Cathedral Grove is a wilderness area in the MacMillan Provincial Park in central Vancouver Island. It is a magnificent old growth forest that is part of the Costal Douglas Fir Biogeoclimatic Zone.  It is a very impressive example of a west coast rain forest that fortunately has been preserved for future generations to explore and enjoy.

As an old growth forest Cathedral Grove is composed of both live and dead trees. The tree tops form a ceiling high above the forest which can certainly be called cathedral like.  The forest floor has many layers with ferns, grasses, wild flowers and lots of moss.

The park forest is right off the highway so there is no long hike to get to the trailhead.

West Coast Rainforest

Cathedral Grove now attracts about one million visitors a year but every time I have been there it hasn’t been super busy or crowded.
The trees are impressively large with a rainforest scent. Just breathing the moist air is special. The forest floor feels alive with leaves and deadfall trees providing nourishment for the many species that call the park home.
The south loop of the park has one of the most accessible stands of the giant Douglas Firs in BC.  The north loop of the park takes you through groves of  Red Cedars to the shores of Cameron River.

Big and Old

The majority of the trees in the park are Red Cedar and Douglas Fir and they both are massive and old. Some of the trees have been there some 800 years. There is a grand old Douglas Fir that measures some 9 meters (30 feet) in diameter. A car could fit in there!

For those wanting to see other giant tress you can check out Avatar Grove in Port Renfrew (North of Victoria on the south western part of the Island),  Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park (northwest of Port Renfrew) and Big Tree Trail, near Tofino on the western coast of Vancouver Island.

Short Hiking Trails

There are short hiking trails that take you through the park and offer close up viewing of this massive . The park is in two parts – one on each side of the highway.  The trails are well groomed and have handrails where needed. There are no large hills to climb or rivers to cross so it is quite accessible.

Getting to Cathedral Grove

From Port Alberni take Highway 4 East. The park is right off the highway.

From Victoria or Nanaimo take Highway 19 north, then exit west on Highway 4 towards Port Alberni. From Nanaimo it is about a half hour drive.

There are washrooms in the park but there is no overnight camping at this location.

Accommodations Port Alberni

There are a number of hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts to pick from including our sponsors, BEST WESTERN PLUS Barclay Hotel.
This full-service hotel in Port Alberni, British Columbia is located in the heart of the city and is ideally situated halfway to Vancouver Island’s west coast. You will be minutes from Glenwood Centre, Log Train Trail, McLean Mill, Alberni Mall and Cathedral Grove, as well as Victoria and Harbour Quays, Lady Rose Marine Group, Alberni Railway and North Island College. And it’s just a short drive to great fishing, hiking, golf, boating, kayaking and drag racing. The hotel is a favorite for those attending the Alberni Valley Bulldogs hockey games and minor hockey tournaments.

The Best Western Plus Barclay Hotel is rated three diamonds by the AAA-CAA and offers spacious, comfortable accommodations in warm, tasteful décor. This full-service property offers room service and free, high-speed Internet. They welcome most pets; just check with the front desk for specifics. All of the property’s 86 rooms are non-smoking and include kitchenettes and seven suites. Just steps from your room are the property’s two restaurants. Both the Stamps Café and Pastimes Bar and Grill have a seasonal patio and are open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Unwind in the outdoor pool (heated May through October), hot tub, whirlpool, steam room and full fitness centre. Relax with a cold beer, wine or spirits from the onsite store. They even offer truck parking.

With meeting space and banquet facilities for 200, the Best Western Plus Barclay Hotel’s meeting rooms and ballroom are perfect choices for your company’s conference, your non-profit group’s big event or even a special birthday party or wedding reception. The hotel’s business center helps corporate travelers be more productive.
The friendly hotel staff will be happy to help you schedule a fishing tour, tee time, scuba dive, eco tour or kayaking expedition.

Contact info: Best Western Plus Barclay Hotel, 4277 Stamp Avenue, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7X8 Toll Free: (800) 563-6590 Telephone: (250) 724-7171 Fax: (250) 724-9691
Email: info@bestwesternbarclayhotel.com

Enjoy all that Port Alberni has to offer and please tell your friends.

Re-published from www.amazingvancouverisland.com under creative commons license.

The world famous West Coast Trail is located on the Pacific Ocean (western) side of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The trail, considered one of the world’s top hiking trails, is part of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada. The West Coast Trail is described as a near perfect hiking experience in a pristine Canadian wilderness.

