial Park. Visitors can walk among this beautiful forest which was named in 1928 by Governor General Viscount Willingdon who named the grove for its ethereal feel. MacMillan Provincial Park is home to many animals including bear, deer, elk, cougar and many species of birds, reptiles and fish in nearby Cameron Creek.

Today, the Park encompasses 301 acres of land and offers several trails to explore the forest (trail map). Split into two sections by the Pacific Rim Highway, the Park is home to many large Douglas Firs (the largest of which are located on the south side of the park) with trees as old as 800 years old and measuring nine metres in circumference. Time has drastically changed the composition of Cathedral Grove including a devastating forest fire three hundred years ago which left few of the giant trees standing and a severe windstorm on January 1, 1997 knocked down hundreds of trees.

It is extremely important to stay off the trails during windy days as trees can fall without warning. Pay heed to trail closures and do not stray off the pathways as the root systems of these old growth trees are delicate. Please note that smoking is not permitted in MacMillan Provincial Park due to high risk of forest fires.

Enjoy the beauty and grandeur of Vancouver Island's Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park in British Columbia. Don't miss the opportunity to walk through a forest of giants and envision what British Columbia's coastal forests might have looked like centuries ago.