Cumberland, BC

Know the town

About Cumberland

Cumberland is a small village in the foothills of the Beaufort Range, about ten minutes south of Courtenay. Founded as a coal-mining town in the late 1800s, it has reinvented itself as one of the Island’s best-known mountain-biking destinations, with a heritage main street and a creative, independent community in the Comox Valley.

Coal-mining roots

Cumberland’s mines drew workers from around the world, including large Chinese and Japanese communities that lived in their own settlements near the mines. The Cumberland Museum tells their stories, along with those of the miners and their families, and the village’s history is marked by heritage buildings and interpretive sites throughout town.

Mountain biking and the forest

The forests above the village are laced with a large network of mountain-bike trails, from flowing beginner routes to steep technical descents, and riders come from far and wide to explore them. Much of this land is protected as the Cumberland Community Forest, purchased with local fundraising to keep it green. Comox Lake, just west of the village, is popular for swimming, paddling and camping.

Dunsmuir Avenue

The village’s main street, Dunsmuir Avenue, is lined with heritage storefronts housing cafés, pubs, bike shops, bakeries and small businesses. Cumberland hosts lively community events through the year, and its mix of long-time residents, young families and outdoor enthusiasts gives it a distinctive, friendly energy.

Getting here

Cumberland is just off Highway 19, about an hour north of Nanaimo and ten minutes from Courtenay and Comox. The Buckley Bay ferry to Denman Island is a short drive south.

Cumberland’s verified local businesses are below, along with what’s happening in the valley.

For council, permits, garbage and recycling, parks bookings and other local services, visit Village of Cumberland.