The Abyss, Nanaimo BC

Travel date: November 2nd, 2023

The crack is deeper than I expected it to be, The walk there was fun as well. Slippery when wet.

So what is 'the Abyss'? It's an earthquake fissure, about 16" wide (40 cm). It is also quite deep, but I couldn't find any information about how deep it actually goes. They say an earthquake caused an old coal mine tunnel to collapse, which resulted in the ground moving and creating this void in the ground.

While the location itself is not that dangerous, the hole is big enough for dogs and kids to fall in. So be mindful of that when walking around and keep an eye on the little ones (and hubbies 😆).

The way there is simple: it starts at The Abyss Trailhead on Harewood Mines Rd just 5 km outside of Nanaimo. You can park your vehicle at the trailhead. Follow the short but steep Extension Ridge Trail and it will take you to the hole. You can walk the trail even further, and get to a Fairy Circle and a Labyrinth. But we decided to go back. It was slippery enough due to the constant rain.

Lara xo