This stretch of the highway is the western-most segment of the Trans-Canada, though some will argue the highway ends in Tofino (as was the original intent back in 1912) on the Pacific Coast, rather than British Columbia's capital city of Victoria as highway planners in the 1950s had decided.
From Victoria, the highway rises winds its way though a city founded for its strategic command of the mouth of the Fraser River. The road rises and falls gently and travels through several municipalities that form "Greater Victoria". You will see magnificent oak trees that thrive in this moist temperate climate.
Once you leave the urban/suburban areas the highway climbs over the rugged Malahat highlands, made up of volcanic rock covered by 400 year old Douglas fir trees that in colonial days were common all around Victoria. The rivers in this area have gravel beds, left behind from early glaciers and subsequent erosion, most noticeably the Goldstream River, are home to thousands of salmon. The Malahat Summit provides a number of stunning vantage points for viewing the Saanich Inlet, which is a backwards fjord, facing into the direction of the glacial flow. Along powerline cuts, you will spot colourful Scotch broom flowering shrubs that show their full glory in early summer.
The Coast Lowlands between Mill Bay (with a ferry to/from Brentwood Bay) north to Nanaimo, via Duncan and Ladysmith, are in the "rain shadow" of the mountainous spine of Vancouver Island. Because most of the moisture that clouds have absorbed over the Pacific ocean falls as rain when they climb the west slope of the mountains, the east slopes are mostly sunny in summer. The valleys have lush farmlands (many with two crops a year), tree farms and orchards, and the rivers are home to Steelhead trout of up to a metre in length. Forests in this area tend to be "second growth", having grown since the original forests were harvested.
Nanaimo is a small city, the gateway to the north end of the Island. This city is a popular retirement capital for those who have lived their lives in the harsher Canadian winters on the prairies.
KM from Start | Highway Point Description | Municipality | GPS and
Map Zoom |
EB | WB |
0 | 142 | Mile Zero at Dallas Rd | Victoria | Map Zoom |
0 | 142 | park entrance Simcoe st /Circle Drive | Victoria | Map Zoom |
1 | 141 | Superior St, north end of park | Victoria | Map Zoom |
1 | 141 | road divides northbound on Blanshard st | Victoria | Map Zoom |
1 | 141 | Belleville St & Douglas St | Victoria | Map Zoom |
2 | 140 | Johnson St & Douglas St | Victoria | Map Zoom |
2 | 140 | Pandora St & Douglas St | Victoria | Map Zoom |
3 | 139 | Bay St & Douglas St | Victoria | Map Zoom |
3 | 139 | Gorge Rd/Hillside Rd & Douglas St | Victoria | Map Zoom |
5 | 137 | Tolmie Ave & Douglas St, Mayfair Shopping Centre | Victoria | Map Zoom |
5 | 137 | Bridge under railway | | Map Zoom |
6 | 136 | Carrey Rd, Saanich Plaza | Victoria | Map Zoom |
6 | 136 | Tillicum Rd & Battleford Ave, Tillicum Mall. Divided Highway to west | Victoria | Map Zoom |
6 | 136 | Burnside/Interurban Rd & Battleford | Victoria | Map Zoom |
7 | 135 | Admirals Rd, Cuthbert Homes Park | Victoria | Map Zoom |
10 | 132 | Helmcken Rd, Victoria General Hospital | View Royal | Map Zoom |
12 | 130 | Burnside Rd/Old Island Highway(!a) | View Royal | Map Zoom |
13 | 129 | 6 Mile Rd. Thetis Lake | Langford | Map Zoom |
16 | 126 | Millstream Rd | Langford | Map Zoom |
6 | 136 | Spencer Rd, Florence Lake | Langford | Map Zoom |
19 | 123 | Goldstream Ave exit | | Map Zoom |
19 | 123 | Roadside Turnout on south site. Viewpoint | | Map Zoom |
