Day 18: A bit against our will we left Green Point Campground in Ucluelet to our next destination, Miracle Beach Provincial Park with a visit to Cathedral Grove. Even though we wanted to stay longer, it was not possible because the campsite was fully booked. Our next camping was of course already booked and paid for. If I now think back of our tour, then this campsite and the beautiful unspoiled beach spontaneously comes to mind. I could stay there for a week or longer. After we had cleaned up everything we had to empty the waste tanks and refill water. The ride to Miracle Beach Provincial Park was 235 km / 146 mi long.
First refuel in Ucluelet
With the necessary stops on the way we tried to make the ride a bit more pleasant for our children. Before we could leave, we had to refuel the camper. We drove 7km and 7 km back via Peninsula Road to Co-op Cardlock petrol station in Ucluelet. The previous day we passed by this Co-op petrol station and I had better stopped than.
Sproat Lake
Once back at the intersection with Highway 4 we finally could start our journey. The first part is very tortuous. Jessica felt a bit nauseous at the start so I had to take the turns extra carefully. After 1.5u driving we stopped at Sproat Lake Provincial Park for a picnic and for swimming. The temperature that day fluctuated enormously. Green Point Campground had a morning temperature of 14 ° C, at the gas station it was already 21 ° C, then after an hour's drive the t ° went up more to 25 ° C and the afternoon temperature at Sproat Lake was a pleasant 31 ° C.
What a temperature difference
As a result, the water of Sproat Lake was warm enough for swimming. Later that afternoon the temperature would drop to 22 ° C at Miracle Beach Provincial Park. After lunch the children went into the water. I walked back to the camper to get Eli his goggles and scoop net, because he was still in fish mode. Unfortunately, I only saw a stone fish and for the rest we saw no other fish swimming. Probably the water along the edge of the lake was too hot and the fish were deeper. At 2 pm we left because the next stop was Cathedral Grove on 30 km drive.
Cathedral Grove - MacMillan Provincial Park
Cathedral Grove is located in MacMillan Provincial Park and is one of the easiest ways to admire the spectacular 100 meter high Douglas and Hemlocks on Vancouver Island. Some mastodons in the forest are more than 800 years old. In 1997, a storm has damaged the forest so badly that some parts are no longer accessible to the public. In the part south of the motorway there are mainly high Douglas firs, the largest of which has a circumference of 9 meters.
Cathedral Grove
In the northern part are mainly old Cedar trees. Beautiful paths have been created in both the north and south of highway 4. The short walks run in a loop. When we were there, there was a lot of people and we had to park along the busy road. There are portable toilets at the starting point of the walk. We found it a nice walk, but had a déjà vu feeling. The forest looked like Rainforest Trail A & B in the Pacific Rim National Park, but this does not detract from the fact that it is definitely worth a visit. It is always nice to see tall old trees.
After we had done the two parts of Cathedral Grove, we drove another 1.5u to arrive at Miracle Beach Provincial Park around 4.30 pm.
Miracle Beach Provincial Park
We had a quiet location (#44) not far from the entrance of the park. Once everything was secured (blocks under the wheels) and the "living room" was extended, we went to the beach. To reach the beach you have to walk outside the entrance of the Provincial Park Campground and cross the public parking lot via a stone path. The public beach is full of stones and it smelled like fish. Everywhere there was seaweed on the beach and I did not really like the sea to swim in. I also found the sea water very cold. Perhaps it was the tides, but the beach looked different from the photos on the internet.
Untouched beach
Eli & Tess did not really care and adapted to the situation. They crept over the pier made of rocks and again caught all kinds of fish and crabs for their bucket. I had brought a foldable camping chair for Jessica and she brought her book. At 6 pm it started to get fresher and I was glad that we had all brought our fleece. What a temperature difference with the inland. While you are driving, you sometimes see the temperature rise or fall by 10 ° in just half an hour. Once back at the mobile home we put the laundry in a bowl, because the t-shirts were all dirty. The only time we could use a washing machine was at Dutch Lake.
Gas (camp) fire worth considering
Meanwhile the children played around the camper between the trees and bushes. Here again we were not allowed to make a wood fire outside. But what was allowed, was to make a campfire with gas fires. From a distance it looks like an ordinary campfire with wood. We did not have such a gas fire, but you might want to rent one from the camper-companie and is definitely something to consider. We had hung the laundry on a cord to let it dry, but it was already too late and the clothes would not dry that day.
The next day we just left the laundry on the cord. After dinner we played Triominos (a kind of domino game) and went to sleep at 10 pm. The next day was a chill day and we went swimming, walking in the town of Campbell River and we visited the waterfalls of Elk Falls Provincial Park.
Campbell River & Elk Falls Provincial Park
Day 19: This day became a chill day and we went swimming, fishing, hiking in the town of Campbell River and visited the falls of Elk Falls Provincial Park.
Read moreDrive from Green Point Campground to Miracle Beach Provincial Park
- Road Trip West Canada & Vancouver Island
- Travel program overview
