Southern Vancouver Island Hiking Trails

David Allinson is the president of the Rocky Point Bird Observatory in Victoria, B.C.

Southern Vancouver Island Hiking Trails features 49 easy-to-moderate
one-day hikes along some of the forgotten trapper’s lines, logging
roads, and rail lines between Port Alberni and the Cowichan Valley. The
guide is intended for the outdoor enthusiast, hiker, or mountain biker
who wants to find beautiful, rugged landscape off the beaten path.

Maps and photos are provided for each area, and the access information
for each trail is clear and concise. But little information is included
about the old mining, logging, and trapping remains found along many of
the trails, and what is there only leaves the reader wanting further
explanation. (I would have appreciated more historical references and
background about when the area was last mined, what was mined, who
founded the mine, and so forth).

The information regarding potential hazards and the degree of
difficulty for each trail makes this guide very useful. Cyclists will
find it especially useful, since most of the trails Rogers describes are
suitable alternatives to existing, more heavily used routes.