Photo: Ben GiesbrechtPort Renfrew, BC

Gordon River & Tall Trees

A ride described at Bike Gear Database

How we describe routes →

Challenging Demanding on several fronts at once, or a lot of riding on busy roads.

Difficulty Our overall read of how demanding a route is. We score surface roughness, climbing, singletrack, and how far it runs from services. The route publisher's own rating, a lot of busy road riding, or sheer scale can push the tier up, never down.

Derived from OpenStreetMap. Good data, not perfect. Spot something wrong? Tell us.

How we describe routes →

From Lake Cowichan, this 123 km mixed-surface ride crosses to Port Renfrew and back through some of the island's most storied country: ancient forest, crystal-clear rivers, and long quiet logging-road stretches. About 3,200 m of climbing and remote in the middle, so carry what you need. The tall trees are not a figure of speech.

Get the route on Bike Gear Database →Free route map on Ride with GPS ↗

Where this ride goes#

Approximate lineGet the real route ↗

Map key & layers

Show stops Mute other bike trails

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodation

Riding near fast trafficFastest stretches

Dashed line = our rough sketch of where the ride goes. The rideable route lives at get the route from Bike Gear Database.

Fast-road stretches#

We believe these are the fast, unprotected roads on this route. We can tell you which roads and roughly how far, but not the order you will ride them. If you see an error, tell us and we'll fix it.

about 50 km of Pacific Marine Road · near Mesachie Lake
about 9 km of South Shore Road · near Mesachie Lake

☕Stops worth stopping for23 along this route

Big Lonely Doug: Canada's second-largest Douglas-fir, standing alone in a 2011 clearcut. · Port Renfrew

Eden Grove: Boardwalk walk through ancient redcedars beside Big Lonely Doug. · Port Renfrew

Communities along this route#

Lake Cowichan 16 Port Renfrew 6 Honeymoon Bay 1

Lake Cowichan (16)

Kaatza Station Museum & ArchivesWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · $$

Riverside InnInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

Island Pastry HausWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Jake's at the LakeWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Best Buy Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Country GrocerInfo· Grocery Store

Cowichan Lake Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

Cowichan Lake Sports ArenaInfo· Community Centre · $

River CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

The Butler's Pantry Bake ShopWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, Subway, Tim Hortons

+3 more in Lake Cowichan →

Port Renfrew (6)

Big Lonely DougInfo· Activity / Experience · Free

Eden GroveInfo· Activity / Experience · Free

Lizard Lake Recreation SiteInfo· Public Campground

Fairy Lake CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Lizard Lake CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Port Renfrew RV ParkInfo· Private Campground

Honeymoon Bay (1)

Honeymoon Bay Food & General StoreInfo· Convenience Store

Slice and dice these stops in the directory →

These stops come from our directory of welcoming places across BC. Spot something wrong, missing, or closed? Tell us and we'll fix it.

⛴Getting here, bike and allLake Cowichan

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

Lake Cowichan is the handiest transit doorway for this ride. Buses and ferries will carry you and your bike there:

Ladysmithbest: bus
Nanaimobest: bus
Victoriabest: bus
Vancouverbest: ferry + bus

Also on the bike-transit map: Port Renfrew

Or pick any two places on To & Fro →

🪶Traditional territories

This route travels through the traditional territories of the Á,LEṈENEȻ ȽTE (W̱SÁNEĆ), Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, ditidaqiic̓aq disib̓aʔk (Ditidaht), Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat), Pacheedaht, Quw’utsun, Te’mexw Treaty Association, and Ts’uubaa-asatx.

Territory data from Native Land Digital, for educational purposes only.

Ready to ride it?

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