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"Every time I see an
adult
on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human
race."
-- H. G. Wells Click
here to view a
Google Map of all Cowichan Bicycle Trips
Click on a route for detailed information and maps The Cowichan Valley offers fabulous opportunities for bicycling. The following detailed route descriptions have been contributed by local commuters and recreational cyclists to aid both visitors and local people. For significant hikes along these routes or to learn about opportunities to carry your bicycle on a bus, visit Cowichan by Bus and Boot. Visit our Links page for information about local parks and trails.
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Safety notes
Wear
a helmet, stay alert, obey
the law!
Route maps have been colour-coded to indicate the approximate degree of risk. Red indicates routes with moderate to heavy traffic, moderate to high speeds, and where bicycles are sharing the road with motor vehicles. Stay very alert on these roads or, if possible, avoid them altogether. Blue indicates two types of roads, suitable for cycling with older children who will ride carefully and follow instructions roads with light to moderate traffic where bicycles are sharing the road with motor vehicles. busy highways with dedicated bicycle lanes Green indicates two types of roads roads with moderate traffic and a dedicated bicycle lane at least 2 metres wide off-road cycling, as on the Cowichan Valley Trail, which is suitable for cycling with very young children |
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list of all the bike trips with short descriptions: Ride: Trans-Canada Trail / Cowichan Valley Trail / Spirit of 2010 Trail Distance: Maybe 60 km? Terrain: On the railway bed except for a few small hills and a very rough section by the Kinsol Trestle Safety: Safe off-road cycling. Suitable for children. Dangerous section by the Kinsol Trestle. Surface: Hard dirt, some sand, rocks, and gravel, but OK for a hybrid bike. Features: The most fabulous ride in the Cowichan region. Ride: Duncan access Distance: up to 3 km Estimated Time: up to 15 minutes to get in or out of town. Terrain: mostly flat, one steep hill Safety: mostly very hazardous. Lots of traffic, no bike lanes, parked cars Surface: Paved Features: Downtown Duncan is delightful, and there are nearby attractions and services, but getting in and out of town is neither relaxing nor safe. Ride: Estuary connector Distance: 6.6 km each way Estimated Time: less than 30 minutes Terrain: gently rolling to flat Safety: Use caution going Cowichan Bay to Duncan, use even more going the other way Surface: Paved Features: Busy country roads, then the frontage road on the Trans Canada Highway, at the end a ride by the Cowichan River. Ride: Genoa Bay spur Distance: 16 km, 8 km each way Estimated Time: 1 - 3 hours Terrain: steeply rolling Safety: Very narrow country road, care required Surface: Paved Features: Visually stunning: incredible views of farmland, cliffs, and water. Visit to a tiny isolated yacht harbour. Steep, narrow, and winding country road. Ride: Glenora Connector Distance: about 8 km one way Estimated Time: about 30 minutes or more Terrain: Moderate rolling except for steep hills near the Duncan (east) end. Safety: Country roads without bike lanes, sometimes busy. Use caution, especially near the Duncan end. Surface: Paved. Features: Connects Downtown Duncan to the Glenora access to the Trans Canada Trail. An attractive ride through farmland. Several wineries along the way. Ride: Koksilah loop Distance: about 26 km Estimated Time: 2 hours to all day Terrain: Nearly flat for half, rolling countryside for half. Safety: Country roads without bike lanes, but not very busy. Use caution, especially near the Duncan ends. Surface: Paved. Features: An attractive (and almost level) ride in the estuary, the interesting village of Cowichan Bay, and an attractive ride through farmland. Ride: Quamichan Lake loop Distance: 18 km Estimated Time: 1 hour to all day Terrain: Moderate Rolling Safety: Safe with a few hazardous sections Surface: Mostly paved. Features: Opportunities for wildlife and nature viewing, a wonderful shingle beach, and a ride through attractive farmland with beautiful mountain views. Access to Genoa Bay spur. Ride: Somenos Lake loop Distance: 14 km Estimated Time: 1 hour to all day Terrain: Moderate Rolling Safety: Safe with a few hazardous sections Surface: Paved. Features: Opportunities for wildlife and nature viewing, Forest Discovery Centre, Farmers' Market on Saturday, ride through attractive rural land with beautiful mountain views. |
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Quamichan Lake Loop
The
trip
begins at the Tzouhalem (tzoo-HAY-lem) Road Roundabout, where it
intersects the Tzouhalem Road-Cowichan Bay loop. Except for a few
short sections, this is a very
safe and peaceful ride in spite of moderate traffic on some of the
roads. It is recommended that riders go in the counterclockwise
direction described below, as about 5 km of Lakes Road, which can be
very busy, only has a bike lane on one side.
0.0 km. Tzouhalem Road Roundabout. Go north on Maple Bay Road. 0.1 km. Spur. Maple Bay Road curves to the right, but get in the left turn lane and go straight on Indian Road for a 0.7 km spur to Art Mann Park. The park features a playground and picnic tables. It is a great place for birding (ducks, geese, swans, coots, and many others) and has a view of beautiful Quamichan Lake. Return to Maple Bay Road and turn left. 0.2 km. Spur. Right turn for a short spur to St. Peter's Churchyard where you will see old Oregon Ash trees and, in the spring, many wildflowers. 2.9 km. Kingsview Road. Turn right for the steep ride to the Mt. Tzouhalem Wildflower Reserve and hiking trails. See the Bus and Bike guide for details. 3.3 km. Quamichan Inn Restaurant and Bed & Breakfast 3.4 km. Penfold Farm Bed & Breakfast 4.4 km. Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve. This is a great place to view native plants, insects, and birds, but it is not open to the public. You can get a good view of the wildflowers and trees from the viewing platform by the road or by backtracking to Aitken Road and walking along the periphery of the preserve. The preserve features frequent volunteer work parties and sometimes offers tours to the public, see www.naturecowichan.net for current information. Acquisition of the preserve was a joint project of the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Cowichan Community Land Trust, a member of Nature Cowichan. 5.4 km Genoa Bay Road. Ignore the sign that says Genoa Bay 8 km and continue on Maple Bay Road. 6.1 km. Spur. At Herd Road, continue
down the hill 0.1 km. Turn right on Chisholm Trail for the Genoa Bay spur (see separate description)
or continue 0.2 km straight down the hill to Maple Bay beach. The
shingle
beach features a memorable view, a government dock, and the Grapevine
Restaurant. To the north is a small park with change rooms and a
swimming float (in the summer) and a waterfront pub, the Brigantine.
6.1 km. Left on Herd Road. There is no bike lane for about 200 metres, so use caution. 6.3 km. Small park with a playground, tennis courts, and a dog park. The bike lane begins again here. 8.8 km. Junction. Osborn Bay Road to Crofton and the ferry to Saltspring Island. This is a narrow winding road with lots of traffic and an almost non-existent bike lane, so use caution. 9.5 km. North Haven Bed & Breakfast. 9.6 km. Spur. Left on Pioneer Road. This dirt road goes 0.3 km to the lovely and peaceful Methodist Pioneer Cemetery. 10.3 km. On the left is the Cowichan Rugby Club, on the right is the Pacific Northwest Raptor Flying Centre. 10.5 km. Junction. Richard's Trail. This is a beautiful and quiet ride which bypasses Crofton, so it provides an attractive route to Chemainus. A great place for birding. 10.6 km. Left on Lakes Road. 14.1 km. Right on Townend Road, a firm dirt road. 14.7 km. Left on a small short path, then right on York Road. 15.1 km. Somenos Garry Oak Protected Area. This is the same endangered Garry Oak ecosystem which is protected by the Garry Oak Preserve, but you are allowed to enter this one. A walk through the Area will be rewarded by views of native wildflowers and birds. Two members of Nature Cowichan help to protect this area: The Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society cares for the ajoining wetlands and the Cowichan Community Land Trust supports volunteers who patrol and care for the Area. 15.1 km. Backtrack on York Road to Trillium Terrace. 15.3 km. Right on Trillium Terrace. 16.1 km. Right on Lakes Road. There is no bike lane and lots of traffic here, so ride on the sidewalk or use extreme caution. 16.5 km. Left on Jaynes Road. Use extreme caution in making this turn. 17.3 km. Left on Tzouhalem Road. 17.6 km. Junction. Tzouhalem Road Roundabout. Genoa Bay spur
ride by JS, February 2008 The route branches off at the
corner of Maple Bay Road and Herd Road, (km 6.1 on the Quamichan Lake loop) on the spur to
Maple Bay Beach. Continue east on Maple Bay road for 0.1 km to Chisholm
Trail, the next road after Herd Road. Chisholm Trail and Genoa Bay Road
are both very narrow in places, often without enough width for two cars
and a bicycle. There are blind hills and curves. Therefore,
it is recommended that when you hear a car coming and there doesn't
seem to be room, stop, get completely off the pavement, and enjoy the
scenery until the traffic passes. While it is a quiet road, it
can be busy, especially on weekends and especially in the summer.
0.1 km (8 km). Right (south) on Chisholm Trail. 0.7 km (7.4 km). Junction between Chisholm Trail and Genoa Bay Road. Bear left. On the return trip, stay on Genoa Bay Road (there is a bike lane on this side of the road). When you get back to Maple Bay Road, turn right to continue on the Quamichan Lake loop or the Maple Bay beach, turn left to return to Duncan by the shortest route. 1.8 km (6.3 km). Maple Bay Yacht Club. 2.1 km (6.0 km). Birds Eye Cove Marina (2.7 km (5.4 km). Maple Bay Marina. In addition to the marina (with public toilets), chandlery, and yacht brokerage, the marina complex includes the terminal for Harbour Air and Saltspring Air floatplanes, The Market for groceries, ice cream, and coffee, and the Shipyard Restaurant. 4.6 km (3.5 km). Green gate on the left. This is an the entry point for the North Cowichan Stoney Hill hiking area. Download a trail brochure and map. There is another access point, somewhat obscure, about 0.3 km south. At the summit of the road, look for a narrow Telus box on the left. The trail is just to the left. 8.1 km. Genoa Bay. This pleasant waterfront village features the Genoa Bay Marina (with public toilets) which has a small store, the Genoa Bay Cafe, Coleen Irwin's floating Genoa Bay Gallery, and Captain Morgan's Bed and Breakfast. Outshining all these amenities, however, is the incredible beauty and charm of Genoa Bay itself. On the return trip the rider will have dramatic views of cliffs which weren't obvious on the ride in. click
here for a printable description of this trip
Duncan access ride by
JS, March 2008
Click
here to view a map of Duncan access choices
The Cowichan region is a fabulous
place to ride a bicycle, and Downtown Duncan is a delightful place with
coffee shops, restaurants, stores, buskers, a town square, a museum,
public art, an unusal park with a mural, a
wonderful collection of totem poles, and the hub for the transit
system. The immediately surrounding area includes a hospital, the
Cowichan Community Centre and Public Library, a riverside park, the
Chesterfield Sports Complex, and nature viewing at the Somenos Marsh
Conservation Area (cared for by the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society, a
member of Nature Cowichan) and along the
Cowichan River. Most of the scenic country bicycle rides in the
Cowichan Region begin, end, or pass through Duncan.
It comes as a bit of an unpleasant surprise to discover that Duncan is as unfriendly to bicycles as a small town can be. Riding in the downtown core and on the side streets is OK, but the entry/exit routes to and from Duncan tend to be busy, narrow, and lacking in bicycle lanes. Care and vigilance are required to safely travel between the town and the surrounding country. The attached Google map shows various routes in and out of Duncan. Dangerous sections are marked in red, safer sections in blue, and scenic (and safe) sections are marked in green. It is impossible to entirely avoid the red sections, but risk can be minimized by travelling on the other routes. This provides the
most
direct route between Duncan and Cowichan Bay village. Compared to
the two arms of the Koksilah loop, it is only 1.6 km shorter than the
trip
via Tzouhalem Road and 4.1 km shorter than the trip via Cowichan
Station. While it is shorter, it is much less pleasant, as it
includes a stretch on or near the Trans Canada Highway. The trip
from Cowichan Bay to Duncan can mostly be made on side roads. From
Duncan to Cowichan Bay, however, travel is mostly on the highway and
includes a terrifying left turn on to Cowichan Bay Road.
This short ride
connects the
Glenora Staging Area on the Trans Canada Trail to downtown Duncan
with its shops and restaurants. Along the way it passes a small
store and turnoffs to several wineries. It is a pleasant ride
through rolling countryside although there are no bicycle lanes and
the roads are sometimes busy. If you're on the trail and you
need provisions, this is the turn to take. There are two routes
between Glenora and Duncan, only one between Glenora and the Trans
Canada Trail. 0.3 km (7.9 km) End of steep hill. 1.1 km (7.1 km) Right on Eagle Heights Road, quiet and relatively safe. 1.4 km (6.8 km) Right on Glenora Road 1.7 km (6.5 km) Sh-hwuykwselu (Busy Place Creek) and Cowichan Tribes's Quw'utsun Smuneem Elementary School, The lower section of this creek has been rehabilitated by the streamkeepers group at Koksilah Elementary School. 3.4 km (4.8 km) Sunflower Inn Bed and Breakfast 4.4 km (3.8 km) 4-way stop. Here you will find the Glenora Store and Glenora Corners Cafe. Left on Marshall Road to Godfrey Brownell Winery and Vigneti Zanatta Winery. Straight ahead on Glenora Road to the Echo Valley Winery. DUNCAN - GLENORA VIA INDIAN ROAD 0.0 km (7.3 km) West end of the "white bridge" (which is actually silver) across the Cowichan River at the Allenby Road exit from Duncan. There are three roads, both the right and centre roads go to Glenora, and both begin with steep hills. Here's what happens if we take the right hand road, Indian Road, which begins with a steep hill.3.5 km (3.8 km) 4-way stop. Here you will find the Glenora Store and Glenora Corners Cafe. Left on Marshall Road to Godfrey Brownell Winery and Vigneti Zanatta Winery. Straight ahead on Glenora Road to Echo Valley Winery. GLENORA TO TRANS CANADA TRAIL AKA COWICHAN VALLEY TRAIL 0.0 km (3.8 km) Glenora Store. Straight ahead on Glenora Road0.8 km (3.0 km) Bear right on Vaux Road which becomes Robertson Road 2.6 km (1.2 km) Jeffries Road. Right to Cowichan River Lodge. 3.3 km (0.5 km) Fork. Staging area to the left, Holt Creek trail straight ahead. Either way will get to the Trans Canada Trail. 3.8 km (0.0 km) Trans Canada Trail. Washrooms. Click
here for a printable description of this trip
Somenos Lake loop ride by JS, April, 2008
The
trip follows the Trans Canada Highway north from Beverly Street,
passing beside the Somenos Marsh Conservation Area, a prime area for
birding. It leaves the highway at the Forest Discovery
Centre. The remainder of the
trip is through rural contryside on quiet and safe roads except for a
short stretch on Herd Road. The return to Duncan is shared with
the Quamichan Lake loop and the
routes to Crofton and Chemainus.
Distances are only given for a one-way trip, because if you go the
other way you will miss the Somenos Conservation Area.
Click here to view a map of the Somenos Lake loop 0.0 km Beverly Street and the Trans Canada Highway. Ride north on the right side of the highway. 0.5 km Open Air Classroom, including an interpretive sign and a boardwalk to bird viewing areas. The Somenos Conservation Area (an Important Bird Area), boardwalks, and viewing platforms are cared for by the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society, a member of Nature Cowichan. Your donation will support protection of the area and improvements to the visitor facilities. 1.3 km Rest area. Another excellent nature-viewing location. Surprisingly, the rest area does not include a rest room. 1.5 km Pond with more birding opportunities. 2.1 km Turn right onto Drinkwater / Bell-McKinnon Roads. On the right is the Forest Discovery Centre with a steam train, old logging equipment, interpretive displays about the forest, a bird-viewing blind, and a walk through the forest. One of the Farmers' Markets is held here from 10 to 2 on Saturday. The other market is at the same time in downtown Duncan. 2.1 km. Spur. Go straight on Drinkwater Road for 0.4 km for lake access and a dock with a viewing platform for a panorama of Somenos Lake. 2.1 km. Go left on Bell-McKinnon Road. 2.6 km Right on Norcross Road, a quiet country road with pleasant views. 4.9 km Right on Herd Road. Herd Road can have moderate to heavy car and truck traffic and this 0.9 km section has no paved bicycle lane. Use Caution. 5.8 km Right on Mays Road. This quiet country road avoids a dangerous hill on Herd Road and takes you beside Richards Creek for a picnic or wildlife viewing. 6.5 km Richards Creek. 6.9 km Right on Herd Road. There is still no paved shoulder and lots of traffic, so ride with care. 7.3 km Bike lane begins. Whew! 7.8 km Junction. Right on Lakes Road. Straight ahead for Crofton, Chemainus, or Maple Bay. 11.3 km Right on Townend Road, a firm dirt road. 11.9 km Left on a small short path, then right on York Road. 12.3 km Somenos Garry Oak Protected Area. This is the same endangered Garry Oak ecosystem which is protected by the Cowichan Garry Oak Preserve (see Quamichan Lake loop), but you are allowed to enter this one. A walk through the Area will be rewarded by views of native wildflowers and birds. Two members of Nature Cowichan help to protect this area: The Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society cares for the ajoining wetlands and the Cowichan Community Land Trust supports volunteers who patrol and care for the Area. Your donation can help protect this natural area. 12.3 km Backtrack on York Road to Trillium Terrace. 12.5 km Right on Trillium Terrace. 13.3 km Right on Lakes Road. There is no bike lane and lots of traffic here, so ride on the sidewalk or use extreme caution. 13.8 km Junction. Right on Beverly Street at Roundabout. It is 0.9 km back to the start of this loop, see the Duncan Access map. Straight ahead for the Quamichan Lake loop and Cowichan Bay ride.
We're not sure what the trail is called, and nobody has contributed a detailed description of the ride, but it is, without doubt, one of the finest bicycle rides on Vancouver Island. The link below will take you to the official map and guide. To view the map,
Click
here for the sideways map and trail brochure
Koksilah loop ride by JS, June 2008
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