Serious Hiking Trails Victoria BC
Fresh, crisp air, awe-inspiring views, and lush landscapes are only some of the reasons every serious hiker should explore the trails in Victoria, BC. The best trails (in our opinion) are those offering a physical challenge complemented by an unforgettable landscape. Though numerous trails exist, here we’ve highlighted a handful of the most notable.
Here are seven serious hiking trails in Victoria, BC.
Thetis Lake
Located in View Royal, 20 minutes from downtown Victoria, Thetis Lake offers a network of trails for every hiker. The trail, looping around Thetis Lake and ranked by many hikers as ‘easy’, offers a roundtrip hike, roughly 5 KM in length (or upwards of 2-hours). The lake, bustling with beach-goers in the summer, offers a sandy beach for sunbathing, places to picnic, and freshwater for swimming, canoeing and fishing.
East Sooke Park
Offering phenomenal views of the Juan De Fuca Strait and the Olympic Mountains, East Sooke Regional Park provides a 50-kilometre network of trails that wind through forest and marsh. Trails like Aylard Farm to Beechey Head are cited as Intermediate with an estimated time of 3.5 hours and a total distance of 5.5 KM. Those looking for a bigger challenge though could tackle the East Sooke Coast Trail – a staggering 22.2 KM long.
Matheson Lake
Estimated to take roughly 1.5 hours, the Matheson Lake trail winds, 3.8 KM, around the perimeter of Metchosin’s Matheson Lake. The loop, at certain points, intersects with the widely networked Galloping Goose Trail, offering cyclists a nice place for a pit stop between Victoria, Langford or Sooke. With only 40 meters of elevation,n the trail is best left to intermediate hikers. Though perfect for picnicking, it’s also a great excuse to have lunch at the somewhat nearby My Chosen Cafe.
Mount Doug
Located in Saanich, only minutes from the University of Victoria, Mount Doug is a trail network popular with many locals. Providing unparalleled 360 degrees of Greater Victoria, Mount Doug offers a number of trails offering varying levels of difficulty and providing the chance to change things up. The most common trail, Irvine Trail, will take 1.5 hours, is 4 kilometres long, and climbs 205 meters.
Mount Finlayson
Located in Goldstream Provincial Park, Mount Finlayson’s upward challenge is reminiscent of a man-made stairmaster. An instant climb from the parking lot to the top (at 410 meters), Mount Finlayson is best left to intermediate (and rather fit) hikers. Perfect for a blast of intense exercise, the top of the mountain offers top-of-the-world-type views of Langford, Bear Mountain, with the City of Victoria in the distance.
Mount Work
Accessible from one of Victoria’s most challenging cycling roads, Munn Road (roughly 35 minutes from downtown), the Mount Work trail system is nothing short of difficult. Climbing 230 meters, with a 4.5 kilometres round trip, Mount Work offers views of Saanich, Gowlland Tod Provincial Park and Mount Finlayson. Mount Work, offers additional access from McKenzie Bight, with a similarly challenging trail covering 6.5 kilometres, and stretching over 305 meters.
For an abundance of hiking ideas including reviews and ratings, visit Victoria Trails, or AllTrails.
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