After approximately 1km you will come up to a clearing on your left, with two conveniently placed seats carved out of stumps. View Larger Map. Some incline but nothing crazy. The TCT section north of the Nanaimo River is known as the Pipeline and Extension Ridge Trails. Phase 2 was completed in late 2016 adding nearly 4 miles of new trail and a few features. Commonly known to locals as The Abyss, Extension Ridge – a 4.5km section of The Great Trail (formerly known as the Trans Canada Trail) – is a stunning hidden gem in Nanaimo and a favourite playground for mountain bikers, hikers and dog walkers alike. There is a clear trail up to the top of Extension ridge trail and it is also a popular place for mountain bikers. Benson: this is an outdoor experience not to be missed. The last eastern portion of loop is on small biking trail that's pretty overgrown and wet so waterproof hikers was useful. I found it to be very moving. Extension Ridge is approximately 9 km. Dakota Ridge Trail Extension PROJECT OVERVIEW Matthews/Winters Park Facts Est. It’s a perfect place to have a snack and soak up the views of the Salish Sea. From downtown Nanaimo, make your way up Harewood Mines Road and park on the left-hand side of the road, underneath the powerlines. The area is known for cougar and bear sightings (of which we saw none). Super, Natural British Columbia is a trade-mark of Destination BC Corp. Tourism Nanaimo uses 'cookies' to enhance the usability of its website and provide you with the best experience on our website. took about 3.5 hrs round trip because of sights and breaks. Mountain Biking Extension Ridge Trail and The Abyss Add a review #1,189 of 1,208 mountain bike trails in British Columbia #12,355 in the world. Please be bear aware, keep dogs under control, and leave no trace. Download the free Vacation Planner to start your planning to #ExploreNanaimo. Everything you need to plan your trip to Nanaimo! To return to your parking spot along Harewood Mines Road, just turn around and take the trail back. Beautiful morning for a walk with Luna. 92 include a new 6-mile southern skyline ridge trail along S.R. The Extension Ridge Trail is an approximately 9 km walk. Stories about the 50cm wide fissure are endless. Extension Ridge South Loop is a 7.1 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Nanaimo C, British Columbia, Canada that features a lake and is rated as moderate. In Dick’s words, “It was one of the few true singletrack trails we just r… An extension of the Ivy Ridge Trail will follow under a second phase, extending along unused commuter rail right-of-way. Kinda meh about this trail. Dogs are also able to use this trail. It took just under 2.5 hrs and was easy to find the trail while following the map. Once you have successfully circumnavigated the Fairy Circle three times, stay right to continue along the trail and take in the stunning ridgeline views of Extension on your right. A huge, seemingly bottomless fissure in the earth, a fairy circle, sweeping views of the Salish Sea and peek-a-boo views of Mt. More details on Facebook or MORE-MTB website. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and mountain biking and is best used from May until October. 360 drone photography by Doug Wortley. Great trail, easy little up hill, the abyss is real interesting, 20 mins from the start of the trail, well marked. A few look out points. The Bay Area Ridge Trail - Continues north from Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve along the ridge to Rapley Ranch Road, providing breathtaking views of both the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay. Baker to the south. Remember that this region provides valuable habitat to wild animals. Coastal-Anclote Trail; Ridge Road Extension; Withlacoochee State Trail; Coastal-Anclote Trail; Coastal-Anclote Trail. The Abyss Trail leads you to a fascinating earthquake fissure which resulted in a gaping crack in the ground. Extension Ridge Trail first caught my attention due to its fissure. Dogs are also able to use this trail. The fissure is less than 2 km from the trailhead, so it is easy to walk just a short section, and not miss out on the main attraction. A huge, seemingly bottomless fissure in the earth, a fairy circle, sweeping views of the Salish Sea and peek-a-boo views of Mt. Attention Rail Trail users, the adjoining railroad tracks are active! With leaves carpeting our path, it looked like a warm, clear autumn day. Again, after approximately 1 km, you will pop out at what is affectionately called the ‘Fairy Circle’. Please obtain a new Access Token on the plugin's Settings page.If you continue to have an issue with your Access Token then please see this FAQ for more information. The trail is suited for hiking and mountain biking and is generally in use from May to October. The lives of animals are woven into our very being — closer than our own breathing, and every soul will suffer when they are gone.”. With almost 54,000 businesses, Anne Arundel County is a major hub of commerce and development. The Abyss is a fascinating earthquake fissure which resulted in a gaping crack in the ground. No one seems to know for sure. Many hands make light work! Crazy weather today with sun, hail and snow, in April. Nice hike, good views. There doesn’t seem to be consensus on how the fissure came to be; best guesses are that is a result of an earthquake or from the ground collapsing into old mine tunnels. I liked the views of Galliano and the side of Mt Benson a lot more. Nice 9km that took about 3 hours to complete, Rocky Knoll, Beaver Pond, Morrell Lake, and Alder Trail Loop, Robert's Roost [CLOSED / PRIVATE PROPERTY], Hydro, Morrell Lake, Alder, Lookout and Rocky Knoll Loop. You will see blue and white signage posts with an arrow to lead you down a short section of a rocky, forestry access road. Get news and stories about Nanaimo delivered right to your inbox. There's an issue with the Instagram Access Token that you are using. You get to the Abyss within 20 mins. Beautiful walk with Luna this morning, ran into quite a few more people than usual. The Extension Ridge Trail is an approximately 9 km walk. Continuing along the trail for another few kilometres, you’ll come to another fork in the trail. Rocky sections were attempted up and down. If you do hike the full loop, be sure to have a rest at Astraca’s Look Out. ), and maintained by the