Working Farms - Please Leash Your Pet
It is important that dogs be on a leash on ALL sections of the One Spot Trail to keep dogs out of farm fields and to avoid stress or injury to livestock. Please report incidents to 250-218-2365 or email
Enjoy an outing in farm country on the One Spot. Located within the Agricultural Land Reserve the trail pasts several active farms and patches of second growth forests.
History
The One Spot Trail is located primarily along the former railway grade of the Comox Logging & Railway Company. The trail is named after the first locomotive to work on the grade, the “One Spot”. It was a wood burning Baldwin engine, built in 1909. The One Spot engine operated in this area for 34 years before it was scrapped in 1943. The track was removed in 1954 after the main logging operations at Headquarters were shut down.
With much help from the Comox Valley Land Trust, the Back Country Horsemen of BC and the Comox Valley Naturalists, the Comox Valley Regional District officially opened the One Spot Trail in the fall of 2004.
The CVRD's goal for the One Spot is to extend a continuous trail from Courtenay to the Oyster River. Work is ongoing to build and maintain new sections of the trail, both north and south of the Tsolum River. A connection to Wildwood Forest was opened in 2013 after private property owners granted the CVRD a statutory right-of-way across their land to connect the two trail systems. This right-of-way forms part of the Bob Webb Trail.
Location
The One Spot Trail now has three separate completed sections:
- Tsolum South – A continuous 8.5 km stretch of trail starting just south of Cessford Road and running continuously to Todd Road just south of the Tsolum River.
- Tsolum North – A continuous eight km stretch of trail beginning on the main trail of Tsolum Spirit Park and continuing to Sturgess Road
- Macauley Road – There is a four km section of trail accessed off Macauley Road in Black Creek. The trail runs south and almost connects with Hamm Road
Parking along the One Spot Trail include:
• at the beginning of the trail on the shoulder of Condensory Road beside the old barn
• just north of Cessford Road on the west side of Condensory
• at corner of Piercy and Condensory Roads with a widened shoulder on the southeast corner
• at the end of Brazier Road
• at Tsolum Spirit Park parking lot
• Fitzgerald Road at Farnham
There is parking on the north side of Burns Road at the trail crossing. As this is the only location where equestrians can park their horse trailers when using the Tsolum South section it is appreciated if vehicles could use one of the above locations.
The long term goal is to have a continuous trail running from the City of Courtenay all the way north to the Oyster River. A bridge across the Tsolum River is needed to link the Tsolum North and Tsolum South trail sections as well as a few more sections of trail north of Spike Road to connect with the Macauley Road trail across Hamm Road.
Park Etiquette
- Leashing is required and strictly enforced due to close proximity of the trail to farm operations and livestock. Incidents with dogs off leash or on a farm property, whether they are chasing/harassing livestock or not, will result in fines. Letting dogs run off leash could result in a $100 fine. Allowing dogs to run at large, attack or pursue livestock is also punishable under the Livestock Act.
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This is a multi-use trail popular with horse riders, cyclists, runners and walkers. Bikers should call out to walkers to warn them of their approach. When encountering horses and riders on the trail stop and standback. Say “Hi” as this helps the horse identify you as a person and will help keep a horse calm. Trail users are asked to give way to farm vehicles when necessary as the trail passes by many active farms.
