Cowichan Valley F, British Columbia

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...

The Maple Mountain trail network has been enjoyed for countless years by hikers, but not until recently did the mountain receive the attention it deserved for mountain biking. Over the last few years the Cowichan Trail Stewardship Society in conjunction with the approval of the local municipality...

Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park is just off the #4 highway on your way out to Port Alberni. Simply look for the signs indicating Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, and you will turn into the park before Cameron Lake.Easily accessible by everyone, this park can get busy in the summer mon...

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 ...

Introduction:My friends and I decided to head out to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) from Philadelphia to do some backpacking and beach camping.  We choose Shi Shi Beach for it's terrific beach camping and extraordinary photography potential.  Here is a rundown of the out and back, 2-night backpackin...

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...

Salt spring island has plenty of amazing put in points for an afternoon of sea kayaking, but the ganges harbour is sheltered and easily accessible.For the put in points you have two options: The salt spring marina or churchill beach. Churchill beach would be the easier of the two with the added b...

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 ...

Does your sole need heeling? If you can muster the feet you may just meet Old Mother Hubbard. To get there take Highway 4 / The Pacific Rim Highway west out of Port Alberni towards Tofino. After the second bridge, take your third right onto Central Lake Road approximately 5.3 miles. The Great Cen...

The Sooke Hills is a geographic region of low hills with elevations between 350m (Mt. Wells) to a high of 682m (Mt. Empress), located in the area bounded on three sides by Highway 1 to the east, Highway 14 to the south and the Sooke River to the west. Though heavily logged 100+ years ago, in the ...