Avatar Grove

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Special Advisory

The boardwalks and wooden stairs in Avatar Grove have been damaged and the area has been closed by Recreation Sites & Trails BC since 2022.

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Overview

Avatar Grove is located north of Port Renfrew and is the site of several giant Western Red Cedar and Douglas Fir trees that are off-limits to logging. The ancient trees are enormous and are estimated to be 500 - 1000 years old.

The hike is divided into an Upper and Lower route, both of which are beautiful. The Upper portion is about 1.5km (return) with 60 meters elevation gain, while the lower route is a loop that is about 850 meters (return) with 30 meters of elevation change.

Upper Avatar Grove

The upper section of trail follows an uphill route to a viewing platform at the base of a giant Western Red Cedar tree, known as the "Gnarliest Tree". The trail follows several wooden stairs uphill and, while the route is easy to follow, there are several very slippery sections and places where you will have to climb over fallen trees.

The giant Western Red Cedar tree is impressive in comparison to the other trees around it. The uniquely shaped tree has a circumference of over 11 meters (37 feet).

Lower Avatar Grove

The lower Avatar Grove trail descends from the forestry road steeply and has several muddy sections. As the trail levels, there is a junction which marks the start and end of the loop. Along the loop, you pass several large trees including a couple of huge Douglas Fir trees.

There is no preferred direction for walking the loop but most end up doing it in a counter-clockwise direction. During the fall, winter, and spring months, the trail can be extremely muddy in sections with mud puddles above hiking boot height.

After completing the loop, return back to the forestry road by walking back up the steep hill.

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Driving Directions

Avatar Grove is located north of the community of Port Renfrew, BC, and the forestry road can be rugged in some places. It's recommended to have a vehicle with higher clearance than a car due to some of the bumpy sections along the forest road.

Driving from Port Renfrew, follow Deering Road and cross the Deering Bridge to the junction with Pacific Marine Road. Go left at the junction, and follow the road past the Marina and RV Park.

The road becomes the Gordon River Mainline, which is like a forestry road. At a junction, go left and cross the big bridge over the Gordon River. Continue following the forest road until you cross another bridge over Baird Creek. After crossing the small bridge, look for parking and there are trailheads to the Upper Avatar Grove on the left and Lower Avatar Grove on the right.

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Additional Information

Dog-Friendly

Dogs are allowed but the trail can be rugged and muddy in sections, so keep dogs close and under control.

Toilets

There are no outhouse facilities near the Avatar Grove trail.

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