Local cyclist Hannah Slomp shares three scenic Comox Valley cycling routes—from quick heritage trail rides to longer seaside adventures, with stops at local breweries and cafes along the way.
Bikes have always been part of my life. One of my earliest memories is being strapped into a seat on the back of my mom’s Gazelle while she biked to the local outdoor swimming pool. Years later, while nannying in Amsterdam, I would buckle my second cousin into a seat on my borrowed Batavus to head from A to B on bike paths complete with stoplights for cyclists (sans helmet, I might add).
Starting when they were very young, my own children caught rides with me in various Chariot slings and Yepp seats, and on Trail-A-Bikes, along many a Canadian urban pathway.
“The Valley has many lovely rides for single cyclists and family wheelers alike—and they happen to pass by some delightful local breweries and cafés.”
Comox Valley cycling routes
So when I moved to the Comox Valley—admittedly better known as a mountain biking destination–I was determined to continue to travel by my preferred mode of transportation. Ever the optimist, I started my quest in Courtenay beside dubious trucks and bold Corvettes whose drivers were not always eager to share the road. Bit by bit, I familiarized myself with less-busy side streets and quiet bike paths where there’s a bit more room to breathe.
I am happy to report that the Valley has many lovely rides for single cyclists and family wheelers alike—and they happen to pass by some delightful local breweries and cafés. Here are notes and maps (not to scale) for a couple of my favourite routes.
Route 1: Courtenay Riverway to Comox (22 km)
Start at the Courtenay Marina—if you don’t have your own bike, you can rent an Evolve e-bike here. Head north on the Courtenay Riverway bike path, exiting the trail just beyond the Old House onto Riverside Lane, then turning right to cross the 17th Street Bridge and discover the swanky new segregated multi-use trail leading to Comox Road (there will still be construction along this route until late fall).
You will pedal past the stunning Big House of the K’ómoks First Nation; breathe in the salty air wafting from the estuary; and, on a clear day, if you look to the west, you will see Queneesh, the Comox Glacier. The estuary contains fishing weirs that have been carbon dated to be as old as 1,300 years!
Continue up to Comox Avenue—the incline will get your heart pumping, but don’t worry, you can soon cool off with a cold one at Rad Brewing on Port Augusta Street or an iced coffee at one of Comox’s many cafés.
When you’re ready to start again, enjoy tree-lined cycling along Comox’s relatively peaceful streets, then cross into Courtenay at McDonald Road for a fun little zoom down the Courtenay Greenway. Continue along Hawk and Hobson to a brief stint on Back Road, then cross the very busy and non-bike-friendly Ryan Road, and you’ll be on quieter Braidwood Road (phew).
Cross the Old Island Highway to reach a pleasant cruise through Lewis Park, a favourite spot for locals. If you brought your bathing suit, take a refreshing dip in the Courtenay River. A quick jaunt over the 5th Street Bridge will lead you back to the bike path where your journey started (after you cross, scoot under the bridge, head south on Anderton Avenue for a block, make a right on 6th Street, then hop back onto the Riverway Trail just before Cliffe Avenue).
Route 2: Rotary Trail to Tin Town (3 km one way)
This is a shorter urban ride along one of my favourite historic corridors, the Rotary Trail, which runs parallel to the decommissioned E&N Railway. Sadly, the last train stopped here in 2014, but a lovely tree-lined bike/walking trail next to it was completed in 2015 and now sees plenty of local use.
If renting, pick up a bike at the Regional District building on Harmston. Take a moment to appreciate the quaint architecture of the ivy-covered Regier Theatre across the street, then turn right onto Cumberland Road for a quick passage to the Rotary Trail on the south side of the road.
Once you get to Bill Moore Park, with its big football field, turn west onto 21st Street and take a left onto residential Piercy Avenue and follow it to the end. There you will connect to a beautiful bike path that weaves through a green space crossing Piercy Creek and Cousins Park (with a brief interlude along Willemar Avenue and Tater Place).
Emerge from Cousins Park and make your way to Tin Town Café in the heart of the architecturally unique Tin Town. Here you can recharge with coffeehouse classics and house-made soups and sandwiches. Tin Town Café is known for very friendly service and also showcases whimsical and irresistible work by local artisans, some of which will surely fit in your pannier.
Route 3: Courtenay to Royston Seaside Trail (10 km one way)
This was the first route in town that won my prairie heart, because much of it includes vistas of the Salish Sea. From your start at the Courtenay Marina, cycle south, keeping the quaint airpark on your right, and continue along the multi-use Courtenay Riverway Trail.
Soon you will reach the pleasantly forested Millard Nature Park; after you cross the creek, stop at Millard Lookout to admire the view over the Comox Harbour. Continue on the path and turn west (right) up Beachwood Road. The municipal goal is for the seaside pathway eventually to connect all the way to Royston, but for now there are some brief highway legs on this worthwhile journey.
Make a left onto the Old Island Highway, then head back down to the water when you reach Chinook Road. Pick up the Royston Seaside Trail along here; this was formerly the railway for the Comox Logging Company, with a mile-long wharf extending into the harbour. Take time to stop and ponder the historic Royston Shipwrecks—World War I ships sunk in the 1930s by Comox Logging to make a breakwater.
“Pump up your tires, put on your helmet, and set off to discover your own favourite cycling routes.”
From here, take Hilton Road back up to the highway, then turn left onto Marine Drive and back onto the Seaside Trail. Follow your nose back up Royston Road to the Royston Roasting Co. and Coffee House. This lovely family-run business has a great patio where you can enjoy sipping your flat white in the sea breeze.
More to explore
With these highlighted routes, I’m only spilling the beans on some of the many hidden gems in and around the Comox Valley. There are so many patios to be found, swimming holes to immerse yourself in, and forest paths to head down, and one of the best ways to find them is on a bike. Pump up your tires, put on your helmet, and set off to discover your own favourite cycling routes.
As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said, “When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.”