Hiking the West Coast Trail is not for the faint of heart – it is a 75 km (47miles) long backpacking trail through some pretty rugged country. It is only open from May 1st to September 30th as there can be severe weather and adverse trail conditions during the “off season”.  Amazingly most people finish the full trail.

What You Need To Prepare For

All campsites are first come first served basis. There is no fixed itinerary, so you can hike at your own speed. Very fit hikers can do it in 5 nights but better to plan on 7 or 8 nights, so be sure to take enough food and water. During the hike you can choose between the costal path or the inland path.  The coastal path will have the spectacular views but you need to study a tide chart to hit the tides just right as high tides can prevent beach access.

You will need appropriate clothing and boots as you will be on an irregular trail with slippery terrain and you will have to wade rivers. Everything you pack in must be packed out. Expect rain, fog, mud as well as warm days. You should hit the trail a minimum of 5 hours before sunset to ensure you reach a camping area before nightfall.

Highlights of the West Coast Trail

• hiking through old growth forests

• spectacular remote beaches

• lots of wildlife to see – bears, whales and sea lions

• experience log walking

• a “hole in the wall” along the beach

• exceptional sunsets and amazing dawns if you are up early

• ladders and cable cars as part of the hiking experience

• view ship wrecks along the coast

Reservations for the West Coast Trail

Although this hiking trail is wilderness in the extreme, if your planning to stay overnight you need a reservation which opens on April 1st. You can register by calling 1-800-HelloBC or online. Parks Canada limits to only sixty the overnight hikers to start the trail each day – thirty from the Pachena end and thirty from the Gordon River end.

If you can’t get a confirmed reservation you can go standby. All overnight users must attend an orientation session before starting the hike.

How to get to the West Coast Trail

Entrance points are Pachena Bay (Bamfield/north) and Gordon River (Port Renfrew/south).

Pachena Bay (Bamfield/north)

From Victoria travel Highway 1 north towards Nanaimo, then exit onto 19 heading to Parksville and Campbell River, exit west on Highway 4 heading to Port Alberni (80km – 50 miles). Then follow the signs to Bamfield on logging roads (83km – 51 miles).

Make sure you fill up in Port Alberni and watch for logging trucks on the road. Pachena Bay is approximately 3 km (1.8 miles) south of Bamfield, take the turnoff before you reach Bamfield – it is about a 1.5 hours drive from Port Alberni.

Gordon River (Port Renfrew/south)

Port Renfrew is located on the south west coast of Vancouver Island. It is about a 2 hour drive north from Victoria to Port Renfrewon the scenic Pacific side of the Island.

By Shuttle

West Coast Trail Express offers daily shuttle services to PachenaBay from Victoria, with stops at Port Renfrew and the Juan de Fuca trail head. For information call 1.888.999.2288 or 250.477.8700. Pachena Bay Express has charter shuttle to all points on Vancouver Island, and local service. Tel: 877.728.1290.

By Boat

The MV Frances Barkley provides freight and passenger and freight service to communities along Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound. The sailing leaves Port Alberni down Alberni Inlet to Barkley Sound to Bamfield and takes 4 1/2 hours.. Tel: 250.723.8313 or 1.800.663.7192

Port Alberni Accommodations

There are a number of hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts to pick from including our sponsors,

BEST WESTERN PLUS Barclay Hotel

This full-service hotel in Port Alberni, British Columbia is located in the heart of the city and is ideally situated halfway to Vancouver Island’s west coast. You will be minutes from Alberni Valley Multiplex, Glenwood Centre, Log Train Trail, McLean Mill, Alberni Mall and Cathedral Grove, as well as Victoria and Harbour Quays, Lady Rose Marine Group, Alberni Railway and North Island College. And it’s just a short drive to great fishing, hiking, golf, boating, kayaking and drag racing. The hotel is a favorite for those attending the Alberni Valley Bulldogs hockey games and minor hockey tournaments.

The Best Western PLUS Barclay Hotel is rated three diamonds by the AAA-CAA and offers spacious, comfortable accommodations in warm, tasteful décor. This full-service property offers room service and free, high-speed Internet. They welcome most pets; just check withthe front desk for specifics. All of the property’s 86 rooms are non-smoking and include seven suites. Just steps from your room are the property’s restaurant and Sport Bar. Stamps Caféand Pastimes Bar and Grill have a seasonal patio. Stamps Cafe is open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7:00a.m. to 9p.m. and 8p.m. Saturday and Sunday respectively. Unwind in the outdoor pool (heated May through October), hot tub, whirlpool, steam room and full fitness centre. Relax with a cold beer, wine or spirits from the onsite store. They even offer truck parking.

