Port Renfrew, a tiny town on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. From wild beaches and mesmerizing tide pools, it’s home to some of the largest old growths in Canada. Here is the ultimate adventure guide with things to do in Port Renfrew.
Port Renfrew’s big trees:
Port Renfrew is also called the Tall Tree Capital of Canada, and for good reason! This Big Trees Map by the Ancient Forest Alliance is a perfect resource while you are visiting Port Renfrew and looking into navigating the logging roads for the old growth giants. The Ancient Forest Alliance is a non-profit made up of staff and countless volunteers working to protect BC’s endangered old growth forests.
Four wheel drive is highly recommended to reach these giants, although we’ve seen cars make it to some of them. We don’t recommend this though as we’ve seen also seen plenty of people get flat tires on these rough roads and you are completely out of service!
Avatar Grove
15min north of Port Renfrew lies a small ancient grove that finally became protected by the BC Government from logging in 2012. A short 10min trail through the old growths leads to Canada’s Gnarliest Tree. This western red cedar has a circumference of 37ft (11.2m), with a 10ft (3m) burl sticking out of it. The Grove is split on either side of the logging road between the Upper and Lower Trails. In total, it is about 1.6km of hiking and should take about 30min to complete.
Big Lonely Doug – Canada’s 2nd largest Douglas Fir
Drive past all the tourists parked at Avatar Grove along Gordon River Main Rd to reach this giant. After a few km, turn right onto Edinburgh Main Rd and drive until you reach a clear cut with the Big Lonely Doug standing tall, alone in the middle of it. From Port Renfrew, it takes about 30min to drive here. There is a short 2min trail down the bank to reach the base of the tree, which I highly recommended! The size of the tree left us awestruck, and we enjoyed admiring it in solitude. Big Lonely Doug is 230ft (70.2m) high with a circumference of 39ft (11.91m). It’s estimated to be around 1000 years old!
Eden Grove
Drive another 5min along the logging road past Lonely Doug until you see a small sign within the trees on the right for Eden Grove (right after a small bridge). Since we’ve visited, a boardwalk has been implemented to protect the old growth’s ecosystem. It’s a short 20min return trail through the grove and well worth it. These giants were mesmerizing standing tall in the mossy forest. Keep in mind, Eden Grove is still officially unprotected.
San Juan Spruce – Canada’s largest sitka spruce, 2nd largest in the world
This giant lies in the opposite direction of the trees above in San Juan River Campground. Head back towards town and follow the Pacific Marine Rd (signs for Lake Cowichan). At the fork, turn right off the main road onto Lens Creek Main Rd. At the next fork, turn right again onto Bear Main Rd. Once you pass the bridge, the sitka spruce and campground will be down to your left. This drive takes about 30min from Port Renfrew. In 2016, the tree lost some of it’s height in a storm as part of the top fell off. It has a circumference of 38ft (11.6m) and is a nice quick stop on your way to the next giant.
Red Creek Fir – World’s largest Douglas Fir
DO NOT follow Google Maps instructions for this tree as it lead us astray to an impassable road. From the San Juan Spruce, continue about 2km along Bear Main Rd. Take a sharp right hand turn onto the rough Red Creek Rd (on google maps)/Mosquito Creek Main Rd (on map above). At the first fork, Google Maps wants you to take a right onto the rough overgrown looking road. INSTEAD, continue to the LEFT along the main road and up the hill. At the next four forks, keep right to continue along Red Creek Rd. At the T instersection, turn right and you will quickly see a large area to park with the trailhead on your right. From Port Renfrew this drive takes over 45min and there wasn’t very much signage.
The 10min trail is easy and well marked, taking you past some impressive old growth cedars until you reach the Douglas fir. Standing in it’s shadow was a humbling experience, and because you are surrounded by a lush forest, it has a very different feeling to the Big Lonely Doug. It’s so hard to believe that despite efforts made by the Ancient Forest Alliance, this 1000 year old gentle giant still remains unprotected.
Beaches:
Botanical Beach
The most popular beach to explore and hike to in the area is definitely Botanical Beach, a stop that should be on the top of your list for your visit to Port Renfrew! Make sure to time your visit with LOW TIDE! That’s the best time to observe all the fascinating sandstone formations and tide pools carved into the rock. The perfect circular pools are home to many amazing sea creatures, if you’re lucky you might even spot an octopus!
The loop trail to the beach and back to the parking lot is a fairly easy 3km. We love looking at all the wild and winding trees along the boardwalk trail. The path can get pretty muddy so waterproof footwear is ideal.
Botany Bay
Connected along the trail from Botanical Beach lies Botany Bay. A quieter Bay that is also more protected, making it a great place to swim in the summer when the waves aren’t crashing. You can hike from Botany to Botanical along the rocky shoreline without having to go back onto the trail. This gives you even more opportunity to admire the rock formations and for beachcombing.
Camping:
Pacheedaht Beach First Nation Campground
This campground gets very busy in the summer as it’s located right along 2 km of a beautiful sandy bay. For $37 a night, there are pit toilets and coin operated showers. It is still fairly close to town if you need other amenities.
Fairy Lake Campground
Even if you don’t camp here, it’s worth stopping along the side of the main road to take a picture of the famous bonsai living on a stump in the middle of Fairy Lake.
The campsite costs $18 per night (extra $2 for waterfront) and there are 36 sites to choose from around this small lake.
Lizard Lake Campground
Camping here is also $18 per night, there are 28 sites at this small lake. There is a separate day use area with a great dock to jump and swim off of and a small beach, which is very popular in the summer. There is also a 1.5km loop trail around the lake.
San Juan Campground
This campground was temporarily closed and I am unclear if it is open again (possibly due to dangerous canopy?). When we stayed there one Fall, we had the entire campground to ourselves, but when we drove by in the summer it was packed. There are 18 sites for $18 per night. Located right along the San Juan River surrounded by large Sitka Spruces, it’s a picturesque spot to camp and very popular for fishing.
If camping is not your thing, there are a ton of Airbnb’s and cabins to rent as well. Check out the Renfrew Pub or Coastal Kitchen Cafe (limited hours) for places to eat. Dining, groceries, and gas are pretty limited in town, so keep that in mind before you venture out here.
How to get to Port Renfrew:
Port Renfrew can be accessed via two different paved highways. If you are coming from Victoria it takes about two hours. Take Highway 14 through Sooke and along the Juan de Fuca until you reach Port Renfrew. There are an infinite amount of stops you can make along this drive including beautiful hikes, waterfalls, and beach side campgrounds.
If you are coming from the east side of Vancouver Island, it is quicker to go along Highway 18 through the town of Lake Cowichan. Just past town will be a left hand turn with signs for the Pacific Marine Rd and Port Renfrew. The road is a little windy and bumpy so take care with your speed. There are a couple of stops along this route as well including large trees such as Harris Creek Sitka Spruce, and stunning river canyons. From Nanaimo, this route takes two hours to get to Port Renfrew.
The list doesn’t stop there, the things to do in Port Renfrew are absolutely endless, it is an adventure seekers paradise. Did I miss any of your favourite spots? Let me know in the comments below. Hope you enjoyed this adventure guide and things to do in Port Renfrew. If you’re looking for more things to do on the wild west coast of Vancouver Island, check out my posts on hiking in Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, the Walbran Valley or the Pacific Rim National Park.
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