The Cowichan Valley Trail will take you from Duncan through Lake Cowichan and down past the Kinsol Trestle following former CN and E&N railway lines. With many access points and 8 trestles, it's a beautiful trail to walk, jog or bike. From the Island Spirit Team, we hope you enjoy your time in the Cowichan Valley.
All the Island Spirit Legacy Caches are within a 2 steps of the trail, unless otherwise noted. There is no need to bushwack or trample the vegetation.
Western Red Cedar
Western Red Cedar is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family native to Vancouver Island. Though commonly called a cedar, it does not belong to the scientific family of trees that are classified as "true cedars". It is the Provincial tree of British Columbia, and has extensive applications for the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest. The wood has been used for constructing housing, totem poles, and crafted into many objects, including masks, utensils, boxes, boards, instruments, canoes, vessels, and ceremonial objects. Roots and bark were used for baskets, ropes, clothing, blankets and rings. Woodworking tools dating between 5000–8000 years ago, such as carved antlers, were discovered in shell middens near Vancouver. A legend amongst the Coast Salish peoples describes the origins of the Western Red Cedar in which there was a generous man who gave the people whatever they needed. When the Great Spirit saw this, he declared that when the generous man died, a great red cedar tree will grow where he is buried, and that the cedar will be useful to all the people; providing its roots for baskets bark for clothing, and wood for shelter.