Just past the vast, tree-lined expanse of Cameron Lake on Highway 4 beyond Coombs, the road runs into a dense forest of towering Douglas Fir.  This is Cathedral Grove.  The old-growth Douglas Fir, some 800 years old, cover a 30 acre (12 hectare) area.  It's a national heritage site.  Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park features fern laden, well marked trails meandering through the last accessible forest of giant fir trees in British Columbia.  It's a popular stop on the way to Port Alberni.

Della Falls

Strathcona Park, largest and oldest provincial park, is home to the highest waterfalls in North America and six of the seven tallest mountains on the island.  Della Falls at 1400 feet high, can be reached by a 16 km hike from the end of Great Central Lake which is located approx. 18 km from Port Alberni on the way to Sproat Lake.  You can get there by taking a boat to the end of Great Central Lake, then a moderately difficult hike.

Sproat Lake Provincial Park

Home of the Mars Water Bombers, this lake is located 13 kilometres west of Port Alberni, this provincial park is just off Highway 4 (The Pacific Rim Highway).  The lake is good for boating, water skiing, fishing and swimming, and has a boat launch, change houses, picnic areas, ample parking and 59 vehicle serviced campsites.  There are also trailer parks, resorts and boat rentals nearby.  A distinctive historical feature is the ancient Indian rock carvings, known as petroglyphs, which can be visited by trail through the park.

Martin Mars Water Bombers

The world's two surviving aircraft of their kind are moored on Sproat Lake and visible from the provincial park.   Their overall length is 36.6 meters with a wingspan of 61 meters.  The tanks in the bellies of these planes hold 27.21 tones  (27,210 litres) of water and they're used throughout the summer to fight forest fires all over the province.