Great Local Hikes - PARKS & TRAILS
Roberts Memorial Provincial Park – Very Close to our condo
Roberts Memorial Park is located 15 km south of Nanaimo on central Vancouver Island. From Hwy 1 take the Cedar Road exit, then turn on Yellow Point Road. Follow signs to the park. An easy 1.6-kilometer trail through mature forest leads to the rocky beach, which offers good opportunities for wildlife viewing. This park is a great place to hike and easy path to the flat stone beach on the ocean. Along the way you will see huge ferns, wildflowers and trees. This park is a great place to spend a warm sunny afternoon enjoying the water.
Head out on this 1.6-km out-and-back trail near Nanaimo A, British Columbia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 21 min to complete. This trail is great for birding, fishing, and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are March through September. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
Roberts Memorial Park Trail is an easy fast trail down to the water. Visitors will have access to the shoreline with benches available for resting and enjoying the view. Please respect sea life and follow Fishing/crabbing regulations! The rock formations of the shoreline make for some fun, albeit slippery, scrambling. You might be able to get close enough to the water to see starfish and if you're lucky, perhaps a seal! Very serene with gorgeous views!
The park contains unique sandstone ledges. These ledges are part of the geological heritage of Vancouver Island and represent ancient sea beds. The ledges serve as a haul-out location for sea lions.
When leaving the condo just turn right and drive for approximately 1 km. Roberts Memorial is on your right.
Hemer Provincial Park, Nanaimo, BC
Located on Holden Lake south of Nanaimo, this forested park is popular with local residents, who mainly come here to explore the extensive trail system. The marsh area at Hemer Park is also a favourite destination for bird watchers and ornithologists. A viewing platform over the marsh, approximately one kilometre from the parking lot, provides the opportunity to observe various types of ducks, Trumpeter swans, Bald eagles and turkey vultures, as well as beavers. Try this 4.2-km loop trail near Nanaimo A, British Columbia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 56 min to complete. This is a popular trail for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
This trail offers beautiful views of the marsh on one side and the lake on the other. Keep an eye out for tree roots when close to the lake. The trails are well maintained, and wide enough for multiple people to walk beside each other. There are more side trails to explore in the interior of the park. The parking lot is big enough for about nine cars and parking can be found on the shoulder as well.
Yellow Point Park, Yellow Point Road, North Oyster, BC
Yellow Point Park is located in North Oyster in the Yellow Point area. The park offers loop trails and a connection to Barney Road. The trail is moderate in difficulty and is approximately 4 Kilometres in length. The YellowPoint Ecological Reserve to the North is not open to the public. Get to know this 5.3-km loop trail near North Oyster/Yellow Point, British Columbia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 18 min to complete. This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The best times to visit this trail are February through October.
This is a gorgeous little loop, taking you through multiple interesting biogeoclimatic zones and also some really unique glaciated sandstone ridges. The trail goes through lots of lush greenery and beautiful sights. Unfortunately parts of this trail are not kid or stroller friendly and the signage could be better.
Neck Point Park – Nanaimo BC
This is one of the more popular beach seeing marine parks. Neck Point Park is home to a family of sandy beaches including Sunset Beach, Last Beach, Indian Beach and Finn Beach. There are picnic tables, shelters and pit toilets near the beach locations and trailheads. At the trailheads in the park there are information billboards and trail map signs. The trails are short and many loop together. Most of the trails follow along a gravel route with some sections of the trail consisting of boardwalk and stairs.
Travel to the community of Nanaimo, BC. Continue traveling through the community along Highway #19A (Terminal Avenue) to Departure Bay Road. Turn onto Departure Bay Road and continue driving until you reach Hammond Bay Road (located right beside Departure Bay Beach). Turn up Hammond Bay Road and travel to Morningside Drive. Turn here for the park.
Explore this 2.9-km loop trail near Nanaimo C, British Columbia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 44 min to complete. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.
