Bates
Point Trail: Length 1.5 km loop.
Average walking
time: 45 minutes.
This loop trail
leads through Garry Oak meadows and mature
coastal Douglas fir and arbutus. In the spring, look for native
plant species such as Chocolate lilies, Common camas and Death
camus throughout the Garry oaks. Please keep on trails and
do not
disturb the vegetation.
Kanaka
Bay Trail: Length 1.5 km.
Average one-way walking time: 30-45 minutes.
This trail
leads from the day-use area to Kanaka Bay and leads visitors
through a mature forest of Douglas fir,
and past a marsh area and a historic ventilation shaft for
a coal mine. This shaft is 390 feet deep and more than 100 years
old.
Channel
Trail: Length 3 km loop.
Average walking time: 1.5 hours.
This trail
leads form the day-use area toward Bates Point and
up the Newcastle Channel, running through mature Douglas
fir, arbutus
and Garry oak forest and along the water’s edge between Newcastle
and Nanaimo. The Channel Trail brings visitors to an old stone
quarry site with interpretive signage.
Mallard
Lake Trail: Length 2 km.
Average one-way walking time: 40-60 minutes.
This trail
leaves from the day-use area, winding through mature Douglas
fir and marshy areas to Mallard Lake.
Along the way visitors have good opportunities to view
ducks, mergansers,
beaver, and in the Lake, the tiny pumpkin seed sunfish.
From Mallard Lake, another ½ km west will take you to Midden Bay, the
site of a historic coal mine. This bay offers lovely views of Nanaimo
and busy Departure Bay. Just beyond Midden Bay is Saltery Beach,
the former site of a Japanese herring saltery and shipyard.
Giovando
Lookout: Length 3 km from the dock.
Average one-way walking time: 1.5
hours.
Giovando Lookout
is located at the northern tip
of the park, with excellent views of the Strait of Georgia
and Coast Mountains.
Shoreline
Trail: Length 5 km.
Average one-way walking time: 2.5 hours.
To circumnavigate
the park, take the Shoreline Trail to
the east of the dock and day-use area. This trail connects
with the Channel Trail at Midden Bay on the other side
of the park,
approximately 5 km away. The total distance to travel
around the island is approximately 8 km.
