Hidden on the west side of Vancouver Island lies a forgotten and rarely maintained Provincial Park with some of the biggest giants you will ever encounter. Some of the old growth sitkas in this forest are over 95m tall and 800 years old, along with cedars believed to be over 1000 years old! If you’re looking to explore a bit off the beaten path, check out this beautiful forest that finally became protected in the early 90’s by activists. Here is a guide to hiking in Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park.
This lush green rainforest has some of the oldest Sitka Spruces in the world. Be prepared for rain though! This is the wettest part of Vancouver Island, it’s not called a rainforest for nothing! We were incredibly lucky to have sunshine in May when we went.
The hikes:
The hike starts from the parking lot, and the trail descends down into the valley. The trail consists of a mix of boardwalk and regular trail. The park is minimally maintained and a few of the boardwalks are disintegrating or unbalanced so keep an eye on them when you’re walking. The trails are well marked with the occasional map as well. Once you’ve reached the bottom of the valley, right before the fork in the path lies the impressive Coast Tower. This giant Sitka Spruce used to be 92m high until the top 30m blew off in a storm.
It’s 1.3km (25 min) from the trailhead to the fork. If you take the trail to the right it will take you past the enormous Heaven Tree (30min from the fork) and Fallen Giant. The Heaven Tree is one of the broadest spruces in the valley with a diameter of 3.5m and a height of 77m! The trail follows along the lower Carmanah Creek, with river access available along the way. You’ll also come across THE CLEANEST OUTHOUSE YOU’LL EVER USE. Enjoy.
The trail ends at two signs – one dedicated to Randy Stoltmann, and the other stopping you from accessing the Randy Stoltmann Grove. The trail to the grove has been closed due to river bank erosion and fallen branches/trees. Howeeeeeeeeever, if you were to walk the 10 extra steps past the sign, (not condoning this, but if you so happened to do it) and climb over one log YOU ARE LITERALLY IN THE GROVE. The grove was our favourite part of the park. The giants towering above us took our breath away. The trail through the grove is short, but clear and easy to walk through. Past the grove the trail turns overrun and wild and we didn’t walk any further. It’s 1.3km (50min) from the fork to Stoltmann Grove.
The Sitka Spruces in the grove range in size from 75-89m in height! Heading back the way you came takes you back to the fork. The boardwalk to the left leads you first to the photographic Hollow Stump. From the fork to the Three Sisters it is 1.5km (40 min).
Eventually you’ll reach the famous Three Sisters. Sadly, three has turned to two, as one of the sisters has fallen in one of the winter storms of 2018/19 and is lying next to the other two still standing. The Sitka sisters are about 79m tall. There is wilderness camping near the sisters on the sandbar by Carmanah Creek.
At this point, a sign states that the trail past this point is no longer maintained. We decided to venture further and were glad we did. Fewer people do the trail past the sisters and we found it more fun. It’s still a totally doable and very well marked trail. It consists of more climbing over and along logs, and detours from riverbank erosion. From the Three Sisters it’s another 1.5km to Grunt’s Grove (1.25 hours from the fork). The trail follows the upper Carmanah Creek and leads you to Grunt’s Grove, which we did not find as impressive as the Randy Stoltmann Grove (still beautiful though). Camping is available here along the riverbed, but the pit toilet has been destroyed in a storm.
At this point, we decided to turn around, but if you hike further you will eventually get to Paradise Pool (3.5km from the Three Sisters or 2 hours/5.5km from the fork). Even if you don’t make it to the crystal clear green waters of Paradise Pool, there are still plenty of beautiful spots to take a swim in the river (if you dare! The water can be pretty cold). Past the pool is August Creek Falls, 7.5km/3.5 hours from the fork. This is the furthest wilderness camping spot, and the end of the trail.
Camping
Designated camping spots exist a short 300m walk from the parking lot. The path and sites are overgrown, but give privacy from other campers. There are also hike in wilderness sites along the hike. The backcountry camping fee is $5 per person per night, with a self registration drop box. Hike in camping sites are located near the Three Sisters, by Grunt’s Grove, and the furthest at August Creek Falls.
How to get there:
Drive past Cowichan Lake, and keep following the small blue signs pointing towards Carmanah in the trees. As you drive from Lake Cowichan on the North (or South) Shore Rd, turn left onto Nitinat Main Rd. Follow Nitinat Main to the junction and turn left onto South Main. After going over the Caycuse River Bridge, turn right and follow Rosander Main for 29km. The parking lot is huge, and usually only occupied by a few other vehicles.
4WD is best as it’s a long bumpy ride. Make sure to bring a spare tire. We did see a few 2WD cars (one was broken down on the way up), but the mud and really rocky points closer to the park are a bit worrying, it is doable though. These are active logging roads so be aware as logging trucks have the right of way.
Walbran River Valley
While Carmanah Walbran is a protected park, the other half of the park in the Walbran River Valley still remains unprotected. It’s completely maintained by volunteers from Friends of Carmanah Walbran and the Wilderness Committee. This half of the park is just as beautiful, with more trails, giants, and waterfalls to see. Get in contact with either of these groups if you wish to join the fight in protecting this enchanting part of the coast. Hiking in Carmanah Walbran is hopefully something we can continue to do in the years to come!
Looking for more hikes to do on Vancouver Island? Check out these mountain hikes with stunning alpine lakes at Triple Peak and Century Sam Lake, or the epic views from 5040. If you’re looking for something easier by the ocean, be sure to read about the hikes in the Pacific Rim National Park and Ucluelet!
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