Reviews of Colliery Dam Park (Zoo)

Trevor Blenkin

Ohhh the fun I had ????

Phuc Thinh Le

Lovely place

olive gaboury

Spectacular sampling of old growth trees right in the heart of Nanaimo. Perfect spot to cool of on a hot day because the trees & the lakes cool the air. Paths are paved & dirt with roots helping to make steps on the hills so it's easy for pretty much any ability. A large part of the park had off leash dog walking area but they do warn you on the signs that dogs should be wearing a current licence tag. There's plenty of parking from access off Harewood Mines Rd, 6th or 7th st or pretty close by bus access from Harewood Ave.

ben wickham

Worst water slide

Elizabeth George

I love it there

paigemossey

Stunning waterfall, screw what TLC said... go chasing those waterfalls

Tom

Oct 2016.Great little park.I like coming here to listen to the Ravens calling out with their sounds.

Wayde Johnston

Great local Nanaimo walking park. Some great benches to watch the people fish and swim. Spring very nice, summer must do for sunny day.

Richard George

Good place for a casual stroll with your best friend... and there's unleashed area for them to enjoy a walk without

Talia Hammond

Beautiful walk

Sean Comeault

Great off leash area!

Todd Jackson

Stunning day gor a hike

T J

It's nice

Em von Euw

A special place for walking, contemplation, walking your doggo and enjoying the great outdoors.

tony slade

Every dog in nanaimo needs to come for a visit

KaCee Hughes

People are always friendly and the ground are well kept

Davis Chevrier

Awesome for dogs!

Shelley Henschel

Beautiful setting with several walking trails. Can swim in the small lake they have.

Carly H

Love walking here

Dan D

Nice park, looks like a good lake for a swim

Island HoneyComb

Good

Dylan Perry

Beutiful scenery. Nice place to go for a quick forrest walk around some small lakes.

Daniel G. Carlos II

My kids love this place I have been a few times 1 idea (old one...and already done) is to hook up a fresh water shower it looks like there was one . no shower head is cool we got one ... to operate 25cents a minute hey??? Just saying I was taught to shower after swimming .

Dave McCammon

Possibly the best off the beaten track park/dam in Nanaimo. Swim in the summer months, enjoy the beautiful trails year round and even discover the falls which you might pay money for to see in other countries. Right in our own backyard!

Classicguy70

This is one of my most favorite parks in southern Nanaimo. If I come here often with my kids and by myself with plenty of activities to choose from. You can swim or fish run or bring your dog to play in the off-leash area. Also good battle spot for Pokemon go

Michael Kirk

Great place to visit, pet friendly!

Cesar Garcia

Great place for fishing or to just go for a walk

Thusitha Madawanarachchi

So nice, beautiful place, dog friendly place.

Nick Grunwald

Good fishing and swimming

Allen Felker VITVca

A great walk with family.

Glenn Paquette

Very nice easy place to take your dogs. Lots of different paths and areas to explore.

Rachel Cousins

Great place to take the dogs

Lacey McLeod

Very convenient location for walking dogs if u live in town

Cj Rice

The guy on the motorcycle was a letdown, otherwise a well tended park

vickie gould

We used Google maps directions to find the entrance to this park. I would not reccomend just typing in "Colliery Dam Park" but in "Colliery Dam Park Parking Lot". You'll get better directions and will be put into the park at a really nice entry point. The park itself is beautiful. It is so well maintained and you can tell that the city takes pride in this park. It really shows. I love the lakes you are able to fish and swim in. The park has a variety of informational signs showcasing the environment you're in as well as the work that has done on in the park. I can't wait to come back and explore the many trails within the park.

shotsetc

Really beautiful???? place.

Matt Dacat

Off leash dog park with nice scenery

K D

Great dog walking Park and swimming hole in hot summer months

Mark Cameron

Surprisingly amazing facility

Sue Kukuruzovic

Nice Park with wide paved trails through tall trees. Very well used Park but not crowded. Off leash dog area is great!

Erin Sowerby Greene

Beautiful park! Offleash dog areas, fishing, swimming (if you want!), biking, jogging, walking etc.

Glenn Christensen

Pretty dam nice

Skeletor Jopko

Nice place for a walk and to reconnect with friends.

Bongus Tokus (Ribbit)

Nice view

Vidhyakar Jose

Very peaceful place. Stress buster!

Johnny Fandry

To be clear: this is what we in Canada call a Provincial Park. Absolutely beautiful scenery adorns the park trail. Winding across, along, between and up these three tiered dams while offering a perfect opportunity to walk your dog. Leashes are recommended as wildlife is very abundant here. For those who like to fish the dams are stocked and so are bustling with glorious Rainbow Trout. A must if and when you get the chance!

Tara McKone

Really enjoyable walk about through a great little west coast forest.. and the dams are so neat. Lots of people were swimming when we went, a nice mix of inner city kids, and older couples, plus people walking their dogs and taking them for a swim

AGUILA AMERICA

I wanted to see the waterfalls but the river is dry

Viv Digs

Really nice place overall but leave before it gets dark/late since the junkies come out. At least in the summer.

Bill Crowder

Really nice walking park in the middle of the city. The off leash dog trail is busy, so don't take an anti social pet there. It won't go well.

S.G. Warren

A nice 30 min walk. The upper dam is an off leash area.

Ian Rintoul

It is the most magical place on earth. I have never seen so many happy people and/or dogs.

Manpreet

Been visiting regularly since the early 90s. Lots of great elementary and high school memories. I love to go back for a walk there every time I visit Harewood.

Ray Knight

Great walking trails and an excellent off leash route around the upper lake.

Cali Storch

Wonderful little park with a dog off-leash area. I love hiking to the waterfall.

