New trail to explore rarely seen parts of Nanaimo and island
NANAIMO — A new trail stretching from Horseshoe Bay through the northern Strait of Georgia and down the Vancouver Island coast is set to unveil hidden treasures in Nanaimo.
John Kimantas, project manager of the still-in-development 275 km. Salish Sea Marine Trail, said explorers will be drawn off the well-paddled trail to the caves of Newcastle Island and areas in the north of the Strait which are rarely seen.
“On the north side there’s some amazing stone structures that include an area you can paddle in and out of it,” he said. “Little things like that we can market as tourism potential.”
Kimantas said the trail should be “functionally complete,” by July 1, especially with a $30,000 donation from the Island Coastal Economic Trust.