20 | 123 | Sooke Lake Rd | | Map Zoom |
22 | 120 | Finlayson Arm Rd | | Map Zoom |
23 | 119 | View of Finlayson Arm or Strait of Georgia | | Map Zoom |
31 | 111 | Malahat, view and shopping | | Map Zoom |
33 | 109 | Shawinigan Lake Rd Exit | | Map Zoom |
34 | 108 | Whitaker Rd, Ebadora Lane (to west) | | Map Zoom |
37 | 105 | Roadside viewpoint, east side | | Map Zoom |
38 | 104 | Roadside viewpoint, east side | | Map Zoom |
39 | 103 | Malahat Lookout, east side | | Map Zoom |
40 | 102 | Trowsse Dr | | Map Zoom |
40 | 102 | Mill Bay Rd Exits, access to Brentwood ferry | Mill Bay | Map Zoom |
45 | 97 | Fryne Rd | Mill Bay | Map Zoom |
45 | 97 | Delourne Rd exit, East Side | Mill Bay | Map Zoom |
46 | 96 | Mill Bay Rd | | Map Zoom |
48 | 95 | Shawinigan-Mill Bay Rd | | Map Zoom |
48 | 94 | Cobble Hill Rd/Kilmalu Rd | | Map Zoom |
49 | 93 | Sheppard Rd | | Map Zoom |
50 | 92 | exit, with shopping | | Map Zoom |
50 | 92 | Beehive Campground | | Map Zoom |
50 | 92 | Hutchinson Rd | | Map Zoom |
51 | 91 | Fisher Rd | | Map Zoom |
52 | 90 | Mother Well Rd | | Map Zoom |
53 | 89 | Cowichan Bay Rd | | Map Zoom |
55 | 87 | Wilmot Bay Rd, on east side | Cowichan Valley | Map Zoom |
56 | 86 | Koksilah Rd | Cowichan Valley | Map Zoom |
56 | 86 | Hillbank Rd (no access) | Cowichan Valley | Map Zoom |
58 | 84 | Phipps Rd to west, retail strip on east side | | Map Zoom |
59 | 83 | Bench Rd | | Map Zoom |
77 | 65 | Cowichan Bay Rd, Kelly Rd | North Cowichan | Map Zoom |
77 | 65 | Miller Rd | North Cowichan | Map Zoom |
77 | 65 | Christopher Rd | North Cowichan | Map Zoom |
78 | 64 | Roberts Rd, to west | North Cowichan | Map Zoom |
78 | 64 | Allenby Rd (west) Chaster Rd (east) | North Cowichan | Map Zoom |
79 | 63 | Boys Rd | North Cowichan | Map Zoom |
80 | 62 | Cowichan River crossing | | Map Zoom |
81 | 61 | Trunk Rd (Hwy 1A) | Duncan | Map Zoom |
81 | 61 | Coronation Ave | Duncan | Map Zoom |
81 | 61 | Alexander St | Duncan | Map Zoom |
81 | 61 | James St | Duncan | Map Zoom |
83 | 59 | Beverly St | Duncan | Map Zoom |
85 | 57 | Exit to Canada Ave (West side) | Duncan | Map Zoom |
86 | 56 | Somenos Lake to E | | Map Zoom |
87 | 55 | Drinkwater Rd, Bell McKinnon Rd | | Map Zoom |
88 | 54 | Norcross Rd | | Map Zoom |
89 | 53 | Herd Rd / Cowichan Valley Hwy (#18) | | Map Zoom |
50 | 93 | Sprott Rd | | Map Zoom |
90 | 52 | Utility Station to east of Hwy | | Map Zoom |
91 | 52 | Exit EB for Highway Tire | | Map Zoom |
91 | 51 | Mays Rd | | Map Zoom |
94 | 48 | White House B&B, east side | | Map Zoom |
96 | 46 | Mt Sicker Rd, farmer market on W est side | | Map Zoom |
97 | 45 | Chemainus River crossing | | Map Zoom |
97 | 45 | Hudson Rd Exit, EB | | Map Zoom |
99 | 43 | Country Maples R V Resort , west side of hwy | | Map Zoom |
100 | 42 | Fullers Lake Rd | | Map Zoom |
101 | 41 | Henry Rd | Chemainus | Map Zoom |
101 | 41 | Macmillan Bloedel forestry service road | | Map Zoom |
102 | 40 | River Rd | | Map Zoom |
109 | 33 | Thicke Rd, Edgelow Rd, Westdowne Rd | | Map Zoom |
111 | 31 | Davis Rd | | Map Zoom |
112 | 30 | N Davis Rd (W), Tyrrell Rd (E) | Ladysmith | Map Zoom |
114 | 28 | Roberts Rd, to west, Transfer Beach Blvd (to east) | Ladysmith | Map Zoom |
115 | 27 | 1st Ave exit (WB) | Ladysmith | Map Zoom |
116 | 26 | Strathcona Rd WB | Ladysmith | Map Zoom |
116 | 26 | Grouhel Rd | | Map Zoom |
118 | 24 | Oyster Bay Indian Reserve 12 | | Map Zoom |
119 | 23 | Takala Rd (W) | | Map Zoom |
120 | 22 | Brenton-Page Rd (E) | | Map Zoom |
121 | 21 | Cedar Rd (E) | | Map Zoom |
122 | 20 | Timberlands Rd (W) | | Map Zoom |
123 | 19 | Spitfire Rd (Nanaimo Airport) | | Map Zoom |