VI BC Outdoorsman

Best place for OFF LEASH

Beaudrys Bunnies Entertainment

Absolutely gorgeous up there!

Alex Teare

Awesome off leash park

John Harrison

Nice place for nature walk dog walk and fishing

Vern Wittal

Good off leash area. Be sure to park in the north lot for easy access to the Dog park.

Brit Robinson

This would be an enjoyable walk if people actually knew how to pick-up after their animals. There's land mines every 3 feet, so imagine the stink during 30 degree mid-summer weather.

Nancy Payeur

Accessible and lovely park in Nanaimo.

northern redneck

Nice trails

Natasha Marie Niering

Short and sweet loop. Great for dogs. There is a specific area for off leash that is marked.

Don Mackay

Quiet

Shawn Markey

Great place for a walk around the resevoirs and feed ways, some slope not all level ground

Aida Salvador

Good for sight seeing the clean running waters , fresh air a better place for a dog walker

Adam McGrath

Nice park! Cute swimming hole and extensive off leash area.

Jim drums

The dogs loved it....

Ken Cossitt

Beautiful park. Great walking trails. Off leash park can get hectic as many people don't control their dogs. Some nice fishing spots but once again uncontrolled dogs can be a problem.

jarrod dick

Still a nice place to walk the dogs

Tyrant Chimera

This place is popular in Nanaimo for a reason! On that note, be prepared to share the park. I've seen a lot of dogs off-leash in the area, and kids as well, so keep that in mind for your own adventures. …

Andrew William Bartlett

Great place to take the dog just unfortunate it was raining the day i went.

Brian Kates (Big B)

This is a great park with numerous trails to walk and ride on. Some lakes and streams in the area. Its a good forest for wild mushrooms. I would highly recommend.

Jonathan Hines

Nice

Jon Baker

My backyard.. perfected

termy57

A nice Shady walk through the trees and around both upper and lower dams the trails were well kept and the scenery is beautiful

Jamie Weir

Beautiful quiet trail with a nice off leash area for dogs. Makes for a serene and easy hike.

Steve Dearing

Beautiful trails within nanaimo and great swimming! Very busy on weekends.. parking can be iffy

Gerona Gallie

Great place to walk. Sandy beach. Swimming. Great dog walking. Off leash area by the water Many trails to follow Lots of parking.

Kendra I.

One of my fave places

Simon P

Really nice park with a great swimming hole

Adam C

Great walking trails

Chickie Babe

Thanks Nanaimo for fighting to keep this beautiful greenspace I havent been since modifications were done....OMG its so much more accessible. With all sorts of new areas to discover and follow.

Ami Lagunas

(Translated) It is a park only and without surveillance. They stole me, they broke the glass of the car violently .. in a small time that we went down to the park ... I will not return, nor do I recommend it (Original) Es un parque sólo y sin vigilancia. Me robaron rompieron el vidrio del auto violentamente.. en un rato pequeño que bajamos al parque... No volveré, ni lo recomiendo

Erica Bakewell

We spent a wonderful afternoon with our kids fishing at the Dam.

Fennya Numeria

I use the park to walk my dog off leash. There are the main trails around the lake which are well groomed and comfortable to walk, or you can wander through the bush along the many mountain bike trails. The park is busy so be prepared for lots of dog interaction.

Ernest Imoesi

Amazing place to take a walk in Nanaimo. Not a great place for you if you not scared of dogs cos dogs are everywhere and they are unleashed.

YesNoMaybeSometimes

Access is unparalleled. Nice spot, still a bit busy but good to unwind if you only have half an hour or an hour.

Jason Mikolas

Trails are great, the off leash park is a hazard as everyone with out if control dogs seem to use it

SEI Chemical

Good park

Sean Pollock

Beautiful park

James Holland

Stunning park. Great little hike. Good for kids and dogs

Conrad Born

This place is awesome best place to take your dog for a walk

Del Dyck

Beautiful walking trails

Avery

Such a great park I'm so glad they're fixing up the pond

Matthew Breakey

Great place to being dogs.

Dylan Burke

Beautiful place to bring your dog off leash. Friendly people and dogs

Paul

Awesome place to walk the dogs and swim if the mood Suites you. Great hiking trails.

Glenn Kemp

Nice place for a family picnic or walk.

Tamare White-Wolf

Fabulous place

carrie link

Beautiful wonderful walk

Catherine Morley

Great trails and dog off leash park

Wendy Devlin

One of my fav walks with my pup!A Beautiful,peaceful walk in nature ❤ on lease off leash areas ,great swimming ~Such a Happy place

Matthew

My dog is in love with this park

Sean B

A little muddy and full of pretentious dog owners. Possibly much nicer in the summer.

Jeremy Loewen

Gorgeous walk with places to swim, hike, and even has a designated dog swimming/off leash area. Has some indigenous history/significance plaques, but could use more.

Cleary Donnelly

Lovely place for an off leash walk.

LazyLayne “Lazy Layne”

It’s very very gross I wouldn’t let my worst enemy swim in that water, it’s like pollution filled , the walk is nice tho

Tiffany McLaughlin

What's not to love about this park? Water, trees, an off-leash dog park, swimming, a waterfall...its a great place to unwind.

Ryan Little

Breathtaking scene!

Joshua Aune

One of my favorite parks in Nanaimo! Perfect for walking, biking, fishing, and lots of dogs! :D

Jacki Miller

Great place to walk!

Yonas Jongkind

Nice walk around the lakes and good summer swimming.

Mike Perkins

Was a beautiful day for a swim

Jason Smith

Took the dog for a little walk. 850 m walk around the water, various elevation levels. Nice little walk

Moussa Aldeek

Good

Jodie Parkin

Beautiful trail with lots to see including alligator lizards!

