Following the Puntledge River, the Bevan Trail near Comox Lake offers a unique nature walk to an old mine site. This trail, part of the Comox Dam Recreation Area, is also known as River Trail East. It runs parallel to River Trail West, which is on the opposite side of the Puntledge River.
River Trail East is a pleasant forest walk to the historic townsite of Bevan. While company houses are no longer there, the cement structure of the No. 7 mine still remains. In total, the distance from the parking area to the cement structure and back is around 4 km. The trail is a rough loop with part of it following an old road (Bevan Trail) and another parallel section that follows the Puntledge (River Trail East). There are a number of connecting short cuts that join both of these trails together.
A Trail Through Time
The Bevan Trail traces the remnants of the once-thriving coal mining town of Bevan, active in the early 1900s. Established by the Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Ltd., Bevan was a bustling community built around the No. 7 mine, which operated from 1911 until its closure in 1951. Around one hundred company houses were built between 1910 and 1912 as homes for the miners. In 1918, thirty-seven of these houses were moved to Cumberland. Today, nothing remains of the rest of the townsite houses. However, hikers can still see the foundations of buildings, old rail grades, and mining infrastructure scattered throughout the forest.
One of the main attractions on this trail is the remains of the No. 7 Mine. Identified as “concrete structure” on the map, this roofless, cement building has a number of flat surfaces that are attractive to graffiti artists. Moss grows over the spray painted designs which gives them a feeling of art created by an ancient, long-gone, civilization.
The building has a single open room and number of low walls and narrow passages that are open and roofless. A carved date of 1913 is still visible on the most intact facade. Tags and illustrations cover many of the surfaces. Some of the work is better than others. Moss and ferns are slowly encroaching on these old structures and covering up the graffiti as nature reclaims the townsite remains.
Botanical Highlights on the Bevan Trail
The Bevan Trail winds through 100 to 120 year old second-growth forest dominated by Douglas fir, western red cedar, and bigleaf maple. In 2024, the Comox Valley Land Trust acquired the timber rights of the recreation area, protecting this second growth forest from future logging. The forest was originally logged in the early 1900s when the town of Bevan was built.
In spring and summer, native plants such as vanilla-leaf (Achlys triphylla), salal (Gaultheria shallon), and red huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium) are noticeable. These plants are typical of the low elevation coastal forests which characterizes much of the Comox Valley.
Botanists with an interest in uncommon plants should consider a side trip to the nearby Comox Lake Bluffs Ecological Reserve, located further along the gravel road on the north side of Comox Lake. This reserve protects rare dry-site plant communities, including arbutus (Arbutus menziesii), hairy manzanita (Arctostaphylos columbiana), oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor), and rocky outcrops covered in mosses and lichens. Smaller and more unusual plants grow in the seeps on the bluffs. While the Calypso orchid (Calypso bulbosa) grows along the Bevan Trail, it is much more prolific on the trail to the Comox Lake bluffs.
Need to Know
The Bevan Trail is accessible year-round and is suitable for hikers of all skill levels. Check to make sure that you check for trail work closures as BC Hyrdo is working on upgrading some sections into the fall of 2026. Trail conditions are generally good, with well-maintained paths and gentle elevation changes. Whether you’re drawn by the No. 7 Mine graffiti, or the search for native plants and wildlife, the Bevan Trail offers something for everyone!
Getting There
From Courtenay, follow Lake Trail Road until it passes under the Inland Island Highway. Look for your next major left which is Comox Lake Road. Follow Comox Lake Road until it crosses Bevan Road (which takes you to the old townside of Bevan)—keep on straight through this intersection and the road becomes Comox Lake Logging Road. Continue on Comox Lake Logging Road past the Courtenay Fish and Game Club. Look for a wide parking area on the left side of the road after passing the Fish and Game Club road. Park there and look for the trail on the opposite side of the road. If you drive over the bridge just above the Comox Lake Dam you’ve gone too far.
