South Island Hiking Trails

From a short stroll to overnight wilderness excursions, Vancouver Island has trails to satisfy every level of hiker.

The trails will take you along the ocean, through urban parks and to the top of mountains.
So, pack a lunch and try some of these hotspots:

East Sooke Park - The trails in this park are a must for hikers looking for a wilderness experience without having to stray too far from Victoria. You can explore the inhabitants of the tidal pools or take a rugged jaunt along the 10-kilometer Coast Trail. In all, there are over 50 kilometers of trails winding through the park. Take Highway 14 west out of Victoria to Sooke and follow the signs.

Elk & Beaver Lakes Park - Only minutes north of Victoria, these parks have well-kept trails that run the perimeter of both lakes. The trails carve their way through the forest surrounding the lakes and open up along sandy beachfront. Whether you want to go for a brisk walk or just a casual stroll, these trails are the perfect getaway from the bustle of the city. You can also watch the world-renowned University of Victoria rowing team practice on Elk Lake. Take the Patricia Bay Highway out of Victoria and turn left at the Elk and Beaver lakes turnoff.

Galloping Goose Regional Park - The trail in this park was converted from an old railbed to a now very popular urban/rural hiking/biking route. The trail runs 47 kilometers from Victoria to Leechtown near Sooke, passing through farmland, forests and along the ocean. Besides hikers and bikers, the trail is also frequented by horseback riders, so watch where you step. The trail begins in Victoria at Atkins Road but is accessible basically anywhere along its route. see maps here

Goldstream Provincial Park - The park has several trails that run through large stands of moss-laden, old-growth Douglas fir, western cedar, cottonwood, big-leaf maple and alder trees. In the higher elevations of Mt. Finlayson, arbutus and flowering dogwood decorate the landscape. One of Goldstream's trails leads to Niagara Falls (not to be confused with its eastern namesake), a tall, narrow waterfall that bounces down the cliffs and eventually into Goldstream. Trails throughout the park are well maintained, but the stream-side ones can get fairly crowded in the fall as spectators line the banks, watching in awe as thousands of chum salmon head upstream to spawning beds. You can get all kinds of park information from the Freeman King Visitor Center in the park. To get to the park, take the Trans Canada Highway north out of Victoria The park is 15 minutes out of Victoria.

Trans Canada Trail - Click here to see about the Trans Canada Trail on Vancouver Island.

Gulf Islands - The Southern Gulf Islands offer have trails ranging from short, easy strolls to very challenging. Among the favorites are: Duck Creek and Ruckle Provincial Park (Saltspring Island), Helen Point (Mayne Isl.), Dionisio Point (Galiano Isl.), and George Hill Trail (Pender Isl.).

Cowichan River - There's a 30-kilometer trail that follows the river, south of Duncan. You can spend the day hiking the whole trail or take any of a number of shorter hikes.

Nanaimo - The Morrell Nature Sanctuary offers easy hiking trails through a bird sanctuary. Other favorites are Mt. Benson and Newcastle Island.

Carmanah Valley - Wander through stands of ancient rain forest in this park west of Lake Cowichan. You will see some of the world's tallest Sitka spruce.

The above trails are just a few of hundreds on Vancouver Island. The Ministry of Forests has detailed maps showing trails in the various forest districts. You can pick up a free map at any regional forest district office.