Derek Yan

Great place to take my dogs! Its not just a fenced in park, its hiking/swimming (for the dogs) and there's a waterfall near by too!

Wilf Ratzburg

An opportunity to walk through a west coast forest, along the waters of the colliery dam. A piece of Nanaimo history.

nanaimo bc nature lover Cool

We love it there

Jamie Sumpter

Absolutely beautiful its what i think of when i think of Nanaimo

Katrina Cairns

Favorite park in Nanaimo to take my dog and socialize or explore

Jessica Colling

Beautiful park

Heather Stone

Lovely trails to walk

Alicia Macleod

Always such a good walk.

Jonathan Hreno

Great off-leash park. Shame so many people fish there and leave hooks and fishing line for the dogs to get tangled in.

mitenko david

Great for biking and dog walks

Shana Watson

Great place to walk your dog off leash - lots of other friendly dog owners here to pair up to walk with. You'll get to know the regulars quite quickly if you're friendly too! My dog and I have frequented this park since he was a pup and we've had few instances of run ins with other dogs or owners. Watch out if you intend to stray off the beaten path at all - there is dog poop EVERYWHERE. Literally endless piles of dog poop as far as the eye can see. Its no wonder Nanaimo doesn't have more designated dog off leash parks with the amount of feces littering this beautiful place. I thought more garbage cans would help but I've seen dog poop lying a few feet from the garbage receptacles and bag stands so I guess not. Don't wear flip flops.

Ali Sadeghi

Best dog park in Nanaimo.

L Holley

Great place to walk dogs on leash

Yolanda Rempel

couldn't find the waterfall but it's a wonderful place to go hiking not too many people and its very clean and quite

Jenny Latimer

Pretty

Ace

Beautiful nature and very cool structures to look at. Informative signs for fun learning all around. :)

Cindy Griffin

Nice place for a walk. Many different trails to take

cathy bird

Lots of pathways to explore. Only downside is the traffic noise of the bypass at the west end. Even when the parking lot is full, there's a feeling of quiet.

Brandietta

Well maintained trails. Great fishing, walking, and off leash area for dogs! Easy walk that would be suitable for anyone including wheel chair. Always an enjoyable walk! Lots of parking at both entrances.

Clancy Harder

Trees and paths

D H

A truly magical place

Shelly Larochelle

Beautiful forest

Mr. Good Boy

Very nice for fishing

Sammy Brandt

Well kept/maintained park, minimal garbage. Lovely scenery, parts of the trails near both parking lots are wheelchair/walker accessible. It's easy to wander along the parkway trail and miss the turn-off to keep going around the lakes when going clockwise around the bottom left curve of the lower lake. There is another little trail through the highway underpass that leads to a waterfall at the top of the upper lake.

Peggy Hillyer

Top notch

Daffney Jones

Colliery dam park has an on leash and off leash section which is really nice. The trails are well used and there are plenty of options to switch up your route each day. There are doggy bags available for you and your pooch as well! There is a washroom, maps, and informational displays that tell you about the surrounding fauna.

Samuel Adair

This park is awesome. It's a lot of fun in all the seasons. Summer is especially busy with tons of people swimming at both the upper and lower dams. The upper dam is complete with a dog off leash area, with lots of trails and board walks for the little fur babies, this area will keep you in natures entrance for hours. Lots of access points to approach from and the main entrance usually had lots of parking room.

Graham

Fabulous nature walk.

Arbab Khan

(Translated) Monday sarif (Original) Luni sarif

Lance Banasky

Awesome

ThirstySpirit RoastHouse

Childhood stomping grounds. Still kids swimming there. Must be good.

ian “IL-Makiage Canada” mcmurchy

Collier Dam Park. Lots of trails and the forest is not particularly dense so a great place to take photographs or just soak in the beauty of it all. Off the leash dog area in an open area right by a lake.. for those who have dogs of course.

Joe Simpson

It's a great park for walking and light swimming, and the entire upper, or 2nd, dam is a dog off leash area. There is no playground area for children, and lots of cyclists and dogs zipping around, that's not a bad thing, just something to consider if you plan on visiting

Sushistew

Small park but neat to see anyways.

KoRy Mckie

Great shady walk

Cory Schreyer

Nice walk. Bring the kids/grandkids fishing.

Nina Zurita

Best place to got for walks with your dog. Offleash area located at 2nd entrance off nanaimo lakes rd.

Kevin Walker

Nice trails, the trees are breath-taking (pun-intended). The only downside was the trails aren't, but I still enjoyed the walk around the lake. On a side note the water was down.

Wojciech Ziemkiewicz

Love this place! There is something magical about the water basins and multiple paths circling them. I have organized a weekly walk to the park with my coworkers at lunch on Friday. The beauty and energy of this park is spectacular. Check out the tunnel and waterfall just past it!

Jaline K Tanne

Lovely walk for both humans and dogs but not for the handicapped

Lynne Fedorick (CPDT-KA)

What a neat spot.

Romeo Willard

Nice easy walk

Rupert Gadd

Nice park. Dog park. Stocked with trout.

James Witham-Strohm

Great swimming spot! Except it needs to be more regulated as too many people litter cans and such

Diane Kleemola

The water was real low, and it was not like I remember it. You can't just walk in anymore.

Darren Kirby

Wonderful spot to go for a walk. Great scenery. I have heard people swim here in the summer, but the two very small lakes looked kind of gross mid April. There is one paved accessible trail, and many other dirt trails criss-crossing throughout the park.

