Around this time of the year as it winds down, we're normally planning trips with our dog Markus. As with all things in the year 2020, things have been a little different and we haven't been allowed to take the usual trips we normally would. Especially during American Thanksgiving and, well, Black Friday, we probably would've made our way south of the border to do a bit of shopping.

Since travel restrictions have been in place, we've done our part by staying north of the border and traveling within the Canadian side of the Pacific Northwest. The silver lining in all of this is that we've gotten to explore some very specific areas that we might not have otherwise have thought of doing during more normal times.

On one of our recent long weekends, we made a trip down to Cowichan Lake to spend time by the lake and along the coast of Vancouver Island. On these types of updates, we would normally break down our accommodations and where we stayed, but we were fortunate enough to have spent our nights at a cabin that belonged to one of our friends. That said, we managed to squeeze in a lot of activities with our dog Markus that we'll be sharing with you about on this update!

About Cowichan Lake

Located towards the southern end and situated almost in the middle of the east and west coasts of Vancouver Island is Cowichan Lake. This large freshwater lake on British Columbia's island is a quiet getaway spot for locals in both the Victoria area and even for those coming from Vancouver. There are also plenty of communities built along Cowichan Lake including the small town of Lake Cowichan where you will find parks, restaurants and a lot more.

This area around Cowichan Lake was historically a centre for lumber and timber companies including rails to go in and out of the land around the lake. These rails have mostly been deserted and converted into major public trail systems today, one of which we drove on to get to our destinations.

Things to Do Around Cowichan Lake

There are a lot of things to do in the area immediately surrounding Cowichan Lake. Aside from the water activities like boating or canoeing on the lake, you can also visit the town and check out the restaurants in the area. One of our favourite spots in town was Jakes at the Lake, a casual dining restaurant that overlooks Cowichan Lake. For a quieter town, they were really busy, so it's worth making a reservation!

All of that said, the bulk of our activities during our stay at Cowichan Lake didn't occur by the lake. For us, we had another mission, which was to hit up multiple spots along the coast of Vancouver Island and staying at Cowichan Lake gave us the best opportunity to squeeze all of those activities in. From Cowichan Lake, we took Pacific Marine Rd. towards the southern coast of Vancouver Island where we spent our day chasing waterfalls, pizzas and beaches.

Please note that depending on the time of the year you're visiting, be sure to check out the conditions of Pacific Marine Rd. ahead of time. It is an incredibly windy drive (Markus was a trooper in the car) and you will need the right tires for getting through especially if there's mud and snow. Through our initial research before going, a lot of drivers mentioned this stretch being slightly intimidating because of how narrow it is and the other drivers. I will say that while the drive felt safe, it is mostly single lane, so if you find that other drivers are pressuring you to go faster than you're comfortable with, just find a spot to signal and pull over to let them pass.

Also be aware that there's little to no reception as you're making your way through Pacific Marine Rd. and along the bottom coast of Vancouver Island. You will want to download a map and all hiking tips ahead of time if you're planning on relying on your phone. In our case, we had pockets of reception, but we also connected to the US providers, which was annoying when we had to call in and fight the long distance charges after the fact even though we never left Canada, but that's besides the point.

Assuming you're coming from Cowichan Lake and driving through Pacific Marine Rd., the following activities are listed out in order of what you will see first. Obviously, it'll be in the reverse order if you're coming from Victoria or alternatively, you can shoot all the way through to the last stop and work your way back towards Cowichan Lake.

Fairy Lake Bonsai Tree

The first stop will be mostly for you and not really something you'll be able to do with your dog. Towards the end of your drive on Pacific Marine Rd. at roughly 30-40 minutes in, there is a famous but lonely little bonsai tree that tourists come out to see right on the northern edge of Fairy Lake. What makes this tree so unique is that it is growing on a log that's sticking out in the middle of the lake. Seeing this tree that's full of life growing out of a dead log that's submerged in the still water makes for a uniquely serene scene that photographers attempt to capture.

Since the tree is close to the edge of Fairy Lake, you can find a safe spot to pull over to the side of Pacific Marine Rd. to see the tree. Since it's on the roadside without appropriate parking and because you can't actually get very close to the tree since it's covered by tall grass, it won't be much of an experience for your dog and you will most likely have to get out of your car and walk a little bit to get a good view of it.

If you're planning on making the stop to capture photos of this tree, you'll need something that'll allow you to zoom in closer since you won't be able to get up close in person!

Bonus: Upper Avatar Grove

One of the stops that we didn't have time to make was at Upper Avatar Grove just past Fairy Lake and before branching off towards Port Renfrew. It was a little bit out of the way for us on this particular trip and we weren't able to squeeze it into our schedule, but this stop is known for Canada's Gnarliest Tree. We looked at some pictures and the tree is indeed quite gnarly, but unfortunately we weren't able to see it in person.

Port Renfrew & Botanical Beach

After about an 45 minutes of driving along Pacific Marine Rd., the road will eventually branch out towards BC-Hwy 14, also known as West Coast Rd. We will be going along this road and spending the majority of our time here as we hit the stops along the coast.

But just before going onto Highway 14, there is a stop at the little town of Port Renfrew, which is connected to the beginning (or the end, depending on which way you're coming from) of Highway 14. If you're in need of a rest to stretch your legs or some food, this is the perfect stop. We ended up stopping at Government Dock where there were some cute cottages along the dock and some restaurants in the area for a quick bite!

While we were in the Port Renfrew area, we had also planned to make a stop at Botanical Beach. Unfortunately, we were abruptly halted at the entrance of the park with a sign stating that the park was temporarily closed due to "problem" bears in the area. We weren't able to make the stop to Botanical Beach this time around, so we hope to visit it again in the future.

Sombrio Beach

Heading onto Highway 14, we made our way towards our first major stop at Sombrio Beach. This location ended up being our favourite stop on the day because of a surprise waiting for you at the end. Sombrio Beach is known for its surfer, but this surprise is relatively unknown - even for those who are hanging out at the beach! We did a full in-depth explanation about our experience at Sombrio Beach with our dog and how to access this secret, but stunning view from the beach.

Mystic Beach

Back driving on Highway 14, another stop that we made was Mystic Beach. This is a stop for anyone (and their dogs) looking to do a hike and the path takes you down to a beautiful beach with cascading cliffs below. The hike itself has some steep parts, so while it is relatively easy to do, there are some things to look out for. There were also a lot of other hikers and plenty of campers who had set up their tents along the beach.

If you're planning on doing this hike, be sure to set some time aside. In total, the hike and spending some time at the beach took over 2 hours. You can find our full breakdown on the hike going down toward Mystic Beach here.

Bonus: Stoked Wood Fired Pizzeria and Market

Depending on the time of the day and week, you'll want to consider making a stop at Stoked Wood Fired Pizzeria and Market, which is a little bit past Mystic Beach along Highway 14. Right off of the road, this is a hidden spot for pizza with great reviews on Google. Unfortunately for us, they have very specific hours (of the day and week) that they are open, so we didn't get the opportunity to actually try their pizza.

Following the reviews of the restaurant, plenty of people have mentioned that they had to wait in line for nearly an hour for their order so if you're planning to make a stop, be sure to appropriately plan it into your schedule.

Disclaimer

Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.

Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.