Horne Lake Loop

This counter-clockwise loop from the village of Bowser is one of my favourite routes on Central Vancouver Island, but maybe I'm a little biased because it's right out my back door. In this direction you will earn your rewards with a few punchy climbs along the way but you'll be handsomely rewarded with long, flowing descents through ancient rainforest, past cave-riddled limestone bluffs and a fish-filled river that pours out of the mountains toward the sea. Two distinct river drainages, an underground world, a working salmon hatchery, and a great cup of coffee bookend the whole affair. What more do you want?

The ride begins and ends in Bowser, in the heart of the coastal community known as Lighthouse Country, a stretch of east-coast Vancouver Island named for the offshore lighthouses on Sisters Island and Chrome Island, both visible on a clear day from the highway. The town is unpretentious in the best possible way and at the centre of it all, the Bowser Coffeehouse, your essential pre-ride fuel stop. They roast their own organic beans and the menu runs from fresh-baked treats and sandwiches, Italian sodas, and smoothies that have been described by more than one passer-through as "heavenly." The shaded patio is enormous and the staff are legendarily kind. Open Mon-Sat from 7am. Go ahead and order a second coffee. The dirt and climbing will start soon enough. The parking lot is a busy place, be thoughtful and park around back past the Ambulance station, or across the road at the town park (behind the Legion).

Straight out of Bowser, you could ride the first 6 km on Highway 19A to shake out the legs... but why do that, when you can have some fun! So, let's get right to it, as I lead you through a few fun roads and trails vs riding the silly highway. Caution: watch yourself when the trail "dumps" you onto the highway.

Heading inland on Cook Creek Forest Service Road, the first third of the ride delivers the route's most concentrated climbing: a few short, punchy pitches through Douglas-fir and cedar, with glimpses east toward the Strait of Georgia and the silhouettes of Denman and Hornby Islands. Well-compacted gravel with enough potholes to keep you honest. Watch for vehicles and motos on the first 3-4 km until you get past the Cook Creek OHV area, especially on weekends.

After those punchy climbs, the gradient eases as the road eventually follows Rosewall Creek and past a few chill camping spots along the river as you gently roll toward the high point of the ride: a quiet, forested saddle dividing two watersheds. Along the way you'll get glimpses of Vancouver Island's interior ridgelines as a reminder of how wild it stays once you push a few kilometres off the highway. Keep an eye out for black bears along the entire route.

Over the saddle, the route gently follows the upper Big Qualicum River where it starts as a trickle. The 13 km long descent brings you through increasingly lush forest as you continually cross the river as it gets bigger with every added stream. This section alone makes up for the dues you paid on those first couple of climbs. To me this is the better direction: money up front, enjoyment later. Take the time to scramble down the "rope" to get a closer look at the big waterfall you'll see on your right through the trees. The ecology shifts with every kilometre of elevation shed: scrub gives way to tall, mossy second-growth, the air growing damper and more fragrant as you drop.

The descent delivers you to Horne Lake, tucked beneath the cliffs of Mount Mark and home to Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park, a cave system widely regarded as among the finest in Canada. Seven caves protect crystal formations, fossils, underground waterfalls, and passages ranging from family-friendly to genuinely hair-raising. The Extreme Cave & Rappel Tour involves descending a seven-storey shaft; the karst trail above ground is considerably more relaxed. Book ahead in summer. Horne Lake Regional Park next door offers lakefront camping, kayak and SUP rentals, and in autumn, eagles congregating to feast on spawning trout. An excellent spot for a lunch break or a base for a two-day trip.

From Horne Lake, you'll roll past private cabins, before taking a hard (easy to miss) left turn down to the Big Qualicum River Regional Trail. This gentle 10 km gravel road alongside the lower river is closed to vehicles and used for hatchery staff access only. Before you know it, you'll be at the Big Qualicum River Salmon Hatchery. Between September and November the channels run thick with returning Chinook and Pink salmon, drawing bears, eagles, and wide-eyed cyclists alike. The big-leaf maples turn gold in October. The timing is worth engineering. Take a tour of the hatchery if you have the time (7-3 daily).

The short 6 km paved roll up the (original) Island Highway is a great way to end the day. You'll pass through Qualicum Bay, where you can choose between ice cream at the Cone Zone, a bite at the well-known Bluewater Bistro food truck, or the rustic Crown & Anchor pub down the road. Failing that, you may have enough time for a second visit to the Coffeehouse patio.

A few notes for planning. Counter-clockwise concentrates the climbing early and rewards you with a long descent; clockwise works too, especially if you are camping at Horne Lake, just expect a very rough, white-knuckled downhill section going down that way. For parking, be courteous: pull around the back past the Ambulance station, or use the small park behind the Legion. Food in and around Bowser covers the bases with the Bowser Coffeehouse for pre-ride coffee and bakery, Tomm's Food Village for groceries, the Georgia Park Store (with liquor store), the Crown & Anchor pub, the Bluewater Bistro food truck, and the Cone Zone for ice cream. Cave tours should be booked in advance at hornelake.com (250-248-7829), with self-guided caving available year-round with a headlamp and helmet. Salmon viewing at the Big Qualicum Hatchery runs mid-September to November; be bear-aware. Black bears, deer, elk and bald eagles are commonly encountered in the upper drainage and along the river in autumn.