Located between Prince George and McBride, this park offers visitors the chance to hike the Ancient Forest trail, bringing you past towering, thousand-year-old western redcedars, in addition to a biodiverse range of plants, mosses, lichens, and fungi.
Park visitors can choose between the 450-metre-long universally accessible boardwalk and the 2.3 km boardwalk leading to the magnificent “Big” Tree, Tree Beard, and Radies Tree. Oh, and a beautiful cascading waterfall to top off the magical experience.
Where: Between Prince George and McBride
You’d better bet that BC’s oldest provincial park has a ton of ancient forests to explore. Strathcona Park is as rugged as it is beautiful, with crystal-clear lakes, alpine meadows, and an extensive network of trails, which include the Golden Hinde.
Where: Westmin Road, Comox-Strathcona D
Situated inside MacMillan Park is Cathedral Grove, a majestic old-growth forest featuring ancient Douglas fir and cedar trees with international significance — some of which are over 800 years old!
Where: 452 Alberni Highway, Nanaimo
If you’re up for a more remote adventure, Dall River Old Growth Park along Dall River (300 km west of Fort Nelson) is home to ancient white spruces, situated in the stunning Cassiar Mountains. Visitors can explore the area on foot, horseback, or by pursuing fishing opportunities. It’s the ultimate backcountry adventure.
Where: Dall River
From high upland plateaus to the exciting rapids of the Grand Canyon, there are plenty of natural wonders to enjoy at Scatter River, but its old-growth spruce forests remain at the top of the list. Here, visitors may spot moose, grizzlies, Rocky Mountain elk, and even long-eared bats.
Where: Liard River Corridor
Last but certainly not least, we come to Juan de Fuca Park on the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island. While it might be more well-known for its botanical beach and rich tide pools to uncover, the park also has over 47 km of wilderness trails to explore, and some of them lead to some of the most spectacular protected old-growth in BC.
Where: Port Renfrew
Hug a tree, leave no trace behind, and learn more about the preservation of B.C.’s old-growth forests.
Happy adventuring!