Joy “Joyous” Andrus

Family fun water area and trails. Lots of plaques to read and learn about the area. Bathrooms and parking provided

Lisa R.

Wonderful off leash dog park. Some cute trails. A lake ????. All the amenities. Toilets, garbage bins, puppy poop bags.

Nathan Drew

Nice scenery. Good walking paths, off leash area.

Arianna Stadnyk

10/10 if you're looking for a beautiful place to take a short hike. Neat and interesting place!

Richard Jamieson

Forest and water

tinman

Love

Stacey Tlucko

Had a great time walking through the forest. Saw a family catch a fish. The dam was neat to see. Highly recommend going there.

tori richards

This is a beautiful spot to walk. When I need some quite time I walk here

Frater Novac

Great walking trails here

Anthony Tennant

The city of nanaimo takes pride in keeping this family park clean for the general public .groomed pathways with swimming areas ,Huge cedars and a off leash Dog park for the pooch

Mike Hample

Best damn off leash park in the city! My pups love this place! Walk, hike, swim!! Puppies can do it all.

Anybody

Really nice place to swim, i recommend taking a bunch of friends to go swimming as it is more fun that way

K L

This is a peaceful little haven in the Harewood area. Swimming and trails. Washrooms with running water open during the day. There is an off-leash area around the upper reservoir.

Jack Valstar

Great place

Dean Derkson

A nice park with an entrance near VIU. There are parking spaces and in some areas dogs are allowed off leash.

Digi Beatz Krypt

A beautiful place to go for a daily hike

Michelle Laberge

Beautiful scenery and nice walk ????

TheAnarchistKampfen

Love the dam always come to relax and enjoy the beauty

Miguel Montana

Beautiful gem of nature.

Caitlin Samuelsson

Great place to relax. Summer night, with bats.

Bobby & Sally Parihar

What a beatiful place to go for a walk with your family especially in the fall ♥

Veronica Bell

Great for dogs! Beautiful spot.

Jacob Collins

The trails are well kempt...there's swimming and lots of little things to occupy along the way. Great biking territory

Srishti Singh

This has become my go to spot in the city. Nature lovers can’t ask for anything better right in the middle of a city. Perfect.

dawn marie paley

100% would recommend.

Manuel Murillo

It’s always nice to take our dog to play with other dogs here, but when the weather allows is even nicer to take a swim in the lake. Beautiful forest, with nice hiking trails, dams and streams. ???? worth visiting.

Andy Porter

Beautiful waterfalls

Kimberly Bidochka

Good swimming spot! Kids love it!

Xuân Lộc Trần

(Translated) Nice cool (Original) Đẹp mát mẻ

Caunie St Pierre

Clean. Good trails. Peaceful

Kristine Gustafson

I have loved going to the Colliery Dam for 50 years!

Amy Brendon

Huge park with two nice small swimming lakes, (personal favourite is the upper) and tons of trails. Great trout fishing too. Expect to see lots of cute dogs.

Dean Marvel

LOTS of great trails and good sights

George Sranko

Dogs disturbing our lunch, not under control.

Diana English

Beautiful park, great for dogs

Susannah Leavitt

I go here as often as I can. I love it!

Adam Emery

Great place to take the dog lovely clean trails and a great place to swim and fish!

Ella Groenier

Very nice trail. Well taken care of. Ver enjoyable walking and nice for a quick or long walk depending on what route you take. Lots of people walk there dogs at this trail.

Ryan Gurr

Great off dog leash area.

Darryl Downey

Beautiful but busy.

M Jeb Clark

We luv the dams

Carrie Davis

I love hiking here. There are so many trails to explore! There is also an off leash dog park.

Buddy Carpenter

Great off leash dog park and nature walk

Shane Steinhauer

Awesome

Miles Kehoe

Beautiful park to walk, great for swimming and fishing, and some areas are wheelchair accessible! Offleash dog park at certain times of day so if you have a dog or are scared of dogs its worth googling!

Simon Thomson

Great park. Nice off leash dog section. Great for trail running.

Jody Ignace

Good for the kids, they added benches!

artisticgemini

Low water levels but rain is coming

dylan kikoak

It's not maintained and it's not physical impairment friendly, not to mention there are no signs

Ariana's Crazy Family Vlogs

Great place for dogs

Believe

Pretty

william braun

Just love that park ....so peaceful and great summer swimming .

Daniel Leclerc

Great spot for family activities!

Adam Holt

Top trail is an off leash dog park, beautiful place for swimming.

Liam Steele

Nice walk.

Clayton Harder

What a great place for a walk! It is nice for dates and a good family location as well!

Aditya D'souza

Walk through the woods and view of the lake is a nice spot to soak up some sun. Hunt for the hidden waterfall

Mike Sherman

Very Dog friendly, great trails in nice loop, about 2km long. Water access for the dogs is great. Will be returning many times!

Laura Healey

Great off lease dog park! Fresh water swimming hole!

Evander Writes

great for a brisk walk

James Bytelaar

A nice park. It has a very easy walk around the swimming areas and throughout the park (the sign makes it look much further than it actually is). The water isn't super clean but seems pretty safe and calm for swimming in. The off-leash dog area is pretty open and easy for dogs to get in the water, both deep water and shallow area because of a giant rock formations that juts into the lake.

Delaini Valentine

Gorgeous place dog friendly

Mike Wheldon

Best place to walk my dog

Mia Dominguez

Great place to take you dog and enjoy nature.

Bill Smith

Foggy Sunday afternoon, the dogs loved it.

Kelly Pettit

Beautiful place for a nice shady walk in the summer or view autumn colours before winter. This site also has some rooted local history. But it's a favourite among the locals for jogging, walking the dog or getting away from the business of a work week. I like the forest more than the dam sites but in general it's all beautiful. It's close to the University so you'll see a lot of students getting a run in here. Photographers also love it here for it's diversity. Check it out!

