Directions to Avatar Grove.
- Drive to Port Renfrew along West Coast Rd / Highway #14.
- Immediately upon reaching Port Renfrew turn RIGHT onto Deering Rd.
- Cross the big bridge over the San Juan River and continue down Deering Rd., staying to the RIGHT at the next Y.
- You’ll cross a small, single lane bridge and reach a “T”. Turn LEFT onto Gordon River Main (right goes to Lake Cowichan)
- Stay on the mostly-paved road and after approximately 5 km, you will reach a “Y”. Go LEFT and cross a tall, beautiful bridge over the Gordon River.
Is Avatar Grove open to the public?
The grove was given protected status in 2012 and is now closed to logging. There are actually two separate groves at Avatar Grove: the upper grove and the lower grove. You will find Canada’s Gnarliest Tree in the upper grove, reached by climbing wooden stairs and board walks.
What kind of trees are in Avatar Grove?
Member of the Ancient Forest Alliance first discovered Avatar Grove in 2009 and named it after the James Cameron film. Avatar grove contains numerous large western red cedars and Douglas firs. The highlight is Canada’s Gnarliest Tree, a huge cedar with numerous gnarly burl growths on its lower trunk.
Is Avatar Grove the most spectacular forest in the world?
Whatever the case, you are going to see some of the most spectacular forest left in the world, some of these trees have trunks 14-15 ft wide and can be 1,000 years old! Avatar Grove was first identified by the Ancient Forest Alliance in December of 2009.
Where is the Avatar Grove?
Port RenfrewAvatar Grove… and Canada's gnarliest tree is an amazing thing to see and finding it is half the fun. Located only a short 20 min drive north of the little town of Port Renfrew,BC.
Why is Upper Avatar Grove closed?
Rec Sites and Trails BC has temporarily closed Avatar Grove due to public safety and environmental concerns. The trail has seen significant impacts due to fallen trees and erosion. Efforts are underway to try and resolve the issues at hand and the public will be notified as soon as the trail is able to be reopened.
How old are the trees in Avatar Grove?
500 to 1,000 years oldThe Avatar Grove trees are estimated at 500 to 1,000 years old, or more.
Where is Canada's gnarliest tree?
The gnarliest tree in Canada is actually a thing, and you go and see it on Vancouver Island in B.C.. To get there you'll have to hike through super magical rainforest, to a place called Avatar Grove. The whole experience sounds totally surreal.
Is Botanical Beach still closed?
Currently closed due to "problem bear" - Botanical Beach Provincial Park, Port Renfrew Traveller Reviews - Tripadvisor.
Where is the biggest tree in Canada?
Canada's largest tree, a western redcedar named the “Cheewhat Giant” stands in a remote location near Cheewhat Lake west of Lake Cowichan. The tree is over six meters (20 feet) in trunk diameter, 56 meters (182 feet) in height and 450 cubic meters in timber volume (or 450 regular telephone poles' worth of wood).
Why is it called Avatar Grove?
He found the tract—dubbed Avatar Grove by the group after the James Cameron blockbuster film (brilliant marketing move or majorly lame, you decide)—just a 10-minute walk/scramble from a logging road and a 20-minute drive from the logging town of Port Renfrew.
Is Big Lonely Doug still standing?
It turns out it is the second-largest Douglas fir in Canada. Big Lonely Doug still stands tall, now a sad but majestic symbol of the disappearing old-growth forests of British Colombia, and the ongoing fight to save them.
How tall is Big Lonely Doug?
230 feetAt 230 feet, that tree turned out to be the country's second-tallest Douglas fir; it soon became known as Big Lonely Doug, an unwitting monument to the fragility of old-growth forests everywhere.
Where is Big Lonely Doug located?
Vancouver IslandBig Lonely Doug is a large Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) tree located in the Gordon River Valley of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is the second largest Douglas-fir tree in Canada after the Red Creek Fir in nearby San Juan Valley.
Where is the Cheewhat giant?
Pacific Rim National Park ReserveCheewhat Giant, also known as the Cheewhat Lake Cedar, is a large western red cedar (Thuja plicata) tree located within Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is the largest living Western redcedar, the largest known tree in Canada and one of the largest in the world.
How long is the Pacific Marine Circle Route?
163.4 miPacific Marine Circle Route / Length
Is the Banyan Grove tree real?
Our Banyan Grove is home to large Moreton Bay Fig trees of the Moraceae family. These mammoth trees have shallow roots, enormous branch canopies, aerial roots and bear fruit (figs). These trees have roots that spread out like mazes, and make for perfect benches.
What happened to the Banyan Grove tree?
concluded that the roots of the tree were infused with spirit energy, even more powerful than the spirit vines in Republic City. As such, Kuvira ordered her battalion of mecha suits to harvest the vines until there was nothing left and they promptly started hacking away near the base of the tree.
What is the tree in Avatar called?
The Tree of SoulsThe Tree of Souls (Na'vi name: Vitraya Ramunong) is a giant willow tree that is said to be the closest connection to Eywa on Pandora. As pointed out by Miles Quaritch, the tree is a point of extreme spiritual significance to the Na'vi, more so than any other point on Pandora.
