Cowichan Valley F, British Columbia

On the island of West Bamfield, accessible only by foot and by taking a ferry from East Bamfield, itself only accessible via a 60 mile brutal dirt road from Port Alberni, is a taste of the free-wheeling, regulations-be-damned old-Vancouver-Island-made-manifest in an epic rope swing that hurls its...

I have lived on Vancouver Island my entire life yet I had never heard about this world class trail until last summer.  A 24km point to point coastal trail that travels the length of the Alberni Inlet from the coast right to the town? Through paradise meadows, along sun drenched bluffs, past water...

Far on the west coast of Vancouver Island, accessed only by a harrowing dirt road, is a wild and rugged coast begging to be explored. Bamfield is about a 3 hour drive from Nanaimo, half of which is on the gnarliest (and most active) logging road I've ever been on - and I grew up driving on loggin...

Amazing lookout just outside of Parksville, British Columbia. From Parksville, drive towards Coombs and turn left off of Bellevue Rd. Then take the left onto Little Mountain Road and drive to the top parking lot. You can park at the bottom of the hill and run up the steep incline in case your car...

Cape Flattery, the most northwesterly point of the lower contiguous 48 states is accessed via an easy trail which includes many board walks and sets of stairs. Maintained by the Makah Tribe of Indains, the trail provides spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, Tatoosh Island, nearby rocky cliffs...

You can easily put Sugarloaf Mountain Park into your GPS when in Nanaimo, but lets, just say you have an old school map. First make your way from the Island Highway onto Departure Bay Rd. Just before you get to Hammond Bay Rd turn onto Little John Way and take your first left, then take your firs...

The Kinsol Trestle is a highlight of the Cowichan Valley Trail, which travels from Shawnigan Lake to Lake Cowichan and then onward to Duncan. The trestle is easily reached via a 1.3km, wheelchair accessible section of the CVT from the trailhead on Renfew Road. Originally built in 1911 for the r...

The Hole in The Wall is located just outside the city of Port Alberni, British Columbia. The day hike is easy enough to bring kids on the adventure, is dog friendly and offers a beautiful view of some of Port Alberni's history. Previous to the 1960's, the Hole In The Wall was the opening for a pi...

This park is a great stop right on the side of highway 4 heading to or from the Tofino area. If you are heading to Tofino on Vancouver Island, this park is hard to miss. There are signs for it and easy parking on the side of the highway. There are two loop trails on either side of the highway, an...

Firstly, use google maps to take you to Stephenson Rd in Nanaimo. About a mile down, the road forks, follow the left road (It says no exit, but the road just ends at a property so you will need to turn around to get back out). Continue down the road another half mile or so and you will see a smal...

There is a reason the town of Cowichan Bay is a popular destination for visitors and locals alike. The town boasts stunning views across the bay, of the Cowichan River estuary, the beautiful marina, and has a variety of restaurants, a candy shop and bakery. Start off by grabbing a bite to eat at ...

Shi Shi offers an incredible reward for those who feel like venturing out a bit further and reaching a less accessible beach on the Olympic Coast, just be sure to time your hike with the low tide! The trail starts off near the fish hatchery on the Makah Indian Reservation. To get there from Port ...

Lasqueti Island is a beautiful island that covers about 75 square kilometres.  It is one of the drier islands in the strait, and has some of the warmest waters too. The shores are dotted with arbutus trees, and feral sheep run wild through the woods. The lack of car ferry and direct utilities kee...

From Ganges head south on Fulford-ganes road toward Fulfrod harbour. Turn right on Dukes road then a right on Seymour Heights. Seymour Heights turns into a dirt road, with a number of pot holes but nothing a non 4x4 car can't handle. At the trail head there is a small turn around and not a ton of...

The Sooke Potholes seem to have something for everyone. Those seeking quick and easy beach access can enjoy short, well-groomed trails that lead straight to the pebble beaches from each of this spot’s multiple parking lots. There are also a number of paths leading to viewpoints overlooking the ri...

There are many places to see the Salmon making their yearly return to spawning sites. This year while living on Vancouver Island I could not pass on the chance to marvel at this amazing sight. I decided to head to Stamp River to catch the run and was not disappointed, in fact it was so amazing I ...