There are lots of trails to explore both on the perimeter and in the interior of Neck Point Park. Some have lots of stairs but there are some that are wheelchair and stroller friendly. There are beautiful ocean views along some nicely curated trails with sections of boardwalk, perfect for a nature stroll.
Bowen Park – Nanaimo BC
Bowen Park is a large greenspace that has forest and a river, but has also been developed in other places with a recreation center, two BBQ pavilions (both with children's playgrounds), disc golf course, two pedestrian bridges, impressive rhododendron gardens, a pool, horseshoes, lawn bowling, tennis, sand volleyball courts, curling, lacrosse, a duck pond, fish ladder and more.
Get to know this 2.3-km loop trail near Nanaimo, British Columbia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 33 min to complete. This is a popular trail for hiking and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The best times to visit this trail are January through October. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
This is a nice and easy trail through Bowen Park, great for a walk with kids or pets. There's tons to explore along the trail, including waterfalls along the river, a duck pond, bridges, and lots of beautiful rhododendrons. Make sure go all the way along the river to view all of the little waterfalls and beautiful scenery!
Located at 500 Bowen Road, Nanaimo
Cable Bay Nature Trail – Cedar BC
Cable Bay Trail winds its way down to the oceanfront overlooking Gabriola Island and back towards the Nanaimo harbour. The forested trail is just under 2 km long and is one of Nanaimo's designated dog off-leash parks. The trail is steep in sections, but the views waiting at the bottom make the effort worthwhile! Also watch the boats make their way through Dodds narrows!
Explore this 2.9-km loop trail near Nanaimo C, British Columbia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 44 min to complete. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.
There are lots of trails to explore both on the perimeter and in the interior of Neck Point Park. Some have lots of stairs but there are some that are wheelchair and stroller friendly. There are beautiful ocean views along some nicely curated trails with sections of boardwalk, perfect for a nature stroll.
Located at: 2645, 2705 Nicola Rd, Nanaimo
Goldstream Park – Niagara Falls – Malahat Highway
The treasure we found was yet another majestic Vancouver Island waterfall. The Goldstream Park Niagara Falls Waterfall (47.6 meters tall).
• 1 hour and 30 minutes South from Nanaimo
• The waterfall and parking lots for the falls are just off the Malahat highway. The Malahat is the only highway that will get you over the mountain pass when driving between Victoria and Nanaimo. There are two parking lots that give you easy access to Goldstream Park Niagara Falls. One coming from the North and the other from the South. If you are travelling from the Nanaimo side of the mountain pass and going South, then park at the first unmarked parking area on the side of the road as you are coming up to Goldstream Park. Head North down the trail and you will quickly see the dry river bed in the non-rainy season. If it’s the rainy-season take the trail on the side of the running stream. The waterfall is a very short walk from where you parked your car. Enjoy!
Englishman River Falls – Nanaimo BC
Situated along the pristine Englishman River north of Nanaimo, Englishman River Falls Provincial Park features two stunning waterfalls cascading along the descending riverbed into a deep canyon.
This picturesque destination, set amid a lush old-growth and second-growth forest of Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock and maple, is an ideal location from which to explore and appreciate the incredible diversity of south central Vancouver Island, including nearby Cathedral Grove, the Pacific Rim, and the sandy shores of Parksville and Qualicum.
The park has a large day-use area and campground and contains several hiking trails that meander through the forest and along the river. Visitors can expect spectacular views along the way, particularly from two bridges that cross the river where it plunges down the narrow rock canyon toward quieter waters below. The lower falls end in a deep crystal-clear pool – an ideal swimming hole in the summer when river levels are low and a great place to view spawning salmon in the fall.
Location: Englishman River Falls Provincial Park is located 13 km southwest of Parksville on central Vancouver Island. Take Errington Road off Highway 4, toward Port Alberni. Directional signs are posted on main highways. Nearby communities include: Parksville, Qualicum, Coombs, Errington, Nanaimo.
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