The Cheewhat Cedar Tree may not be the tallest cedar tree in the world, but it is the biggest one, you should try to see this tree. Getting there is the trip, it’s 3 hours from Port Alberni on a rough gravel logging road. Along the way, you will see some very memorable spots of incredible vistas, deep canyons, wild rivers, beautiful lakes, first-people villages, and plenty of wildlife. I recommend that everyone takes this journey at least once in their lives.
Although the road to the trailhead is long and gravel, most times of the year it is 2-wheel drive and cars can reach the trailhead with little problems, however, in the wet season, l would say you should only come if you are in a 4×4 truck as the road can get quite muddy. Remember these are active logging roads, and you must use caution and give way to all logging trucks.
Take the Bamfield Road from Port Alberni and follow directions, after passing the native village of Nitinat. You will follow the lake for some time then after leaving the lake, you will go through a logged area, at the first widening of the roadway past the logging area is where you park, look on the right side of the road, and you should spot the trail.
The trail first travels through a slash and then heads down into the forest after the park boundary is reached. The trail is not marked very well, but you can find it if you keep your eyes open.
A short walk will take you into a grove of very big cedars, and you might think you have reached the Cheewhat but don’t be fooled. The trail continues down but is not marked very well beyond here. The trail goes to the right, then switches back to the left, it’s thick with salal and tough going but if you follow along a bench where there are cedar and hemlock growing until you head downhill again, you should see two very large cedars growing side by side.
A little further down from these trees is the Cheewhat Cedar, a giant of trees, biggest in the world. Hope you find it and don’t forget to bring your camera in and your trash out.
When we went in to photograph this giant, we lost the trail and the time of day had us in need to return to the road before darkness fell, we are heading back in this year and will post photos.