Grove Of Giants - Cheewhat Lake Cedar
Posted by: 
Kiwibirdman
N 48° 41.699 W 124° 44.374
10U E 371991 N 5395009
Quick Description: A definite place to stop if you're on your way to Carmanah-Walbran Provincial Park. Parking is just off Rosander Main.
At the above co-ordinates just within the boundaries of Pacific Rim National Park stands Canada's largest Red Cedar.
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 11/17/2009 5:37:14 PM
Waymark Code: WM7PBT
Views: 2
Long Description:Less than 100 km, as the eagle flies, from Sooke lives Canada's
largest known tree, the Cheewhat Lake Cedar. This Western red cedar
(Thuja plicata - thoo-yuh ply-kay-tuh) is 18.34 m/60.2 ft in
circumference and 55.5 m/182 ft in height. It is the second largest
known tree of its type on the planet. The largest cedar is the
Quinault Lake Cedar on the Olympic Peninsula over the Juan de Fuca
Strait from Sooke.
After a hike to the Cheewhat Lake Cedar, tree pilgrims are often
left feeling speechless. It is difficult to achieve a sense of
proportion around such a massive living thing. The Cheewhat Cedar
is often described as "a wall of wood." This wall is old, with
estimates ranging upwards of 2500 years, and still growing.
Vancouver Island is in the middle of Western red cedar range.
The island is prime territory for these slow growing, long lived,
droopy, fragrant trees. Fittingly, the Western red cedar is British
Columbia's official tree.