Autumn Hikes. Exploring the Rainforest around Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island!

Vancouver Island is a nature lovers’ paradise. If you love to be outdoors and explore nature, there are endless possibilities around our beautiful Canadian island. This blog post discusses day hiking options around Nanoose Bay, British Columbia.

If you commence your hiking trips from Nanaimo, Nanoose Bay is approximately 30 km or about 30 minutes drive northwest via the Island Highway 19 N (North).

Popular hiking trails at Nanoose Bay include: Enos Lake Trail, Notch Hill Park, Notch Hill Loop Trail and Bonnell Creek Falls. It is easy to search for information about hiking trails in this area, but a source recommended by many local hikers is https://www.alltrails.com/canada/british-columbia/nanoose

Due to reaching herd immunity (over 85% of people over 12 are now fully vaccinated against Covid 19 in my Canadian province of British Columbia), hiking groups are now allowed to explore once again! We are all covid careful and everyone has to show their covid vaccine QRCode passport in order to join the group.

Let’s go hiking!!!!

This is Enos Lake hike in September. The weather was sunny and warm. The deciduous trees were only starting to change colours. This is a gorgeous lake hike with many trails to explore.

We stopped to have a break and eat a snack on a grassy spot up the hillside above the lake.

A week later, our hiking group explored trails closer to the Lantzville side of Nanoose Bay. It was another sunny September day. We did not require jackets or toques yet.

The trees along the trails were regal and the rainforest undergrowth was so thick in places that we had to create new paths!

As the weather started changing into normal Autumn patterns, the winds and rains increased causing more trail obstruction damage from tree windfalls and slippery trails. The water levels in the creeks and rivers also increased.

Our hiking rain jackets and pants were getting used more regularly now as were 1 or both hiking poles during our adventures. This next hike occurred at Bonnell Creek Falls in mid October.

Another great hike in the Nanoose Bay area is “Big Trees” trail. This hike occurred in late October.

We discovered some enormous Arbutus and an enormous Evergreen.

There truly were “Big Trees” to discover!

The rains and winds had assisted in dislodging most of the Maple tree leaves around the trails. Although the deciduous trees looked rather bare, the colorful leaves and variety of fungi were enchanting.

A musical Canadian experience in Autumn, is the sound of leaves rustling around your feet as you walk or hike along through the abundant variety of nature trails.

Last year on November 11th, our group explored around Enos lake and upward to the “Notch“.

At 11:00 a.m. we stopped in a quiet location in the forest beside a river. We all respected 2 minutes of silence to reflect on our freedom in Canada, our goal for peace, and our gratitude for those soldiers and personnel who fought to ensure our freedom. Following the silence, we had an opportunity to share a personal vignette of how Remembrance Day is significant to our families. It was an extremely powerful and sentimental experience.

Here is a video presentation of our November 11th (Remembrance Day) Hike at Enos Lake and up to the “Notch”.

Remembrance Day 2021 will soon be here. I will be wearing my poppy and reflecting with deepest gratitude on the past; embracing the freedom we have living in Canada; and hoping for global compassion and peace.

My next blog posts will be about more amazing hiking experiences on Vancouver Island and possibly an update on our Rescue Cat Sophia and our neighborhood deer families.

Keep safe and Keep optimistic. S