Photo: Let's Go BikingCowichan Valley Trail

Cowichan Valley Trail

A ride described in Let's Go Biking

How we describe routes →

Moderate One step up. Some real climbing, or a rougher surface.

Difficulty Our overall read of how demanding a route is. We score surface roughness, climbing, singletrack, and how far it runs from services. The route publisher's own rating, a lot of busy road riding, or sheer scale can push the tier up, never down.

Derived from OpenStreetMap. Good data, not perfect. Spot something wrong? Tell us.

How we describe routes →

The Cowichan Valley Trail follows historic rail grade through forest and along the Cowichan River, with access points serving everything from 6 km family outings to the 28 km Duncan-to-Lake-Cowichan run, or an 88 km loop that adds road riding to Shawnigan Lake, crossing the great Kinsol Trestle country en route. Flat, shaded, and transit-reachable, it is the valley's backbone ride.

Get the book from Let's Go Biking →

Where this ride goes#

Approximate lineGet the real route ↗

Map key & layers

Show stops Mute other bike trails

Food & DrinkAttractionsSuppliesCampingAccommodationBike Services

Dashed line = our rough sketch of where the ride goes. The rideable route lives at get the book from Let's Go Biking.

☕Stops worth stopping for75 along this route

Communities along this route#

Duncan 38 Lake Cowichan 15 Shawnigan Lake 6 Eagle Heights 4 North Cowichan 3 Cobble Hill 2 Cowichan Station 2 Hillbank 2 Shawnigan 2 Koksilah 1

Duncan (38)

Cowichan Valley MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

The DoghouseInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Coffee On The MoonInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Corner House CafeInfo· Restaurant · $ · Cheap eats

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

Cycle TherapyInfo· Repair Shop

Duncan GarageInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Ironworks Cafe & CrepperieInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Island BagelInfo· Bakery / Donuts · $ · Cheap eats

Phad ThaiInfo· Restaurant · $$ · Casual

Plus the fast-food chains — Roundabout Pizza, Burger King, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken +7 more

+18 more in Duncan →

Lake Cowichan (15)

Kaatza Station Museum & ArchivesWelcoming· Museum / Gallery · $$

Riverside InnInfo· Hotel / Motel · $$$$ · Upscale

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

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

Best Buy Liquor StoreInfo· Liquor Store

Country GrocerInfo· Grocery Store

Cowichan Lake Library BranchInfo· Library · Free

River CafeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

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

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

Plus the fast-food chains — A&W, Subway, Tim Hortons

+2 more in Lake Cowichan →

Shawnigan Lake (6)

Shawnigan Lake MuseumInfo· Museum / Gallery · Free

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

Shawnigan HouseInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Shawnigan Lake Community CentreInfo· Community Centre · Free

Mason'sInfo· Convenience Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Subway

Eagle Heights (4)

Buckerfield'sInfo· Farmers' Market

Community Farm StoreInfo· Farmers' Market

Van Isle Cowichan RV Park & CampgroundInfo· Private Campground

Plus the fast-food chains — Grub Shack Allenby

North Cowichan (3)

Country GrocerInfo· Grocery Store

Plus the fast-food chains — Baan-Do's Stir Fry, Tim Hortons

Cobble Hill (2)

Cobblestone Public HouseInfo· Winery / Cidery

Olde School CoffeeInfo· Café / Coffee · $ · Cheap eats

Cowichan Station (2)

The HUB at Cowichan StationInfo· Community Centre · Free

Brightside Blueberries & SuchInfo· Farmers' Market

Hillbank (2)

Blue Grouse Estate WineryInfo· Winery / Cidery · $$ · Casual

Hillpoint Estate Farm StandInfo· Farmers' Market

Shawnigan (2)

BicycleitisInfo· Repair Shop

Black Swan PubInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

Koksilah (1)

Red Arrow BreweryInfo· Brewery / Pub · $$ · Casual

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.

⛴Getting here, bike and allDuncan

Getting to this ride, bike and all#

Duncan is the handiest transit doorway for this ride. Buses and ferries will carry you and your bike there:

North Cowichan (Chemainus & Crofton)best: bus
Victoriabest: bus
Nanaimobest: bus
Vancouverbest: ferry + bus

Also on the bike-transit map: Lake Cowichan · North Cowichan

Or pick any two places on To & Fro →

🪶Traditional territories

This route travels through the traditional territories of the Á,LEṈENEȻ ȽTE (W̱SÁNEĆ), Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, ditidaqiic̓aq disib̓aʔk (Ditidaht), Halalt, Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat), Quw’utsun, Te’mexw Treaty Association, and Ts’uubaa-asatx.

Territory data from Native Land Digital, for educational purposes only.

Ready to ride it?

Get the book from Let's Go Biking →Got the GPX? Add BC Bike Stops to it →