The Leiner River Estuary Trail has a parking lot and restroom at the trailhead. You can enjoy a leisurely afternoon stroll on the Leiner Estuary Trail, this trail is very nice with some great views of Tahsis, right across the inlet. This 2 km trail is a level trail with boardwalks and viewing platforms that are located in the Leiner River estuary. The trail access is from Tahsis Road, just 500 meters short of town, and is well-marked.
The trail itself has various lengths of boardwalks that are built to allow you great views of the estuary and salt flats, you can see bears, cougars, and plenty of deer here along with a huge selection of birdlife. There are viewing platforms with benches built along the way. Located just outside the town of Tahsis, the Leiner River Estuary is an incredible place to go for a walk.
Tahsis itself is absolutely beautiful too. There are breathtaking mountain views, some of the best caves on the island, and world-class wildlife viewing. It is a little jewel, it lies at the end of the Tahsis Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island. When l was a boy, my sister and her family lived here, enjoying the boom. This was a sawmill town. The mill ran day and night, and the roar of the saws set the tone. Everything roared: there was a great hotel, a rec center that one would expect in a much larger center, a hospital, a school, and shops full of people.
There was no road into town, but that didn’t matter. Cars were freighted in on the Uchuck, a freighter still operating as a lifeline from Gold River to Kyuquot. The hold on the boat only allowed very small vehicles: tiny three-wheeled cars. Hundreds of these little wonders zipped around town. They made me laugh big time.
The Tahsis Inlet and the surrounding Rugged Mountains are becoming well known for mountain climbing, hiking, caving, bird watching, and wildlife viewing. You should come out for a visit and don’t forget your camera.