Just a glimpse of the view from the first floor…doesn’t nearly do it justice.
I want to share a story about a hidden treehouse I found in the woods one day.
I’m always on the lookout for treehouses in my neighbourhood. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and find a little treehouse someone’s built in the backyard.
I used to always dread biking over to this particular friend’s place, because there are a lot of major hills and dips between us. I’d always end up a sweat fest when I finally arrived.
Then a friend told me about a bike path along the water that would get me there. I took it and to my great surprise found that the route went through a forest I didn’t even know existed.
The path was tranquil, and offered gorgeous views of the ocean. It was also much flatter and got me there in half the time.
Naturally I was ecstatic. But the best was yet to come on my third or fourth time using the path. As I pedalled wide-eyed through this newly-discovered forest, my eye caught an impossible shape through the trees.
I slowed down and approached what looked like a 2-storey wooden structure. Could it be a hidden treehouse? To my amazement, yes! Just off the path, looking out over a sweeping ocean vista was a hidden treehouse that climbed 30 feet up into the trees.
A wide, rudimentary ladder beckoned and I couldn’t resist. Testing the ladder made of 2-by-4s, I found it to be very solid. I climbed up to the first level and found it to be just as stable. The beam and plywood platform featured bench seating and a railing to lean against while looking out over a dramatic drop down to sea level and that expansive view of the water. Breathtaking!
The second level was a small space that would comfortably fit 2 and intimately squeeze 3 or 4. The land plummeted a couple hundred feet to the ocean, starting just below the base of the tree. Looking out from the second floor made me feel dizzy with the feeling of being at a great height.
The wood in this hidden treehouse was strong. Everything rots quickly in the Vancouver climate with its temperate weather and its abundant rains. This told me that whoever built this structure — and it’s enough of an undertaking that I am convinced it is a group rather than an individual — either did so in the last couple of years or has been on top of the upkeep.
Either way, I am humbled and immensely grateful when I think of the monumental task and expense involved in transporting all that wood into the forest to build this two-storey hidden treehouse that’s open to all who find her.
Since discovering this gem of a treehouse, I’ve biked by and seen a couple of bikes parked on the side of the path and heard voices nearby and overhead. I smile knowing that others share the offerings of this hidden treehouse known about by a relative few.
Insider’s bonus: If you live near Vancouver, British Columbia, or will be travelling here and want to know where it is, drop me a line and I’ll fill you in!
Have you ever stumbled upon a hidden treehouse? Tell us about it below!
Opening image: Kyle Pearce
Second image: ttcopley