Cathedral Grove
Cathedral Grove
4.5
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience Cathedral Grove and nearby attractions

See what travelers are saying

  • Kristin
    Kamloops, Canada145 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Remarkable and recharging
    Amazing lace to recharge, start your day or stop along your journey. Beautiful and accessible trails allow everyone to go through and see this wonderful place. Such positive and relaxing energy.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written April 19, 2024
  • Onx23mm
    Vancouver, Canada313 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nature in all its majesty.
    We have passed this area a number of times and it is very busy with cars parked on the side of the road long before and after the grove, in both directions. Travelling east the trick is to not park at the side of the road but drive on until you come to the actual car park where it is often easy to get a spot right at the start of the trails toward the biggest tree. The trails are one way and take you through the beautiful forest environment where you can marvel at the enormous, straight trees and the ferny undergrowth. You will eventually reach the biggest tree where you have room to step back and get a good photo. The short, circular route on the south side of the road will take some 20 minutes to circumnavigate. Well worth a stop to wonder at nature.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written June 20, 2024
  • digitalroc
    Calgary, Canada2,141 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great way to break up the driving
    I pulled off the highway into Cathedral Grove for a walk, which gave me a good break from my drive from YYJ to Tofino. This is a beautiful boardwalk, and is really worth the 15-30 minutes to walk and look around. What I read on the signage was, that MacMillan donated much of the land for a park in 1944 to protect the giant Douglas-fir and Western Redcedar trees.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written September 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,041 reviews
Excellent
772
Very good
230
Average
31
Poor
4
Terrible
3

Janice O
Gabriola Island, Canada1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022
I have been visiting Cathedral Grove for over forty years & was there September 19th. These magnificent trees are worth a visit. However, the soil around the trees has been stamped down by thousands of visitors, right to the bottom of the trunks. Any arborist would recommend that boardwalks and fencing be built to protect the root systems. Without boardwalks the trees will not survive for future generations.
Written September 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

heeter_lyn23
British Columbia, Canada638 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Couples
Beautiful majestic old growth Forest. It wasn't too busy on the day we went because it was cloudy and slightly raining. It's an easy walk with just a couple of short loops, about 2km in length. Parking is sporadic and crossing the highway could be extremely dangerous though..
Written June 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Julie D
Vancouver1,074 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023
We were driving through the area with friends and they insisted on stopping even though it was wet and cold. Do not stop here in wet weather. There were so many large puddles everywhere that it was difficult to get around the park.

It is a very nice place for a forest walk otherwise with different points of interest. There is limited parking along the highway and you take your life in your hands crossing the highway when there is a lot of traffic. Which will happen in the warmer weather.
Written February 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shannon S
66 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
It is amazing to get out of the city and got lost walking through the beautiful nature and giant trees. There are short loops on both side of the highway about 20 minutes each. The boardwalks are well kept and it is very easy walking. There is parking on both sides of the road but it does get busy. There are also washrooms. Wish the walk was longer. The trees are amazing to see up close. This is not something you want to miss.
Written August 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Onx23mm
Vancouver, Canada313 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Friends
We have passed this area a number of times and it is very busy with cars parked on the side of the road long before and after the grove, in both directions. Travelling east the trick is to not park at the side of the road but drive on until you come to the actual car park where it is often easy to get a spot right at the start of the trails toward the biggest tree.
The trails are one way and take you through the beautiful forest environment where you can marvel at the enormous, straight trees and the ferny undergrowth. You will eventually reach the biggest tree where you have room to step back and get a good photo. The short, circular route on the south side of the road will take some 20 minutes to circumnavigate.
Well worth a stop to wonder at nature.
Written June 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mylesdolphin
Victoria, Canada465 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
Cathedral Grove is a highlight on one's drive between Nanaimo and Port Alberni. Parking can be a bit tricky, especially during busier hours of the day, but it's well worth the stop. There are two areas to explore on either side of the highway. It's probably worth spending at least an hour there. The trails / boardwalk are very well-maintained and there are plenty of photo ops around. Highly recommended!
Written April 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lilian S
Guelph, Canada36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Absolutely loved the two walks through the old growth forest groves on either side of the highway. Trails easily marked. A bit buddy but it was April and had just rained! Parking can be a bit difficult - try to time a visit early or towards the end of the day.
Written April 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BC-Westcoaster
Vancouver, Canada301 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
The Provincial Park is on both sides of busy Highway 4 and there is little parking, so it's a bit dodgy running back and forth across the highway. On one side there is a boardwalk with a short 10-15 minute loop walk through the trees. The other side has a trail where the largest Douglas Fir (and popular photo spot) and is about a 25 minute walking loop if you take your time, read the signs and detour down to see the stream. The trail is flat and easy to walk. There are better walks in the area, but if you have kids or people with limited mobility with you, this would be a good choice.
Written July 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Astrobeemer
Vancouver, Canada1,199 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
Walking among these giants that have lived for up to 800 years is a privilege. To touch their bark and feel their life force, to breathe the clean air they provide us, to see the ecosystem they create is truly amazing. Walking through Cathedral Grove is like recharging your batteries and wiping away the stresses of the modern world.
Written March 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

VancouverLil
Langley, Canada781 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
This place is awesome! Amazing trail of old growth forest. Some trees with a diameter of over 8 feet. Cathedral Grove is in the land of 'AWES" I saw this place for the first time in 1980, and still remembered it as being amazing. I was so glad that my memory didn't fail me.
Written April 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 896
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Cathedral Grove - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

All things to do in Port Alberni
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars