Nanaimo sits at the edge of a forested landscape that climbs quickly from sea level to the ridgelines of the Vancouver Island Ranges. You do not need to drive far to find yourself deep in second-growth Douglas fir, beside a waterfall, or standing on bare rock looking out over the Strait of Georgia and the Gulf Islands. The hiking here ranges from flat, paved paths suitable for strollers to steep, unmarked ridgelines where route-finding skills matter. This guide organises the options by difficulty, gives honest assessments of what each trail actually delivers, and adds the practical information that guidebooks sometimes skip.
Easy Trails: Great Views, Minimal Effort
Westwood Lake Loop (~6 km)
Westwood Lake is Nanaimo's most popular recreational lake and the trail around its perimeter is the city's most-used hiking loop. The path is roughly six kilometres, almost entirely flat, and runs through mixed forest of Douglas fir, red alder, and big-leaf maple that keeps it cool even in summer heat. The lake itself is a consistent swimming destination in July and August; a small sandy beach on the eastern shore gets crowded on hot weekends. The trail surface is mostly packed earth with some exposed roots and a few short boardwalk sections over wet ground. It is accessible year-round, though the north shore section can be muddy from October through April. Dogs on leash are allowed. Parking is available at the main lot off Westwood Road, and the trailhead is well signed.
The loop takes 1.5 to 2 hours at a comfortable pace. It is genuinely pleasant rather than spectacular — a neighbourhood ramble rather than a wilderness experience — but it earns its popularity through reliability and accessibility.
Morrell Nature Sanctuary
Tucked into a residential neighbourhood in north Nanaimo, Morrell Nature Sanctuary is an 111-hectare urban forest managed by a local society and open year-round at no charge. The trail network inside is a series of interconnected loops totalling around eight kilometres, all of them easy to moderate in difficulty. The main draw is the forest itself: old-growth remnants, a boggy lake (Morrell Lake), and a diversity of bird species that makes the sanctuary a favourite with local birders. Great horned owls are resident, and the deciduous sections attract warblers and vireos during spring migration. Interpretive signs along the main loop add ecological context. The sanctuary is one of the better places in the Nanaimo area to introduce children to forest hiking without committing to a full-day effort.
Ammonite Falls via the Benson Creek Falls Regional Park
The Benson Creek Falls Regional Park south of Nanaimo contains two waterfall destinations. The lower falls are a short, easy walk from the parking area — under a kilometre — and the cascade is substantial enough to be genuinely impressive, particularly in spring when snowmelt pushes the flow up. The upper trail continues to Ammonite Falls, a longer and somewhat rougher route that adds about two kilometres round trip and a meaningful amount of elevation gain. The payoff is a more dramatic, canyon-like setting where the creek drops through a narrow slot. The name refers to fossilised ammonites found in the creek's shale formations. Combined, the two falls make a satisfying half-day outing for hikers of most fitness levels, with the option to turn around at the lower falls for a shorter trip.
Moderate to Challenging Trails: Earn the View
Mount Benson Summit
Mount Benson is Nanaimo's backyard mountain — visible from almost anywhere in the city as a broad, forested dome rising to just over 1,025 metres above sea level. The summit is accessible via several routes; the most common starts from the Witchcraft Lake trailhead off Doumont Road in the upper reaches of the city's western neighbourhoods. The ascent is roughly eight to ten kilometres return depending on the exact route, with about 850 metres of elevation gain. The lower forest sections are pleasant but unremarkable; the character of the hike changes above the treeline, where blueberry heath, open rocky slabs, and increasingly wide views replace the canopy.
The summit itself is a broad, rocky plateau with a disused telecommunications structure. On a clear day, the panorama takes in the full sweep of the Georgia Strait, the Gulf Islands in mid-channel, the Sunshine Coast, and the mainland ranges from the Lions to the peaks above Squamish. The Olympic Peninsula across the border in Washington State is often visible to the southeast. Allow four to six hours return. The trail is not technically difficult, but it is long enough that footwear, layering, and sufficient water are genuinely important rather than optional niceties.
Extension Ridge and the Abyss
South of Nanaimo, in the area around the small community of Extension, a network of informal trails accesses a ridge system with dramatic views and some genuinely rugged terrain. The Abyss — a local name for a particular clifftop viewpoint — sits on Extension Ridge and looks out over a steep rock face dropping into the valley below. The trail to this viewpoint is not a maintained park trail; it follows user-worn paths through Crown land, and the route requires some basic navigation ability. The terrain is rocky and rooty, with sections of significant exposure near the ridge crest.
Extension Ridge is the kind of place that locals quietly protect by not over-promoting it. The views are legitimately impressive, the terrain keeps the casual crowd away, and on a weekday you may encounter no one else. Approach it with appropriate preparation and respect the fact that the trail is unmaintained.
For groups comfortable on uneven terrain and capable of reading a basic map or GPS track, Extension Ridge is one of the most rewarding hikes in the region. For anyone uncertain about navigation or uncomfortable with exposure, Mount Benson is the better choice.
What to Bring
Vancouver Island's weather is famously variable. A clear morning in Nanaimo can turn to rain by early afternoon, particularly in shoulder seasons. For any hike beyond the Westwood Lake loop, bring the following as a minimum:
- Rain layer: a lightweight waterproof jacket that packs small. Even in summer, the ridge elevations see conditions that differ from the coast.
- Water: a minimum of one litre per person for shorter hikes, two litres for anything over half a day. Do not drink from streams without treatment.
- Footwear: trail shoes or boots with grip. The trails are often muddy and root-crossed; road runners or casual shoes are genuinely inadequate on anything but the lake loops.
- Navigation: a downloaded offline map (AllTrails, Gaia GPS, or similar) or a printed topo. Cell coverage on the higher trails is unreliable.
- Food and layers: a mid-layer for summit stops and enough calories to keep moving.
Seasonal Conditions and Hazards
Mud Season
From October through March, the lower trails around Nanaimo are often deeply muddy. This is the reality of hiking on the wet coast. The Westwood Lake loop and Morrell Sanctuary both have sections that become ankle-deep mud bogs after prolonged rain. Higher trails are snow-covered from late fall into April, which can transform a moderate hike into a much more demanding one requiring microspikes or snowshoes. The Benson Creek Falls remain accessible and often look their best in late fall and early spring when flow is high.
Cougar Awareness
Vancouver Island has one of the highest cougar densities in North America. Encounters are rare, but they occur, and it is worth knowing the basics. Make noise on the trail, particularly in dense forest. Keep children and small dogs close — cougar attacks on children are more common than on adults and are associated with kids moving ahead of the group. If you encounter a cougar, do not run; stand tall, make yourself look large, make noise, and back away slowly. Attacks in the Nanaimo area are uncommon, but the animals are present and active. The same common sense that applies anywhere wildlife is present applies here.
Trail Etiquette
Most of the trails near Nanaimo are shared with cyclists on the accessible loops and with other pedestrians everywhere. Uphill hikers have right of way on narrow trails. Step off the trail rather than around other users when passing in muddy sections, which reduces trail widening over time. Pack out everything you pack in — the Westwood Lake parking area has bins, but trail litter is persistent and visible in a way that degrades everyone's experience. On the informal trails like Extension Ridge, leave no trace standards matter more, not less, because there is no maintenance crew to follow behind you.