Cowichan Valley 8 Bikepacking Route

A ride mapped and described by bikepacking.com

560 cycling stops along this route · Vancouver Island

190 km · Weekend or moreModerateComfortable for mostMostly gravelSome climbing

A 190 km figure-eight starting and ending at the parliament buildings in downtown Victoria, following the Galloping Goose, Sooke Wilderness Trail, Cowichan Valley Trail, and Lochside Trail through farm and wine country. Mostly gravel and doubletrack with one real climb near Goldstream, it rides comfortably on a gravel bike in a weekend. Note the publisher's caution: the paved stretch between the Kinsol Trestle and the Mill Bay ferry is busy in summer and deserves extra care.

Our map below is a rough sketch

How to get the detailed route

The full map, turn-by-turns, and GPX for this ride are on bikepacking.com. Our map shows roughly where the ride goes, not how to follow it.

Get the route on bikepacking.com →Free route map on Ride with GPS ↗

Communities along this route#

Victoria 359Saanich 63 Langford 51 Central Saanich 22 Lake Cowichan 15 Mill Bay 13 Colwood 11 Duncan 9 Shawnigan Lake 7 View Royal 3 Deerholme 2 Goldstream 1 North Cowichan 1 Paldi 1 Sahtlam 1 Shawnigan 1

Roughly where this ride goes#

Approximate lineGet the real route ↗

Show stops Mute other bike routes

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodationBike Services

The dashed line is our rough sketch, drawn only to show where the ride is. For the real, rideable route, get the route from bikepacking.com.

BC Bike Stops#

Victoria (359)

Chateau Victoria Hotel & SuitesAccredited· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

Recyclistas Bike CollectiveAccredited· Repair Shop

Royal BC MuseumAccredited· Museum / Gallery · $$$

Royal Scot Hotel & SuitesAccredited· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

The Oswego HotelAccredited· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

The Parkside Hotel & SpaAccredited· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

10 Acres BistroWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

10 Acres CommonsWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

A&WWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

A&WWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

+349 more in Victoria →

Saanich (63)

Adrienne's Restaurant & Tea GardenWelcoming· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Ali Baba'sWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Big Wheel BurgerWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Boston PizzaWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $$ · Casual

Brown's Social HouseWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Canadian Brewhouse & GrillWelcoming· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Cosmos Pizza & PastaWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Crust BakeryWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Delicious Pizza & PastaWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Des PanjaabWelcoming· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

+53 more in Saanich →

Langford (51)

Edo JapanWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

FatburgerWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

FreshiiWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Kitchen Story Sushi & Korean ChickenWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Mucho BurritoWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Orange JuliusWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Origin Bakery & CafeWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Real Canadian SuperstoreWelcoming· Grocery Store

Romeo'sWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

SubwayWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

+41 more in Langford →

Central Saanich (22)

Harvest Rd.Welcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

BC Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Beauregard CommonsInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Bicycle PizzaInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Brentwood Bay Resort & SpaInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

Brentwood Bay Village Empourium Café & Gift ShopInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Brewsky's TaphouseInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Carnivore Meats & MoreInfo· Specialty / Health Food

Central Saanich Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

Co-opInfo· Convenience Store

+12 more in Central Saanich →

Lake Cowichan (15)

A&WWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Island Pastry HausWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Jake's at the LakeWelcoming· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

SubwayWelcoming· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

The Butler's Pantry Bake ShopWelcoming· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Best Buy Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Country GrocerInfo· Grocery Store

Cowichan Lake Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

Ed's Coffee HouseInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

J&V DinerInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

+5 more in Lake Cowichan →

Mill Bay (13)

A&WInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

BC Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Blue Dog KayakingInfo· Activity / Experience · $$$$

Bridgemans BistroInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Bru-Go's CoffeeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

McDonald'sInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Mill Bay SushiInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Rusticana CoffeeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

South Cowichan Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

SubwayInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

+3 more in Mill Bay →

Colwood (11)

Thrifty FoodsWelcoming· Grocery Store

A&WInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Edo JapanInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Victoria - ColwoodInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$ · Mid-range

House of NutritionInfo· Specialty / Health Food

Juan de Fuca Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

Juan de Fuca Recreation CentreInfo· Community Centre · Free

McDonald'sInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

SubwayInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Tim HortonsInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

+1 more in Colwood →

Duncan (9)

49th Parallel GroceryInfo· Grocery Store

Alderlea Farm and CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Corner House CafeInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Craig Street Brew PubInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Fishbowl CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Just Jake'sInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Phad ThaiInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Power House Living Foods Co.Info· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

Riverside RV Park & CampingInfo· Private Campground

Shawnigan Lake (7)

Mason'sInfo· Convenience Store

Oma's Bakery & MarketInfo· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Shawnigan HouseInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Shawnigan House Coffee + ChocolateInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Shawnigan Lake Community CentreInfo· Community Centre · Free

Shawnigan Lake MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

SubwayInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

View Royal (3)

Burger KingInfo· Fast Food / Chain · $ · Cheap eats

Coastal CyclesInfo· Repair Shop

Serious CoffeeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Deerholme (2)

Glenora Store and CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Zanatta Estate WineryInfo· Winery / Cidery · $$ · Casual

Goldstream (1)

Goldstream Suspension BridgeInfo· Activity / Experience · Free

Slice and dice these stops in the directory →

These stops come from our directory of welcoming places across BC. Spot something wrong, missing, or closed? Tell us and we'll fix it.

Ready to ride it?

Get the route on bikepacking.com →Free route map on Ride with GPS ↗