Cool Nanaimo Walking Tour
An innercity hike that begins at the waterfront and follows the park-rimmed Millstream River for kilometers to Buttertubs Marsh
As
the Trans-Canada Trail is developed, cities are rushing to finish their
sections of the trail. Nanaimo's trail winds through a number of kinds
of regions, including a stretch along the Nanaimo River, Extension
Ridge, and the section along the Millstream River that I am about to
describe.
Here's a great self-guided walking tour that'll show you the "nice" part of Nanaimo's waterfront, end then it'll take you up the length of Bowen Park along the Millstream River, an area with old Victorian trails, and finally around Buttertubs Marsh.
It's a beautiful route with very tall trees, and takes about an hour to hike each way (probably about 6km?), and includes both natural and historic landmarks (though the latter are subtle). If you are new to Nanaimo, my directions may be difficult to follow, but you're guaranteed an adventure.
You can start at either end, but I'll describe the trail as if you were starting downtown. From the Bastion, walk along the waterfront toward Maffeo-Sutton Park to the north. On the other side of Swy-a-Lana Lagoon, past the little building where concerts are performed, the trail comes to a bridge over the Millstream Estuary, and the highway bridge is overhead. Instead of crossing the footbridge, pass underneath the highway bridge (you will see a mural with salmon to the left). Don't cross a bridge here!
Once you are upstream from the bridges, there is a paved pedestrian pathway running along the right side of a parking lot (you'll see businesses on the left, including the Tally-Ho wine and spirits store, and the bus depot). Follow the pathway, keeping to the right. When the trail ends at a road, turn right on the road toward where you know the river is. You'll eventually find a trail going into the trees, to Barsby Park. Along the water here, there are a lot of old ruins, decayed wooden docks especially. Where the river turns sharply, there used to be a hydro-electric dam about a hundred years ago. You can see a lot of strange pools here. Watch for little birds that fish by diving right into these pools.
The trail crosses a footbridge as it heads west toward the E&N Railway causeway, towering above. You'll be forced onto a road and to the right, up a hill that goes up toward Townsite and the 7-11. Watch for the stairs on the left that go up to the railway tracks; cross the tracks and then go down the other side, staying to the left at the fork, passing above the soccer field.
Let this path deposit you on Wall St, the steep road that
dips down between Bowen Park and the Curling Club/Skate Bowl. Go left and cross
Wall Street, then find low ground. You should end up near the scout hut at the very bottom of Bowen Park. From here you can follow a trail that takes you the length
of Bowen Park, following the Millstream River. You'll pass the old fish
ladder, some neat footbridges (check out the river in the wet season),
and all the pools that Nanaimo boys and girls used to swim in when
Nanaimo was younger and a bit cleaner.
Eventually, after you've passed the second footbridge in Bowen Park, this path will wind around another soccer field. You're now near the Quarterway Pub. The trail comes out on Bowen Rd, right beside the bridge near the Quarterway. Instead of crossing the bridge, cross Bowen Rd and turn down the little street you'll see - Buttertubs Drive. The marsh is at the end of this road (about 5 minutes walking), and since Buttertubs Marsh offers a loop hike, you can circle around it and head back the way you came, or catch the number 44 bus back to downtown.
