Nanaimo, British Columbia

Looking for the best backpacking in Nanaimo? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Nanaimo. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Backpacking Spots in and near Nanaimo

  • Youbou, British Columbia

    Hike Heather Mountain

    20.5 mi / 3822.2 ft gain
    Heather Mountain is a moderate well marked out and back hike through managed forest land. The hike brings a wonderful feeling of solitude as there are no towns or buildings visible even with distant views in all directions.  It is also quite lightly tracked: we saw no other hikers on the entire r...
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  • West Vancouver, British Columbia

    Hiking the Howe Sound Crest Trail

    18 mi / 6000 ft gain
    Distance: 18 miles / 29 kms.Duration: 1 - 3 DaysElevation Gain: 6000 ft. / 1800 m.Magnesia Meadows: 49.483708, -123.190377The Howe Sound Crest Trail (HSCT) is one of the most epic hiking trips one can do in the Vancouver area. The trail is entirely located within the Cypress Mountain Provincial P...
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  • Port Renfrew, British Columbia

    Backpacking the West Coast Trail

    5.0
    The trail requires a permit from May 1 - September 16. All other dates have restrictions. Check Parks Canada website for more details.You can start from the north or south end of the trail. There are buses provided by the Pacific Rim National Park that will shuttle you back to your car or to the ...
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  • Port Renfrew, British Columbia

    Backpack the West Coast Trail, Pacific Rim NP

    46.6 mi / 360.9 ft gain
    In the summer of 2016, myself and three others decided to hike the West Coast Trail (WCT) on a bit of a whim! We naively, and courageously, choose the WCT as our first major backpacking hiking trip - we thought it would be best to throw ourselves into a hike that has earned a reputation for being...
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  • Port Renfrew, British Columbia

    Sombrio Beach

    5.0
    0.82 mi / 131 ft gain
    Heading west from Victoria, take the TransCanada Highway to Hwy 14. Continue past Sooke towards Port Renfrew. Look for the sign that reads Sombrio Beach Trailhead (approximately 45 minutes past Sooke) and take the left. Note that this dirt road can be incredibly rugged (aka full of potholes) and ...
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  • Port Renfrew, British Columbia

    Hiking the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail

    5.0
    29.2 mi
    This is no walk on the beach. There are many ascents and descents that range from not so steep to hold on for your life as the mud cliff crumbles steep. You might think 200m of elevation gain isn't much, but it is a constant ascend and descend trail in the moderate-difficult sections.A high level...
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  • Powell River, British Columbia

    Backcountry Hike and Hut Camp the Northern Portion of the Sunshine Coast Trail

    31.1 mi / 3937 ft gain
    This adventure is a 50km backcountry hiking and camping trip and should not be attempted without prior backcountry experience.  It is recommended you attempt this trail in a group.  Below is a detailed description of how to get to the trail and your options for huts while on the trail:The Sunshin...
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  • Fanny Bay, British Columbia

    Canoe Great Central Lake and Hike to Della Falls and Love Lake

    80.8 mi / 1148.3 ft gain
    To get the the Della Falls trail head in Strathcona Park, you must cross Great Central Lake. This is a 45 km journey via either canoe, kayak, or speedboat. We chose to canoe, and it took approximately 9 steady hours. We parked our vehicles just on the edge of Central Lake Road across from Great C...
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