Tara Fisher

Its sad someone had to destroy the public washrooms and ruin it for others, besides that its a beautiful city park.

Martin Ridgway

Love this place for off-leash dog walking and most importantly: dog-swimming. I don't know of any other place where off-leash swimming is allowed, let alone encouraged. At least 5 sites around the reservoir, subject to water flow are available so fishing and dogs can both use different areas at different times. I would not recommend wearing dress whites because there are a lot of dogs shaking off after diving! Its even nicely shaded in some areas and sunny in others so the people and the pets can be comfortable.

Vasudha Gupta

Serene and peaceful

Andrew Grant

A terrific place to go with the family. There's lots to do and the swimming is lovely in the summer.

Trevor Fraser

Great spot for hike, and swimming, fishing. Family oriented, with path for strollers.

Daniel “slumbs” Proulx

Great place to bring your dogs. Fun place too cool down in the summertime

Yard Plots

Beautiful trails with waterfalls and 2 swimming spots

Danielle G

Great trails for anyone at any skill level and perfect for socializing dogs and a great place to destress.

Brandy Pritchard

Half of this walk is an off leash dog area . Awesome

Matt Baillie

Harewood's gem. Off-leash dog walking area, fish-stocked lakes, swimming areas and the loveliest woodland walking trails in the area. Highly recommended.

Rod Swanson

Best park in Nanaimo

Keira Mackay

Nice a quiet but watch out for those sniffer dogs off leash

David J. Laporte

Swim area suitable for dogs. Some easy walks.

neethi diana

????

Craig bagshaw

Awesome place

propane river

About 10 mins of walking in the forest some swimming areas, off leash dogs by owners tend to be to playfull not okay for little ones, may have to go the beaten path to see some great sights

Sara Ladret

Love it

Tere Arboleda

It was a beautiful sunny day of fall. Very scenic walk. We saw a lot of dogs there today. But we haven't really explored the place yet.

Curtis Martin

Awesome place... Wonderful trees and scenery especially for photo-ops, and for Pokémon GO players. Even bike rides thanks for reading my review btw

Thomas Warden (WaRDaNYo)

We now stand a chance to save Colliery Dam Park! Thanks everyone! Harewood 4 Life!

Tamara Mize

Easy access. Nice trails

Jeff Crosier

Nice pathways and very scenic.

Carlo Lazzari

Beautiful setting with lots of hidden gems. Highly recommended. The trails range in terrain types and are great for easy walks or more adventurous exploring. Great place in Nanaimo to take kids or visitors.

Eli Adair

Great spot for a walk. Lots to see in a small park!

Chelsea Woods

A beautiful spot for a swim, there is a beachy area around the corner from the dam where you can play in the sand and walk in for your swim at your pace.

Kelsey Crozier

Neat place

Wanda-lee Tindall

Beautiful color, moss, trees, dogs n people. Fishing n family's.

Marcy McIlwraith

Wonderful serene place to walk with your pups.

Steve Trinkwon

Great place to take a walk with the kids during the day. Minimal lighting however- not recommended when it's dark.

Gerard Leblanc

Favorite dog park on the island

Laurie Loewen

Love this little park! Lots of trails, swimming, and hiking.

Codee Summers

Great day swimming and a beautiful view

Kelsey Stenson

Best neighbourhood swimming . So glad they didn't drain it.

Jesumene Taje

I love this place. I just moved to the area and I’ve gone here with my dogs and family almost every day. It’s a great trail through the thick forest a lovely off-leash area for the dogs to run and meet other dogs. It’s not just for walking you can also take your mountain bike (if you have one) it’s a great exercise.

Stephanie Thorpe

Took my puppy on the trail, the minute we entered the off leash dog park there was an overwhelming smell of dog feces. I assumed it was the trash bin near by but when we took are puppy alittle bit off the trail to do some training there was dog feces everywhere! I’m sure there would be more spaces for dogs in this town if people weren’t such pigs... how disappointing.

Wayne Chezick

Great litte place to try out fishing but early or late in the day

Nicole Brooks

Our favourite daily walk location for the dogs and family. A lot of various level trails, off leash and on leash paths for dogs. If your pup likes swimming, the upper area has a nice area for them to jump and chase balls or sticks. If you aren't a dog lover and/or fear dogs, don't choose this spot, as it is highly populated with pups. Some people fish, watching the rushing water down the dam is refreshing and the trails are all mostly in the forest, nice to connect to nature.

Harold MacDougall

Great park to take your dog for a walk off leash.

Viraat BK Thammanna

This is a beautiful foresty park with 2 small dams, lakes and a Creek. Very relaxing walks ways goes through roughly 4 kms of internal stretch. There are many benches by the water overlooking water reflections of trees, birds and happy playing dog pets as this park is off leash area. Plenty of free parking available at two different area one through Wakesiah ave and Nanaimo lakes road. Both parking and partial trails are wheelchair compatiable. Washrooms are available along with drinking water station in front area. A sheltered paved picnic area with benches for use if you wish to go for picnic.

Jim Scott aka Dick Brook

I only gave this 4 stars because the best walking trails require dogs be on leash (although most I met let their dogs run free). The off-leash trail seems to be a forest walk without great views, maybe I didn't walk far enough, that remains to be seen. Very much worth visiting, both the upper and lower parks.

Charles Allen

Yeah we did it

Adam Zanbilowicz

Beautiful forest and water and o e of few off leash dog parks.

p daelo

Beautiful lake. The paths are manicured and make for an easy walk.

Rodd R

Great trails. Waterfalls and swimming.