Regional District of Nanaimo. would definitely recommend this trail. Key links in this roughly developed backwoods route include the Extension Ridge, Pipeline, White Pine and Haslam Trails. A fun, flowy descent will pop you out off of the ridge to a logging road. According to local sources, the trail was used in the 1930s as a walking and horseback trail for residents of Nanaimo and Harewood to commute to the coal mine in Extension. Segment 2 will extend from the current northern terminus of the trail at Culverhouse Nature Park to Proctor Road with a trailhead at Ashton Road. Watch you footing. Well signed. However the rest of the trail is pretty average. VALLE CRUCIS — With the help of 21.7 acres of farmland donated to the Blue Ridge Conservancy in 2015, a new, unpaved trail extends from the Valle Crucis Park loop through the field offering additional opportunities for fishing, exercising, bird watching and other activities. Very few roots and rocks, but there are a few logs on the second phase. The hike to “The Abyss” is about 15 minutes along Extension Ridge Trail from the trailhead at Harewood Mines Rd, but the trail continues much farther. The extension of the trail to the top of Mindego Hill is now open, and runs through areas where there are grazing cattle. Throw in a fairy circle, sweeping view of the Salish Sea and a lookout dedicated to the soulful love of a lost animal companion and I was completely hooked. Bacon Ridge is a multi-use linked loop traiil system. There are always new things to see and appreciate when travelling in the opposite direction. A lot of other hikers mentioned the abyss, which is fine but doesn't look like the whole lot once you're next to it. The Abyss is beautiful no matter the season… whether your visit is punctuated by sunshine shimmering between the leaves or our rainy coast’s ‘liquid sunshine’ making the moss glow. With a $35 billion economy, low taxes, a vast multi-modal transportation system, highly skilled workforce and excellent educational institutions, Anne Arundel County is the premier location to do business. The trail is wide, well-maintained, and signed, but due to exposed tree roots and steeper rocky sections, it’s not suitable for strollers. The trailhead and parking area is located at 41 Springtown Road, New Paltz, New York 12561. I have hiked this trail lots but never done the full loop. Extension Ridge Trail Loop is a 5.5 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada that features a great forest setting and is rated as moderate. There are some nice views of the ocean partway through. Trails are beginner-friendly with some punchy climbs and mostly smooth surfaces. Browse activities, find accommodations, and connect with our community. It links to several other trails, including Creeper Loop and even The Great Trail. Blowdowns everywhere after the last storm, most are off to the side but there a couple to duck around lots of mud frost and ice today. Kind of a boring hike, though there were a few good views and seeing the abyss was very cool! A few sections were ‘cleaned’ less than a dozen times by only a handful of riders… The spirit of The Abyss was a trail that helped to solidify friendships… when I think back to the trail, it’s never about how challenging it was – it’s always about the great time my friends and I had riding together. Be very careful here!!! The proposed Southern Skyline Boulevard Ridge Trail Extension would parallel upper Highway 35 from Highway 92 south to the Phleger Estate. Meeting point: Transcanada Trail on Harewood road GPS Coordinates:[masked], [masked] Recommended Gear: Hiking footware, water, … Under the selected alternative, the NPS will remove an existing metal culvert and install a 26-foot bridge on NPS lands across a drainage tributary to Redwood Creek and construct a new 1,300-foot trail extension between the Dias Ridge Trail at the Golden Gate Dairy and the Redwood Creek Trail trailhead on Frank Valley Road, Marin County, near the road's intersection with Highway 1. In the 80’s, Dick Jung and other mountain biking pioneers in Nanaimo started using the trail to hone their skills. Meeting point: Transcanada Trail on Harewood road GPS Coordinates:[masked], [masked] Recommended Gear: Hiking footware, water, … Climb up the stairs, over exposed bedrock and through a clear-cut area. If you are travelling via mountain bike, drop your seat and enjoy the ride, it is all downhill from here! Some say that it was caused by a mining explosion, others by an earthquake. Feed will not update. The trail extension adds miles Great trail. You will see blue and white signage posts with an arrow to lead you down a short section of a rocky, forestry, If you are unfamiliar with the area, it is recommended to download the, Instagram post 2342290763584122274_50344412, Instagram post 2340833395265118785_50344412, Instagram post 2340141408278292316_50344412, Instagram post 2339391712215391064_50344412, Instagram post 2338666945124446108_50344412, This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, How To Explore Nanaimo Safely & Responsibly This Summer, Day Tripping To The Lower Mainland Couldn’t Be Easier. This hike is likely the prettiest that Richard and I have done in this series to date. Extension Ridge & The Abyss The Extension Ridge area is between Harewood and Extension, to the west of Chase River - or east of Nanaimo Lakes Road. The trail is not only rich in curious points of interest and picturesque views but history too! Error: Access Token for tourismnanaimo is not valid or has expired. At a distance of 5.5 miles/8.85 kilometres (or less if you went out and back and didn’t complete the loop part), the Extension Ridge trail is rated as moderate and has an elevation gain of about 784 feet. For the next km, you will follow the trail through the trees, if you are exploring the trail on a bike there are lots of options for fun rock rolls and playful descents. In the 80’s, Dick Jung and other mountain biking pioneers in Nanaimo started using the trail to hone their skills. Local lore dictates that you must go around the circle three times in a counter-clockwise direction to ensure good luck. a little muddy in places but fun. If you are unfamiliar with the area, it is recommended to download the Trailforks app which can be used offline to show you where you are in real-time. 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