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Gabriola Island Driving Bicycling Tourby David Stanley Nanaimo's neighbour Gabriola Island is the northernmost of the Southern Gulf Islands. Many of the island's 5,000 permanent residents are artists, musicians, and writers, and Gabriola is famous for its numerous studios and art galleries. There are three provincial parks, a museum, numerous bald eagles, and lots of beautiful coastal scenery. All this makes Gabriola an ideal daytrip destination from Nanaimo. Our complete driving/bicycling tour totals 49 kilometers, but a limited nine-km routing on foot is also provided. BC Ferries operates an hourly car ferry to Gabriola from opposite the Port Place Shopping Centre in downtown Nanaimo. The roundtrip fare is around $11 per passenger and $27 per car (bicycles are $2). Upon disembarking from the ferry, follow North Road 400 meters straight ahead and take the first left onto Taylor Bay Road. After 600 meters you'll reach Descanso Bay Regional Park. Gabriola's three provincial parks are day-use only (no camping) so the 32 nicely-wooded campsites here are the best place to unroll the tent.
Return to Taylor Bay Road and go 500 meters north to Decourcy Drive where you turn left to nearby Gabriola Sands Provincial Park. (If you're on foot, you can walk along the scenic shoreline from the Malaspina Galleries to the park in 15 minutes at low tide.) This picnic site crosses a narrow isthmus between Pilot Bay facing the mainland, a great place to beachcomb (at low tide), and Taylor Bay facing Vancouver Island, one of Gabriola's best beaches (at high tide).
Agricultural Hall, 500 meters up the hill from Taylor Bay Road, is across from the post office at the junction of North and South roads. The Farmers Market at "Aggi Hall" offers displays of handicrafts, baked goods, and buskers, Saturdays from 10 am to 1 pm from late May to mid-October.
From Folklife Village, take Lockinvar Lane 400 meters south to South Road and the Gabriola Museum, 505 South Road, with a large collection of local artifacts. The outdoor Petroglyph Park at the museum has numerous concrete replicas of native rock carvings created in 1997. You're welcome to do rubbings of these, something that isn't encouraged with real petroglyphs. The museum is open from 10:30 am to 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday from May to September and daily in July and August. Admission by donation. The petroglyph reproductions are accessible for free anytime.
Another 2.1 km east of the church, turn right on Coast Road, then immediately right again on Stalker Road. Drumbeg Provincial Park, 1.4 km off South Road, has sandstone rock formations, a rare Garry oak forest, and varied views. Gabriola Passage opposite Valdes Island has a strong tidal current and it's relaxing to sit and watch the world go by.
From Silva Bay, drive 9.4 km west on North Road, then right on Barrett Road. After a km turn left on Bluewater Road and immediately left on Bond Road. Three hundred meters ahead, turn left on The Strand which runs 800 meters to Sandwell Provincial Park. A 10-minute walk along a broad path leads through the forest to a long, log-strewn beach with good swimming at high tide. There's a spectacular view of the volcanic cone of Mount Baker in Washington State from the north end of the beach. From the park it's 2.1 km back to North Road, where you turn right and drive another 3.6 km back to the ferry. The Skol Pub is just up from the ferry terminal. Watch for deer along all of the roads of Gabriola. Updated: 28 July 2015 |
driving tour map |