Julie MacTíre (redshasta)

Beautiful environment, beware of loose dogs.

Rach ael

I wish there was more trash cans

Sig McKone

Incredible park right in town. Swimming, walking, picnicing. Huge forest all around. Bathrooms and a gazebo. Dog off leash area and lots of parking. Loved it here. Many info signs telling of the reforestation efforts and history of the area. Georgeous blond lady kindly showed me around the place.

Sonya Sierks

If you like dogs, the forest's flora and fauna, watching workers load fish into the waters, swimming in the summer, pleasant paths with various areas to dwell then you would like this place. Lots of pokemon go way points!

Ryan Harrison

Great place to bring dogs off leash in the upper dam area

daniel fel

Fun place. Lots of trails. Off leash dog park. Swimming, fishing. Etc

Gordy Racette

I love it it's dog heaven!

matt mcmillan

Love this place! The trails are well kept and shaded. Picnic tables and benches available. Public restrooms.

Nathan Bailey

Great waterfalls and summer swimming

Mhairi Logan

Beautiful walk. Pet friendly.

Andrew McNeill

Always a great place to explore

Shavon Hutchinson

It was relaxing a nice stroll through the park. The air is clean

Ryan Watson

Great local dog park and the beginning to many networking trails.

Nicole Ohalloran

We really love this park. Personally I think it has it all and it’s not a huge commitment. Waterfalls, dog park, forest, lake, etc. Love it! You have to go under the highway using the tunnel to see the waterfall!

Anne Appleton (Rev.)

Beautiful and very easy to get to.

Tony Oostendorp

Well maintained green space with great variety of water,scenic falls and well groomed paths

Jeff “tire iron” Remillard

Short walk around dam really pretty

Andrew Cavey

I've come here tons of times with or without the dog, for swimming, fishing, or just a peaceful walk. The park is always well cared for and beautiful.

Hipolite Williams

First time here in 20 or more years. Have to go in summer time.

k gates

Best place in Nanaimo to go on short hike.. ????

Tim Mcgrath

One of Nanaimo's best parks. The park holds two two ponds (lakes), an upper that feeds into a lower through a spillway. Nestled into the central part of Harewood neighborhood, the park has been a central location. Home to the local budding fisherman, many have had the first fishing experience here. Likewise for many children, a place of a first swimming hole experience. This place has a lot of history, hence the name, but mostly a beautiful little park, great for a few minutes solitude while admiring some beautiful landscape. Highly recommended. Wheel chair friendly on the lower lake.

Dawn Diamond

Such a beautiful place Highly recommend with or without dogs.

Mike M

To be honest, a bit of a let down. The trails are mostly paved and not very 'natural' looking. The trees are trees and the rocks are rocks. The man made lake and dam are interesting but that's about it.

Kim Dingler

Beautiful park right inside Nanaimo! This little city is fantastic with absolutely amazing trails all over the place. The choices are beyond conception. You'd swear at some points you're deep in a rain forest hundreds of miles away from civilization, but it's in your own backyard!

Cheryl Hopkins

Love being able to let our dog be a dog and run in the off leash area. Very pretty walk.

Jerry Brenner

Fishing. Off leash dog park. Swimming. Two lakes and a few waterfalls. Nature abounds.

Heather Smeltzer

Amazing waterfall

Mark Snyders

Awesome trails and great swimming hole

Kalinka Borissova

Lovely walking paths circling the dam. Dogs can swim in the water, and humans can enjoy a chitchat with other lovely humans. We really enjoyed our walks there. Dogs are friendly and owners are responsible and pick up after their pups!

Chase McDonald

Beautiful large park with many off trails to explore. Gorgeous scenery at every turn

Christopher Prest

Really nice open park for off leash dog park and nature walks

Ron Oliver

Great dog run

darkskye6

Beautiful.

Chris Eskesen

Beautiful hidden gem. Lots off leash room to let your dogs run off the energy.

David Rose

Another diamond on the rough. A lovely spot for family picnics, romantic walks and swimming. Dedicated area for off leash! ( kids & dogs)lol!

Eileen Garvey

(Translated) And (Original) Ve

Bernhard

Nice park. Lots of dog walkers in this urban get away. Fishing is allowed in the lakes and they are stocked with trout annually.

Kelvin Chan

Great little park for our dogs to romp around in offleash. Seemed to be a popular dog park for locals. Would return here next time we are over on the island. Water seemed pretty clear and clean

Cathy F

I love this place, even in these Covid times there are routes and paths to take where you can avoid crowding. I enjoy a walk through there on a regular basis. It's quiet and peaceful.

Siji Onitolo

Remind me of woods scenes seen in movies. Live sequential vegetation. Balanced green of ferns, scramblers, climbers and massive trees all at once. Nature at peace.

Lala Leaf

I enjoyed the dip in the water. So did my dog. It's nice also to have a bathroom to use.

Jamie Dunnett

A beautiful small lake encircled with trees. Great fishing for rainbow trout in the fall!

Braedan Pinder

Great dog park. Sometimes you'll run into owners or dogs that aren't the nicest, but that's life. Highly recommend taking your well behaved dog here!

Tracey Collins

Awesome walk and lots of water access for the dogs

Pat Bailey

Great walk.

Billy Pipe

Beautiful clean park, easy walking trails. Bring your dog!

Kylie-ann Farrell

Had a great family walk on mother's Day

Louise Lepeintre

(Translated) Rather well, I may find that the indicators on the proposed map and the real path are not equal (Original) Plutôt bien mai je trouve que les indicateurs sur la carte proposé et la véritable sentier son pas égal

H Bawm

beautiful spot

Eric Belanger

Beautiful spot. Really serene. Highly recommend if you're in the area!

