Neptunian Librarian Adventures
Mid-Island Adventure!
Parksville, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Cathedral Grove’s Accessible Trail ~ Salish Sea Stories - Episode XIX
From Parksville, it is a quick drive along Highway 4 to MacMillan Provincial Park’s famous Cathedral Grove.
Coombs, the funnest tourist trap on Earth! :-)
If you need a coffee, Creekside Roasters here will supply with organic, fair-trade deliciousness.
This is also the first part of the route out to the dreamy west coast of the Island, Uclulet and Tofino.
I’m on an accessibility scouting mission today for a dear friend who uses a walker to explore.
British Columbia Parks is deeply committed to ensuring that parks are for everyone. Everyone.
Already, I am grateful to see that this trail will allow my friend to experience old-growth forest like I do.
This is the north side of Cathedral Grove, which is adjacent to Cameron Lake.
Trails on the south side of the highway, with the oldest and biggest trees, are not yet upgraded for accessibility.
Little caterpillar buddy!
I first visited Cathedral Grove in 1996. A year later a massive windstorm blew over many trees like this.
Opening the tree canopy has fostered growth of deciduous trees like the Big Leaf Maple.
Tree throw like this become so-called nurse trees, with whole ecosystems growing on them.
Seeing how trees easily become bridges helps me get a sense of the height of the ones that remain standing.
My walker-enhanced buddy wouldn’t cross that log bridge, but he could likely get down to the river here.
The oldest trees in the park are young by British Columbia standards, only about 800 years.
Happy to have caught the flowering season of the Western Trillium here. So pretty! :-)
If you or someone you travel with uses a walker and has conquered this trail, I’d love to hear about it!
The pit potties are accessible, too.
The people passing through without stopping to see the park drive too fast. Be vigilant!
The south side trails are not yet walker-friendly, but I know they will be someday thanks to B.C. Parks!
Thanks for watching!