Hiking on Meares Island
The Big Tree Trail
5-421 Main Street • Tofino, BC » View map
Toll free 1-877-90-OCEAN, or 250-725-2866
Two different guided hiking trips on Meares Island. Hike the world-famous Big Tree Trail or take the Lone Cone mountain hiking challenge!
Remote Passages Marine Excursions
51 Wharf St • Tofino, BC
Toll free 1-800-666-9833 (Canada/US), Local & Overseas (250) 725-3330
Meares Island drop offs available - please inquire for more information.
Location: |
Meares Island, 10 minute water taxi from Tofino |
Time Required: |
About 2 hours for boardwalk with the help of a water taxi (10 minutes boat ride, one way) |
Length: |
3 km loop will take 1.5 hours (once on the island) |
Difficulty: |
Moderate, some boardwalks. Expect mud. |
| Map: | See bottom of page |
Details
In 1984, Meares Island was one of the early battlegrounds in the "War of the Woods." The Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Council strategically declared the entire Island a Tribal Park and gained an injunction against MacMillan Bloedel, who was prepared to log it. To this date, this injunction stands and the island is jointly administered by the Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousaht First Nations.
When you travel from Tofino to the start of this trail, you will pass over or around (depending on the tide)vast mud flats that are critical resting and feeding grounds on one of the major flyways of migrating birds on the west coast. Depending on the season, you will get to see trumpeter swans, Canada geese, great blue herons and bald eagles.
Just before you land on Meares, the last island that you pass on your left is Morpheus Island. This island has been used for centuries as a traditional tribal burial ground. More recently from the turn of the last century until the 1950's Morpheus Island was used as the official Tofino Cemetery. It is now under the guardianship of Tofino with the condition that no one else be buried there.
The start of the Big Tree Trail is initially boardwalk for the first forty minutes courtesy of a cooperative effort between First Nations and the Friends of Clayoquot Sound, but it quickly disappears and you are left to walk on a trail that varies depending on the weather and season. As you ascend a small hill, you will notice a wide body of water to your left-hand side that is Lemmen's Inlet. This inlet runs up the middle of Meares, which is a horseshoe shape; people often mistake this inlet as a passageway to the main island.
You will travel by several big cedars with girths of up to 60 feet wide. Although the Meares Cedar no longer holds the tallest cedar record, they do set the international record for largest trunk mass. The age of these trees is anywhere between 1000 and 1500 years old. These are some of the oldest and largest living life forms on earth. READ THAT LAST SENTENCE AGAIN.
To access this trail you will need to arrange for a guided kayak tour, charter or water taxi. Go to the public dock at the foot of First Street and ask around or make arrangements with one of the whale watching or sea kayaking companies in Tofino. Expect to pay about $20-$25 return for each person if you are taking a water taxi.
Please Note:
that when the boardwalk on the Meares Island trail ends, the trail gets tougher to navigate and hiking
in this section can cause fairly significant ecological damage if care is not taken to stay on the trail. We suggest
that you do not attempt the entire loop without the assistance of a local guiding or charter company.
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