Aldo Molina

Beautiful

Bruce Whitehead

Great place to take your dog for a walk. Lots of shade to keep them cool.

Courtney Reid

We go fishing often here, lakes are filled regularly. Nice bike and walking trails. People of all ages go through. Family friendly & pet friendly. Even a part of the park is an off leash area.

R L

Beautiful park. Easy trails, very well maintained.

Terri Hawkins

Great local swimming spot. Nice walking paths.

Brent Basker

Nice walk

Colin Bishop

A great figure 8 trail walk

Danielle Waldal

Beautiful gem within the city limits

Betty Webster

Beautiful. ????

Janet Cole

Lots of walking trails and wildlife

Pamela Simpson

Beautiful place to walk and enjoy nature...and swim

Interesting Reading

Wonderful off leash trail along the lake. Beautiful and peaceful.

Michael Deraiche

A great place to go fishing with children

Ryan Robillard

Good for a walk

Joan Hodgson

Easy trail. Peacefully and beautiful. Good for all ages.

Anne Chorneyko

Imagine a wilderness paradise hideaway in the city. Even has a beautiful waterfall.

Karla Halloran

Nice trails

Nathan Robertson

Off leash dog park/swimming hole. Nice walking trail and trout fishing hole too

L J

Lovely trails to go for a walk.

Marc André Bernard

(Translated) It is possible to observe salmon during spawning (Original) Il est possible d'observer les saumons pendant la fraye

Jesse Parsons

It was a fun narture wall

Thomas Nesbitt

Live it its a pleasant walking park

Sandra Degraaf

This lovely park is nestled in a forest with hiking paths branching in every direction. The beauty and the serene atmosphere allows you to relax and recharge. My girls and I have discovered this gem and spent almost everyday swimming from April till Sept last year. Our summer spot. ENJOY!

chris linfitt

Always a fantastic walk

Steven Price

Have fond memories as a child here swimming hiking running through the forest trails amazing

Adrian Carotenuto

Excellent trails. Dog able to go off leash.

john pietrantonio

Great for exercise & peace

Arne Strand

Wonderful park. So close to home.

Norman White

Beautiful place for walks, very dog friendly!!

Kathleen Rose

A nice walk through the woods to the ocean. The park is a historical journey and the water views are brilliant. Easy to find, plenty of parking, great walking paths and not too strenuous as it is quite level ground. Beautiful country side. A great place to walk your dog.

John Curran

Awesome place to wander amongst the forest. Watching kids trout fishing amd maybe seeing an owl or 2. Another hidden oases in Nanaimo.

Spencer Van Raamsdonk

Nice spot

michael mercer

An amazing place to connect with nature, lots of " off the beaten trail" paths to find a quiet place. Huge trees and small lakes with a variety of wildlife and trout stocked in the lake. I have seen eagles fetching a snack from the lake a couple of times over the years now. Waterfalls off on one side trails and some great use of fallen trees and a few stairs here and there, off leash dog areas, picnic tables a sandy ish beach, and fishing opportunities from shore. A great place to spend the day with the family, or alone. Take a friend and just do some people watching while sipping your drink on a cool day. I only just touched on what this Historical gem has to offer. I could tell you stories for days, just from personal experience. Enjoy the Colliery Dam Park folks, I sure do.

Nick McMaster

Great park for my purposes of landscape painting. Also great for short walks.

Quilogy S. Preston Esq.

One of the most beautiful parks I've ever seen. Not much more to say than that. Anything under 5 stars would be a crime.

sabrina biserovic

Omg, there is a outhouse there now at second dam/off leash dog park~ perfect!

colby neff

Beautiful park, pet friendly but must be on a leash. Swimming, hiking and a great little waterfall past the 2nd dam

J D

Nice place for walking and mountain biking

Karnigan Ketzer

Quiet wooded areas to explore, directly connects to "the great trail"

Cathy Murphy

Lovely serene place to fish, walk and relax. Some paved trails for people with mobility issues.

Danny Rose

Peaceful when the teens arnt there

John Benoit

Great little spot

Barb Smith

Colliery Dam is a beautiful area with forest paths ponds and waterfalls. The paths are well taken care of and the scenery is lovely. Only downside is the off leash area where lots of rambunctious dogs play. Be careful if you're nearby - you could get knocked over.

Bernard Sernier

Beautiful park with lots of seating areas and a beautiful view

beep beep booo beep beep

I love seeing all the dogs and people, however you will get the occasional whiff of dog droppings on these trails

harold strempler

????????☺☺

Ian Fairbairn

A must see park with plenty pf trails to explore.

David Groome

Wish I could get back

Christopher Chigumba

Beautiful place

Stu Thomson

Very cool. Nice wsterfall

Barb Toole

Beautiful!

Tracey Russell

Nice spot

Amanpreet Kaur

Nice place

evan lacharity

Nice walk you can go to 2 different trails out of the colliery dam park its pretty view and there are some beautiful rock formation there is one point that some people might have a hard time with for hights but after that it is a great walk

Dare Pater

Great place for a stroll

Patrick Tate

Off leash dog park awesome I have a dog. I like fishing they stock the lake with trout. I like swimming in the summer I can do that there too. I Just hope the bums and the junkie thieves don't come in and ruin it for everyone else.

Kevin Root

Best place in nanaimo to walk you dog....on those hot days it's the best because its 90% shady on the walk....just awesome

Chris Rawlings

Fantastic wee trail if you want to let your dogs off leash, plus you can walk the other trails on leash

S Perry

Great for swimming. Even in the offleash area with the pooch. Beautiful local flora and paths to explore.