124 | 18 | Haslam Creek crossing | | Map Zoom |
124 | 18 | Spruston Rd (W) Haslam Rd(E) | | Map Zoom |
125 | 17 | Nanaimo River crossing | | Map Zoom |
126 | 16 | Nanaimo River Rd | | Map Zoom |
128 | 14 | Morden Rd | | Map Zoom |
129 | 13 | Minetown Rd (W) | | Map Zoom |
130 | 12 | Triple E Tent & Trailer Park | | Map Zoom |
131 | 12 | Kipp Rd (W), Fielding Rd (E) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
131 | 11 | EB Exit ramp | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
131 | 11 | Duke Point Hwy Interchange (#19) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
131 | 11 | WB exit ramp | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
133 | 9 | EB Exit Ramp to Hwy 19 N | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
134 | 8 | Nanaimo Parkway Intersection | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
134 | 8 | Carberry Ave (W) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
135 | 7 | 12th St (W) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
135 | 7 | 10th St (W), Southgate Shopping Centre, Maki Rd(E) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
135 | 7 | Railway underpass | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
136 | 6 | Haliburton St | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
137 | 6 | Petyroglyph Provinicial Park (E), no access | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
137 | 5 | Highview Terrace(E) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
138 | 4 | Needham St (Nanaimo Town Indian Reserve 1) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
138 | 4 | Farquhar St | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
139 | 4 | Milton St | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
139 | 3 | Crace St | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
139 | 3 | Esplanade St (E) to Front St (to Gabriola Island Ferry) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
139 | 3 | Commercial St (access to Protection Island Ferry, Georgia Park) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
140 | 2 | FitzWilliam St (W) -Bastion St (E) overpass (no access) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
140 | 2 | Wentworth St(W) Cliff St (E) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
140 | 2 | Campbell St | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
140 | 2 | Comox Rd to Front St (to Maffeo Sutton Park, Newcastle Island Ferry) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
140 | 2 | Intersection Island Hwy *#19A), Stewart Ave (#1) and Newcastle Ave | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 2 | Mt Benson St at Stewart Ave | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 1 | Townsite Rd at Stewart Ave | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 1 | Cypress St at Stewart Ave | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 1 | St George St at Stewart Ave | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
142 | 1 | Marinas on E side | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
142 | 0 | Poplar St (W) to Teminal Park Shopping Centre) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 1 | Maple St (W) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 1 | Drake St & Stewart Ave (divided road to N) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 1 | Brechlin Rd & Stewart Ave (divided road to S) | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
141 | 1 | Departure Bay entrance | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
142 | 0 | Departure Bay Ferry Dock | Nanaimo | Map Zoom |
KM from Start | Highway Point Description | Municipality | GPS and
Map Zoom |
EB | WB |
