Nanaimo, a region on the east coast of Vancouver Island, offers a diverse landscape for outdoor pursuits. It features a stunning coastline, a river canyon, and forested mountains, all contributing to a rich natural environment. The area is characterized by its rainforest ecosystem, encompassing wetlands, streams, parklands, and marine shorelines. This varied terrain supports several sports like hiking, jogging, road cycling, mountain biking, and more.
Nanaimo provides a wide array of outdoor activities and routes…
114
Routes
4.6
(147)
Average rating
1983
People visited

4.8
(5)
58
hikers
4.75km
01:15
40m
40m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.0
(1)
7
hikers
2.66km
00:43
40m
30m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4
hikers
4.34km
01:08
30m
30m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4
hikers
4.24km
01:15
120m
120m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(1)
128
runners
10.1km
01:05
70m
70m
Hard run. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

26
runners
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

52
runners
10.5km
01:12
120m
120m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

25
runners
9.41km
01:10
140m
140m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(1)
91
riders
30.8km
03:04
780m
780m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

45
riders
14.0km
01:46
560m
560m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.7
(3)
26
riders
10.7km
01:01
190m
190m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Advanced riding skills necessary.

5.0
(1)
25
riders
8.65km
01:03
320m
320m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(4)
41
riders
45.2km
03:29
510m
510m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

4.6
(7)
31
riders
29.3km
01:55
350m
350m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.0
(2)
20
riders
18.0km
01:04
110m
120m
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
14
riders
31.7km
01:56
280m
280m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(2)
40
riders
42.2km
02:13
550m
550m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

5.0
(1)
31
riders
34.4km
01:47
430m
430m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

23
riders
65.0km
03:20
810m
810m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

21
riders
55.0km
02:44
460m
460m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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5.0
(2)
10
riders
77.7km
07:25
1,530m
1,520m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(2)
12
riders
47.4km
03:47
830m
830m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(2)
5
riders
54.8km
04:35
750m
750m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

1
riders
27.8km
02:06
400m
400m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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Nanaimo offers a diverse range of outdoor activities including Hiking, Jogging, Road cycling, Mountain biking, Touring cycling, and Gravel biking. The region features more than 180 routes across these sports, with an average rating of 4.51 stars from over 600 ratings.
Popular hiking trails include the 3.4-mile (5.5-kilometer) loop around Westwood Lake, the scenic paths at Neck Point Park, and the moderate hike to Ammonite Falls. For more options, explore the Hiking around Nanaimo guide.
Yes, Nanaimo offers several easy hiking options suitable for various skill levels. The Westwood Lake loop, trails within Bowen Park, and the coastal walks at Neck Point Park are good choices. More easy routes are detailed in the Easy hikes around Nanaimo guide.
The Ammonite Falls Trail in Benson Creek Falls Regional Park leads to a notable waterfall. This moderate hike is a popular destination for those seeking natural water features. Additional waterfall routes can be found in the Waterfall hikes around Nanaimo guide.
Road cyclists can explore the paved Parkway Trail and E&N Rail Trail, which traverse the city. Scenic coastal and forested routes are also available for various skill levels. Refer to the Road Cycling Routes around Nanaimo guide for more details.
Nanaimo is known for its mountain biking, particularly in areas like Doumont Trails, which offer over 60 trails from easy to double black diamond. Westwood Lake also provides access to various trails. The MTB Trails around Nanaimo guide offers further information.
Nanaimo provides numerous trails suitable for jogging and running. The 3.4-mile (5.5-kilometer) loop around Westwood Lake is a popular choice, as are the paths in Neck Point Park and Bowen Park. The Running Trails around Nanaimo guide lists more options.
Trails in Nanaimo lead to various natural landmarks, including Westwood Lake, Ammonite Falls, and the summit of Mount Benson. Coastal parks like Neck Point Park and Pipers Lagoon offer ocean views and unique geological formations.
Nanaimo offers several family-friendly options, such as easy walks around Westwood Lake and Bowen Park. Saysutshun (Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park), accessible by ferry, provides numerous walking trails and picnic areas suitable for families.
Komoot offers several guides for Nanaimo, including Hiking around Nanaimo, Road Cycling Routes around Nanaimo, and MTB Trails around Nanaimo. There are also guides for easy hikes, running trails, waterfall hikes, and gravel biking.
The official website for the City of Nanaimo is www.nanaimo.ca. This site provides general information about the city and its services.
Nanaimo features more than 180 outdoor routes on komoot, covering various sports like hiking, cycling, and mountain biking. These routes have been explored by over 5,000 visitors.

