A prominent landmark off Southern Vancouver Island, Mt Benson dominates Nanaimo’s skyline. This iconic peak has far-reaching panoramic views that entirely justify the slog up to the top, making it the best hike to do near Nanaimo for a spectacular sunrise or sunset. From Mt Benson’s summit hikers can clearly make out Vancouver’s shining skyline way across the Salish Sea, with a backdrop of snowy mountains stretching all the way across the horizon. Other more local landmarks include impressive Mt Arrowsmith to the northwest, and numerous named and unnamed peaks to the south. It’s no wonder this peak was once the site of a fire lookout.
The hike up Mt Benson is a pretty unrelenting uphill grind, with several sections steep enough to warrant the installation of helpful ropes. Of particular note is the final 50 meters or so breaking up out of the woods to the summit, which is basically mild rope-assisted scrambling. expect to use your hands a little here as you ascend the staircase-like blocky stone mountainside. The trail up Mt Benson never feels unsafe though, and should be conquerable by any fit hikers.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Mt Benson hike near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
When hiking it’s important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Mt Benson as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Mt Benson Round Trip Details
Distance: 7.6 KM / 4.7 MI
Elevation Gain: 874 M / 2867 FT
Hiking Time: 3 – 4 Hrs
Hiking & Safety Tips
- Prepare for the possibility of wildlife encounters. There are almost no grizzly bears on Vancouver Island, but black bears are still common. Bear bells are proven to be an ineffective bear deterrent, and are even actively discouraged by Parks Canada. The best way to let bears know you’re around is simply to use your voice. Make sure to keep a respectful distance from wildlife and never feed the animals. It may seem kind but it doesn’t just kill wildlife and put people in danger, it’s also in many cases illegal.
- Research current trail conditions and make sure you are well-informed about the route before you leave, and assess if it is within your capability. Be aware of what time it gets dark and check the weather forecast. Make sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Every year as more and more people try hiking for the first time, the number of rescues goes up. Being prepared is the best defense.
- Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. Remember to pack out everything you pack in though – don’t expect to find a convenient garbage can halfway up the trail. Bring appropriate layers (remember you’ll warm up once you start hiking) and sun protection. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. In addition to not leaving any garbage on the trail yourself, I highly recommend bringing a garbage bag and collecting any trash that you do see on the trail. You’re guaranteed to make the hike up Mt Benson a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Mt Benson Trailhead
The trailhead for Mt Benson is about fifteen minutes from downtown Nanaimo, or just under two hours from Victoria. From the Nanaimo waterfront at Front Street, turn west onto Bastion Street. Follow the street for 10 minutes as it turns into Fitzwilliam Street, then Third Street, then Jingle Pot Road. Turn left onto Kilpatrick Road and follow it as it curves up the road before turning right onto Benson View Road. Look out for the large obvious parking lot for Mt. Benson Regional Park on the left.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking Mt Benson
Setting off from the Mt Benson Regional Park trailhead.
An early intersection. Like most of the trail up Mt Benson, the correct way to go is well-signed. Not the orange trail marker on the tree. They are common all along the route.
In the rare case (such as here) that the route up to the summit is not explicitly signed, just go up.
There are two or three times during the first third of the hike that the trail splits into two different routes, but reconverted after several minutes. I kept on the trails with the stairs and avoided a steep rope-assisted section that I ended up encountering on the way down.
A fantastic open viewpoint approximately one third of the way up Mt Benson makes for a fantastic spot to stop and drink some water.
More steep uphill trail following the viewpoint. there are a couple more detours to other viewpoints along the way that I skipped in favor of hurrying up to the summit.
At around the halfway point, the trail heading straight up Mt Benson crosses the “Old Road Trail”. Continue straight here for more steep uphill grind for the next 170 m, or turn right to follow the more gentle slower trail.
More steep uphill towards the summit of Mt Benson.
Though I was tempted to take the easier “old road” trail, the views from the steeper trail made it well worth it.
Most of the last third of the hike is surprisingly flat. I had to check my map multiple times out of fear I had somehow wandered onto the wrong trail. To celebrate the flat trail makes its way to below the summit it compensates for the easy grade.
The final challenging push to the summit. This section is relatively short though and won’t take more than ten minutes or so. You’ll use your hands here – the ropes help as well.
Out on the open rocky ridge and making my way up to the summit of Mt Benson.
The false summit of Mt Benson is about as far as many hikers make it. Note the foundations of the former fire lookout at right. It’s not unless you look closely at the radio towers across the saddle that you notice that the actual summit is a couple meters higher. Continue towards the radio towers to connect to an access road for the true summit.
The summit of Mt Benson. Mostly-forested Blackjack Ridge is behind me on the left. Mt Decosmos is the prominent round mountain behind it.
Views to the southeast include Salt Spring Island in the distance, as well as a couple hikes near Duncan.
Views to the northeast
Views to the northwest. The distinct ridge of Mt Arrowsmith in the distance. Just right of center Little Mountain is visible somewhere in the haze behind Lonetree Hill and the Lantzville Foothills.
Looking southwest towards Blackjack Ridge and various other peaks in the Nanaimo watershed, Nanaimo’s source of “clean” drinking water that is regularly industrially logged.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to hiking Mt Benson near Nanaimo! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.