Pam Johnson

Such a beautiful park and great off leash area!

Jesse Williams

Nice walk

Doris Madigan

What a lovely place. The trails wind throughout the forested area. There is also fishing that can be done from shore as well as areas to picnic and swim in warmer weather. They also have an off leash area for our furry friends. FYI not all trails are accessible for persons with mobility issues.

Sam Evans

So grateful to have this swimming hole in the neighborhood! And the dog area is off the hook

Terry Astro

Great place to go for a walk. Beautiful trails leash free dog area. Great for swimming in the summer but Great place all year long

Dave

Here’s a thought. If you don’t like dogs, don’t go to an off leash dog park :)

oline jorgensen

Beautiful walks

Walter Cole

Fantastic trails.. excellent for the dogs!

Doomed 666

Lovely location to go for a walk. Feel free to bring dogs middle dam is an off leash section. Great swimming hole on a hot day

William Jones

Nice visit here

Violet Obasi

Very cool place. Has a real 'uncharted' feel about it. Nice for easy walks with the whole family.

K. RP

Nice place, nice trails, great views, & seems like a nice swimming spot

Hammond H

Great park to walk through

Tran eric

Wonderful!!

Rob S

Beauty, natural beauty .. first dam has waterfall , swimming with dock , best walking trails , Forrest trails. Second dam great trout fishing , dog off leash the circumference of dam with walking trails , wildlife , great swimming spots all around dam . Venture past second dam to yet another waterfall .

Karen6420 Armstrong

It is a nice walk for you and your children and pets There's also swimming and good fishing here

Greg Kehler

Great place for a hike

Thomas Darling

This is a gem in the heart of Nanaimo. Two reservoirs with ample swimming and fishing opportunities, and a multitude of walking trails + some dog off-leash areas for toto too. Beautiful any time of year, wonderful fall foliage, and bright and cheery in the spring and summer. A must visit!

J Wolfmoon

Lovely place to spend the day!

Darcy Doman

Small area still nice hike

darcy sara

Love it

Glendora Tenborg

A nice walk in the trees. The ponds are glassy and so pretty!

maddi arnold

A beautiful gem of a place, hidden in plain sight. My favorite place, next to the river, to swim, walk, and be????

Sonja Knabe

A super place to visit if you love nature and walking. For dog lovers, there is an off-leash area for dogs to enjoy. Parking is free and plentiful. A lovely spot in heart if Nanaimo. There is also a excellent connection to further walking trails like the Parkway Trail and Morrell Sanctuary.

James Mcdonald

good fishing!!

Dave Mockett

Nice place for a walk or bike ride, New sections of boardwalk and stairs,some of the trails are paved. You can swim and fish here as well.

Vic Perras

Be careful, I saw broken glass at the parking lot, don't leave valuables in the car.

Summer Hilborn

Great place to go to the off leash dog park! Love this place.

Norm Shokal

Great spot

Rai Wells

Great off leash dog park

David Mrus

Peaceful and relaxed place to visit

gary leitch

Very well maintained a very enjoyable walk swimming in the summer with pontoons close by

Matthias Caspar

Nice walk, beautiful scenery. Off leash area for dogs. Clean park.

Francisco Comas

Great for walking your dog. Lots more to do and explore but I only walk my dog.

Gil McEachern

Have always loved this place! It's nice going for a Dam swim anytime I feel like it! ????

Isher Rhead

I went to the dog park around 4:30 . There is no lighting in the area. You can't see your dog let alone if a stranger comes up. The park needs lighting.

nathan fuchs

Short walk to the scenery makes it easily accessible for seniors and small children alike.

Richelle Bolduc

Our favourite walk, or one of them! Watch out for big dogs without manners, otherwise this short sweet walk will satisfy your walking craves.

Carl Barnes

Great place check it out

Deon Gregoire

Off leash dog park is great! Usually a good group of folks there too! Running trails are awesome too, you can make a few km loop or a bigger run if you're up for it. Stroller friendly on the paved routes also.

Jay A

Amazing piece of history for Southern Nanaimo <3

Derek Goring

It's ok

Brian Crawford

Very relaxing walk every body is very friendly

Robert Elder

A great place to walk and smell the clean air. Dogs love it. You can go fishing. Trails clean and well maintained.

patience conley

We love this park. Such a wonderful place to walk all year round. We moved houses 7 years ago and a big reason we chose our new house was because the park was so close to us.

Sheena Paine

Great place to walk, run, fish and enjoy nature.

Montana (Montana)

One of my most favorite places to come for a walk, run or swim or to bring your dog. Excellent hidden swim spots for people or pets who want to play in the sun.

Ken. Martinson

Don't park a car with valuables in it. The homeless hang out in the woods with bolt cutters, and steal whatever they can.

Wild Man

One of my favorite fishing holes. Good for swimming too

Barry Lesko

Lots of garbage on the grounds...dirty washroom facility....numerous spray paint cans in the out flows...drink containers scattered everywhere...dog waste bags tossed into the woods. This is a sign of ignorant, lazy people using the facility. You asked...I responded.

Anna Mcmurtry

Fishing

J Mon

Decent easy trail. Dog park too

Ron Grychuk

Has lost some of it's magic since the changes but still wonderful.

Chris Falconer

Family hotspot

Absolutely Dahling

Beautiful, any time of year. Expect dogs, cycling, swimming, fishing, and almost everything else you can expect with a body of water. Family friendly, dog off leash park, and ample walking trails make this a staple of any nanaimoite or visitor.

Robert Vandermeer

Nanaimos little paradise

Joe Josefsson

Nice walking trails and lake

Susan Praud

Great place to run, walk, explore

James Mules

An easy walj about with beautiful views and scenery