Where are old growth forests on Vancouver Island?
Located in MacMillan Provincial Park, Cathedral Grove is Vancouver Island's most visited old growth forest. It's a convenient place to see lots of big trees very quickly. Some of the giant Douglas Fir trees in Cathedral Grove are 800 years old.
How long does it take to get to Avatar Grove?
Getting to Avatar Grove. Port Renfrew is a 109 km (68 miles) drive from Victoria on the West Coast Road and takes roughly 2 hours. This spectacular winding drive follows the coast all the way to Port Renfrew and has some spectacular views along the way and many things to see and do.
When was the avatar grove discovered?
Avatar Grove was first identified by the Ancient Forest Alliance in December of 2009. This spectacular section of old growth rain forest is within the traditional territory of the Pacheedaht First Nation and has recently been declared off limits to logging. Avatar Grove is also home to “Canada’s Gnarliest Tree”.
How far is Avatar Grove from Port Renfrew?
Avatar Grove is about 10 km (6 miles) from Port Renfrew. The last few kilometres are unpaved and quite bumpy but it can be accessed by 2wd vehicles. For a complete set of driving directions refer to the Ancient Forest Alliance Map and Driving Directions at this link.
How far is Upper Grove?
The Upper Grove is a 500m ( 0.3 mile) round trip with an approximate 80m (260 ft) elevation gain.
How many miles is Lower Grove?
The Lower Grove is a 650m (0.4 mile) loop with an approximate 25m (82) elevation gain.
What order should I visit the trees in Avatar Grove?
I recommend visiting the trees in the order listed in this guide: First Avatar Grove and Big Lonely Doug, then the San Juan Spruce and the Red Creek Fir, finishing with the Harris Creek Spruce. If you don’t have a 4 wheel drive you will have to miss Big Lonely Doug and the Red Creek Fir. (Or do a few kilometres of logging road walking.)
What tree is in the Avatar Grove?
Avatar grove contains numerous large western red cedars and Douglas firs. The highlight is Canada’s Gnarliest Tree, a huge cedar with numerous gnarly burl growths on its lower trunk.
How to visit the trees in the forest?
To visit most of these trees you will need to drive on unpaved logging roads. These roads are actively used for logging so drive with your lights on. Be prepared to pull over quickly if you meet industrial trucks, particularly large fully loaded logging trucks. (They won’t stop for you!) A 4×4 vehicle with high clearance will be helpful to visit some of the trees, but you can visit many of them with a regular car. I’ll let you know in the description for each area what kind of car can make it. No matter what kind of car you bring, make sure you have a working spare tire and know how to change it.
How to get to avatar grove?
Directions to Avatar Grove 1 Drive to Port Renfrew along West Coast Hwy #14. (2.5 hours from Victoria and excellent signs direct you the whole way) 2 Immediately upon reaching Port Renfrew turn right onto Deering Road, zero your odometer. 3 At 0.2km cross a long one lane bridge over the San Juan River. 4 At 1.4km bear left. 5 At 2.7km pass the red West Coast Trail hiker registration building on your left. 6 At 3.9km bear left and cross another large, one lane bridge over San Juan River. 7 At 4.3km turn left at the T junction at the end of the bridge. 8 At 4.7km pass the turnoff to Pasheeda Shores on your left. 9 At 5.3km pass the turnoff to Port Renfrew Marina on your left. 10 At 9.3km bear left at the Braden Main sign. 11 At 9.5km cross a third large, one lane bridge over Gordon River, this one with incredible views. 12 At 10.4km bear right. 13 At 11.0km pass the little white 42km sign. 14 At 11.2km cross the little bridge and immediately park on your right. From where you parked, look for the Upper Avatar Grove trailhead sign and stairs ascending into the forest on the left side of the road. From the trailhead to the gnarly tree is about a 10 minute walk through steep terrain. The Lower Avatar Grove is on the right side of the road and descends quickly into the forest.
How long is the walk to the gnarly tree?
From the trailhead to the gnarly tree is about a 10 minute walk through steep terrain. The Lower Avatar Grove is on the right side of the road and descends quickly into the forest.
How to get to the avatar grove?
To get to the Avatar Grove, drive to Port Renfrew along West Coast highway 14. Turn right onto Deering Rd and cross the long bridge over the San Juan River. Stay right at the next Y intersection, and then left at the T intersection. At the next Y keep left and cross a tall bridge over the crystal clear Gordon River . Stay right at next Y, and then cross a small bridge at Baird creek. Park on the right shoulder immediately after the bridge and look for the Avatar Grove trailhead signs.
What is the name of the tree in the Avatar Grove?
The lower grove slopes down from the road to the Gordon River. The upper grove extends uphill from the road. "Canada’s Gnarliest Tree", a huge Red Cedar with a massive burl 12 feet in diameter, is in the Upper Avatar Grove. The trail is still under construction in areas, a vital project by the Ancient Forest Alliance to protect tree roots and improve safety and access for visitors.
How long is the drive from Port Renfrew to the forest grove?
When you step into this forest grove just a fifteen minute drive from Port Renfrew it feels like you are in another world. Massive trees are covered in moss, ferns crowd the ground, and little creeks meander through mossy rocks.
