Dombrowski - Popular Day Hikes 4

Iconic old-growth giants in one of the best examples of temperate-zone rainforest on Vancouver Island. Many claim a mystic presence amongst the ancient trees in this isolated wilderness valley. Winding paths with boardwalks and viewing platforms next to a small river.

1. 7.4 km return Start height: 220 m Streambed: 140 m Easy All season (except when too wet) Start: From Highway 1 north of Duncan, take the signposted turn for Carmanah Walbran toward Cowichan Lake. When you reach Cowichan Lake, follow the South Shore Road until you get to Nitinat Main, a logging road. When you come to the signposted turn to Junction South, turn left onto South Main. Cross the Caycuse River bridge, turn right and follow Rossander Main. The road, 29 km long, becomes increasingly rough and crowded with small alders. Signs mark the way well, but returning can be a bit of a trick unless you keep a sharp eye out for small signs, one of them spray painted onto a rock. Difficulty: Currently many of the boardwalks are usable but breaking down. In spring there may be the occasional fallen tree. Very slippery when wet (which is much of the time), the ramps and walkways have mesh, but a lot of it is currently broken or patchy. In wet weather there are a few muddy patches. If and when more of the original trail is reopened, the whole walk will be more challenging.

2. The first section of the trail is an old roadbed, sloping gradually toward a junction. The left branch leads to a camping area, while the path to the valley and the main trail for this hike forks right.
3. The descending trail is generally broad, evenly graded gravel, winding to the valley bottom. Amid mostly hemlock and cedar, the path passes one side route and a viewing platform for one of the largest trees, the Coast Tower (once 91 m tall, but now having a broken top).
4. At the T-junction, turn left onto the Valley Mist Trail. In the valley bottom, most of the huge trees are Sitka spruce. One of these, the worlds largest at 95 m tall, located farther down the valley, is no longer open to the public, but many other awe-inspiring giants grow along the open section of trail. The trail is generally level, though rising and dropping over some knolls. The first featured and signposted tree is the Hollow Tree a short distance along. Thereafter the trail dips close to the creek for a view of the amazingly clear water running over white river rocks. The first section of trail ends at a cluster of three large spruce signposted as The Three Sisters (79 m tall). There is also a camping area here. In fact, it is worthwhile leaving the main trail to make your way onto the gravel bars of the creek so you can stand back and get a sense of the whole forest and its surroundings.
5. Return to the T-junction and head down the southern section. The first part of this segment has a different character from the northern part of the trail. It climbs a little up staircases to run along a ridge around a bend in the creek and generally stays close to the creek. In spring look for pink fawn lilies and trilliums. Take the signposted side trail to the Heaven Tree. Two features make this enormous tree distinctive. First, it is approached from a small clearing so you can fully appreciate its size. Second, it has a split trunk and therefore a magnificent base, even sprouting licorice ferns. The trail ends at Heaven Grove, with one giant tree identified for its amazing height, 81 m. Here too, you will see informative signs about the Randy Stoltman Commemorative Grove. The tallest tree here towers 89 m.
6. Return to the trailhead, lingering at some of the best viewing spots en route.

Option:

Beyond Three Sisters, the trail is not maintained and a sign warns Trail Closed Ahead. Going farther is not forbidden, though. So if you are feeling adventurous, you may wish to extend your walk.

The startlingly clear water of Carmanah Creek with glimpses of the mountainside of the Carmanah Valley (3)

10. Cowichan River Footpath

Huge maples, cottonwoods and cedars along a well-developed trail near or beside a broad, fast-rushing river.

1. Length: 32 km return (feels much shorter and there are shorter options) High point: 120 m Height gain: 200 m (cumulative over many small ups and downs) Easy / moderate (long) All season Start: From Highway 1 just south of Duncan, turn west onto Allenby Road for 350 m. Turn left onto Koksilah Road for another 700 m, then take the second right onto Miller Road for 500 m. Next, make a right onto Glenora Road for 4 km. Take a slight right onto Vaux Road for 2.2 km, then a right onto Robertson Road. Continue until you see signposts for the Holt Creek trailhead of the Cowichan River Trail. Difficulty: Most of the path is well maintained and easy. Some of the boardwalks are slippery when wet. All streams are bridged. The northern section is next to dangerous cliffs but the trail itself is safe.

Note that the distances on the map are stated in terms of the signs posted along the trail.

1. Follow the broad, level track (300 m) to a point where other paths branch off. The trail to the right goes to Glenora Riverside Park, the one to the left to a picnic shelter and other day park facilities (in sight) and beyond that the rails-to-trails Trans Canada Trail.
2. Keep straight ahead till you see a sign saying you have come 650 m from the Holt Creek trailhead. Keep straight ahead on the kind of rooty path you will be following the rest of the way. When you come to a prominent 1 km marker, you will see another sign, this one pointing down a side track to the Glenora trailhead. Ignore this, and keep straight ahead in the direction of Holt Creek and the Skutz Falls trailhead, marked as 20 km distant.
3. Descend the high bank via a series of stairs and a reinforced pathway and follow along the short distance to the Holt Creek bridge, a good spot to watch spawning salmon in October and November. Once you have crossed the bridge you will come almost immediately to a split in the trail, accompanied by a map and a sign indicating that both branches join after about 1.5 km. In order to follow the river, take the right fork.
4. The trail runs fairly close to the riverbank, over roots of large trees, then heads away from the main stream to a kind of backwater. After climbing a little, you arrive at a signpost indicating the 3 km mark and the convergence with the trail you left 1.5 km back. Puzzlingly, the sign says the Skutz Falls trailhead is still 20 km distant, though you have walked almost 2 km from the previous such sign!
5. After running along the top of a bank for about 150 m, the trail descends to near the main river until it comes upon another tributary. You will pass a historic stump bridge and a signposted riverside picnic area just before coming to the 4 km marker.
6. Crossing Rickie Dickie bridge and traversing up and away from the river, you will come to a 5 km sign and a short path leading up to the Trans Canada Trail. The next section, through private property until the 6 km marker, keeps largely to the slope immediately below the Trans Canada Trail. The trail crosses an open swath of land under power lines just before you reach the 7 km mark.
7. Expect several boardwalks and an intriguing sign for Bear Hollow just before reaching an attractive riverbank section. As the route turns inland and climbs a hill you will find a sign saying you have come 8.6 km from the trailhead. Somewhat later the path merges with the Trans Canada Trail for the next kilometre. When you get to the separation of the two trails, you will notice that the signed distances for Mile 66 Trestle via the Trans Canada Trail is only 2.8 km, while it is 5 km via the river trail. Turn toward the river trail.