Stonehill Farm, an abandoned 130-acre property east of Duncan, is a bit of a local secret. Sadly, the locals have trashed the place. On the property sits a large dilapidated house, swimming pool, four small barns, a small sawmill, four sheds, a garage, and a lovely waterfall reachable by a short walk.
There isn’t really much information I could find on when or why the Stone Family abandoned the property. Today, the walls of the run-down Stone house are coated in graffiti and bullet holes, and the floors covered in an even layer of broken glass and trash. There has been talk of inevitably developing the property into a nightmarish expansion of suburban sprawl, but ground hasn’t been broken yet. For now at least the abandoned buildings offer a great spot to explore or practice photography in an unique setting, or (if you’re a local teen) to dump your garbage.
A short walk past the abandoned mansion and along a well-trod path leads through field and forest, finally leading up alongside a creek through some beautiful old forest. It’s a very different environment from the rest of the property, and it’s nice to be reminded that there are some things that people haven’t ruined.
Lovely Stonehill Falls traces a delicate shape down the mossy cliff, separating into two separate streams and reconverging as it makes its way down three distinct sections of cliff. Some people have clearly tried climbing up the cliff next to the waterfall, tearing up plants and stirring up the muddy cliff. I suggest not doing this. Instead, have a seat on a rock and sit enjoy another one of Vancouver Island’s beautiful waterfalls. Who knows how much longer it’ll be around.
Want to make a positive change in the world? Bring a garbage bag on your walk to Stonehill Falls and pick up just a little bit of garbage. You’re guaranteed to make the waterfall walk a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Stonehill Falls hike 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 Stonehill Falls as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Stonehill Falls Round Trip Details
Distance: 2.6 KM / 1.6 MI
Elevation Gain: 130 M / 426 FT
Hiking Time: 45 MINS
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 to Stonehill Falls a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
When to Visit Stonehill Falls
Like all waterfalls on Vancouver Island, the best time of year to visit is the winter months, as well as late fall or early spring. These are the months with the most rain, meaning that visiting waterfalls during this time will guarantee a heavy and dramatic flow of water. Some waterfalls including Stonehill sometimes dry up during the summer, so I would only try to visit Stonehill Falls if I knew there had been a good amount of rain recently.
How to Get to Stonehill Falls Trailhead
The trailhead for the abandoned house and Stonehill Falls is located about ten minutes from Duncan, 45 minutes from Nanaimo, or about an hour from Victoria. From the Trans-Canada Highway in Duncan, turn east onto Trunk Road. (at the Chevron) Follow it straight for about five minutes and turn left at the roundabout onto Maple Bay Road. Keep on Maple Bay for another couple minutes before turning right onto Storehouse Way, and then immediately left at the stop sign onto Donnay Drive. Follow Donnay Drive until it ends at a t-juction with the path continuing on straight from there. It’s a residential area so try to find somewhere to park that won’t tick someone off.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking to Stonehill Falls
At the end of Donnay Drive, heading straight down the path.
The walk down to the farm has some great views of classic North-American-style suburbs alongside the path.
After passing the duck pond, turn right to head towards the abandoned house.
The abandoned mansion visible up ahead. Go left here to follow the path up to the front of it.
Exploring the abandoned Stone house.
I wouldn’t explore near the house with dogs, and I would at the very least be cautious with kids. There is broken glass everywhere.
After passing the house, the path resumes through this little stone wall. Take a pretty immediate right.
Duncan’s abandoned mansion behind me, following the path towards Stonehill Falls.
This must be the place.
The walk gets a million times nicer once it enters the forest and follows the small creek. The walk gets a million times nicer once it enters the forest and follows the small creek uphill.
Lovely Stonehill Falls tracing its way down the mossy cliff.
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 to Stonehill Falls on Vancouver Island! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.
Stony Hill is a beautiful spot. And yes it’s sad that “people” have pulled stuff out of the buildings, started fires and graffiti’d the buildings…However, why blame the “locals”. I am local and I haven’t done that..Nor, has anyone I know. Hopefully your article doesn’t draw more people who damage it. Locals have tried to protect it and keep its location a local secret.
Not sure you have helped.
I agree with Laurel. Its not locals who have damaged the place, that is ridiculous. Locals hike around there yes. People going in there and partying and being ignorant, wherever they are from or currently reside, that is who did damage to the palace over the last two and a half decades. It really should remain a secret, and its not a park. It would be great if it was. It’s actually private property. More people coming there will eventually be a bad thing. I am pretty sure the author of this article had good intentions. Through my experience with outdoor locations on Vancouver Island, when they get more well known and ‘discovered’, its usually just a matter of time before it gets abused. Then it gets shut down to everyone. Ever heard of the ‘Quarry’ in Cobble Hill?
I concur, it is infact not locals who have destroyed this beautiful old cattle farm, but a combination of developers who did not finish their work and the new influx of homeless from across the country who have destroyed this place. Locals have routinely called fire and police to assist them in protecting their “backyard”, the community of Cowichan itself has attempted to help the homeless with their many addiction and housing issues, however there simply is not enough infrastructure to support the people who seem to just keep coming from across the country with no end in sight and no responsibility towards the place they now inhabit. I would also like to point out that this is private property and although locals enjoy the well meaning hikers keeping the place occupied to avoid the squatting issues of the past, please know this is not a park…. yet. Although there are many who would love to see it become a historical park for the enjoyment of all.
Indeed the Stone family gets a bad wrap for “abandoning” the property. Not true
The municipality was so adamant for development that the family couldn’t make single move without dedicating and paying for Donnay drive (to plow through the pond), that the family was forced to sell to a developer. First developer gutted a shit load of trees and left the slash piles right in the middle of the property but that developer at least tried to have someone in the property for a while. .
Sold to another developer who has abandoned a once beautiful property.
There are 12 vehicle width stone bridges and numerous beautiful rock walls that are now grown over with blackberry and will probably be bulldozed in time.
Dad to see if you had seen it in its prime.
Lotta people up in arms about the “locals” comment. Sorry to say, folks, but it’s probably a combination of all of the above (except for the person who suggested it was homeless people who trashed it – I don’t buy that. Homeless people typically don’t spend their time wandering through suburbia to get to a a place that’s far from anywhere that they would generally congregate and if they do, they’re not bringing spray paint to paint “pussy” on the walls in big letters).
Believe it or not, the people of Duncan are just as capable of damaging an abandoned building as are the people of Nanaimo, Courtenay, Campbell River or Vancouver. The snooty comments about “Locals wouldn’t do that – we’re special and precious!” are laughable.
I’m sitting here thinking that after my first experience today, November 19th, 2023, of visiting this heritage homestead in Duncan, I will do it again with a garbage bag. Not just pop cans, candy wrappers, coffee cups from Tim Horton, Starbucks, McDonalds but those humans who have dogs who, rather than carrying a small bag, want to decorate trees with green, blue, black bags. We go to experience a lovely walk, see history and the Stone family who had such an impact in Duncan. Respect their heritage, respect nature. If you pack it in, surely to goodness you can pack it out.
It’s called respect.
We are currently allow to be visitors on this property. Keep littering, keep destroying what is there, keep covering up beautifully build rock work and stone work with graffiti and that privilege goes down the drain.
Think before you act.
Stone hill farms wasn’t abandoned it was sold to some overseas investor who is only worried about investments To let this once beautiful place be trashed is criminal And it is violating the family that this was home. Its not a place to hike it’s private property. It was also a native sacred site.