With meeting space and banquet facilities for 200, the Best Western PLUS Barclay Hotel’s meeting rooms and ballroom are perfect choices for your company’s conference, your group’s big event or even a special birthday party or wedding reception. The hotel’s business center helps corporate travelers stay connected .

The friendly hotel staff will be happy to help you schedule a fishing tour, tee time, scuba dive, eco tour or kayaking expedition.

Contact info: Best Western Barclay Hotel, 4277 Stamp Avenue, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7X8 Toll Free: (800) 563-6590 Telephone: (250) 724-7171  Fax: (250) 724-9691 Email: Email: info@bestwesternbarclayhotel.com

Enjoy all that the Port Alberni area has to offer and please tell your friends.

Re-published from www.amazingvancouverisland.com under creative commons license.

The annual Thunder in the Valley Drag Races take place each year in early August at the Port Alberni airport on Vancouver Island. It is the only 1/4 mile race on Vancouver Island and has been going strong since 2001. The 2011 races are on August 6th and 7th with a car show the day before. 

The time trials are on the first day (Saturday) and the eliminations are run the next day (Sunday).  Admission is $20 per day which includes pit pass, door prizes and parking. Children under 12 accompanied by an adult are free.

 You will need to arrange accommodations in advance and there is no camping the parking lot. There are activities for children but dogs are not allowed.

Car Show

There is a Thunder in the Valley car show the day before the races run by the Valley Street Rods.  It is held at the Alberni Harbour Quay. Admission is free.

Drag Racer

Getting to the Drag Races

The Thunder in the Valley Drag Races are held at the Port Alberni Regional Airport which is 7km (4 miles) west of Port Alberni.  From Highway 19, take the Highway 4 exit to Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet. Just past the Sproat River Bridge turn off Highway 4 at the Regional Airport sign on Coleman Road. It is about 2km to the airport.

Contact Info

Email:  avdrareg@hotmail.com

Website: http://albernidragracing.com

Mailing address: PO Box 472, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7M9

T-Shirts and Photos

 Thunder in the Valley T-shirts can be purchased from JAL Designs.
Tel: 250-723-5731 jald@telus.net

You can purchase pictures from Phil Anker Tel: 250-720-5310

Accommodations Port Alberni

There are a number of hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts to pick from including our sponsors,

BEST WESTERN PLUS Barclay Hotel

This full-service hotel in Port Alberni, British Columbia is located in the heart of the city and is ideally situated halfway to Vancouver Island’s west coast. You will be minutes from Glenwood Centre, Log Train Trail, McLean Mill, Alberni Mall and Cathedral Grove, as well as Victoria and Harbour Quays, Lady Rose Marine Group, Alberni Railway and North Island College. And it’s just a short drive to great fishing, hiking, golf, boating, kayaking and drag racing. The hotel is a favorite for those attending the Alberni Valley Bulldogs hockey games and minor hockey tournaments.

The Best Western PLUS Barclay Hotel is rated three diamonds by the AAA-CAA and offers spacious, comfortable accommodations in warm, tasteful décor. This full-service property offers room service and free, high-speed Internet. They welcome most pets; just check with the front desk for specifics. All of the property’s 86 rooms are non-smoking and include kitchenettes and seven suites. Just steps from your room are the property’s two restaurants. Both the Stamps Café and Pastimes Bar and Grill have a seasonal patio and are open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Unwind in the outdoor pool (heated May through October), hot tub, whirlpool, steam room and full fitness centre. Relax with a cold beer, wine or spirits from the onsite store. They even offer truck parking.

With meeting space and banquet facilities for 200, the BEST WESTERN PLUS Barclay Hotel’s meeting rooms and ballroom are perfect choices for your company’s conference, your non-profit group’s big event or even a special birthday party or wedding reception. The hotel’s business center helps corporate travelers be more productive.

The friendly hotel staff will be happy to help you schedule a fishing tour, tee time, scuba dive, eco tour or kayaking expedition.
Contact info: BEST WESTERN PLUS Barclay Hotel, 4277 Stamp Avenue, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7X8

Toll Free: (800) 563-6590

Telephone: (250) 724-7171

Fax: (250) 724-9691

Email: info@bestwesternbarclayhotel.com

Enjoy all that Port Alberni has to offer and please tell your friends.

Re-published from www.amazingvancouverisland.com under creative commons license.