Doug Walk: Caleb Pike to Jocelyn Hill
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| Caleb Pike to Jocelyn Hill is one of my favorite walks when I have some extra time. Starting from the parking lot on Caleb Pike Rd, you can walk the Ridge Trail to Jocelyn Hill which provides one of the best views of Finlayson Arm (see link to panoramic image below). If you are in the area but want a shorter walk you can stop at Holmes Peak, about 1/3 as far, which also provides a great view.
Distance: 8.3 km round trip, including about 1100 feet of elevation gain. Terrain and Difficulty: Some difficult sections with steep rock and gravel. This is much more of a hike than other posts on this site. Take water for your dog, the ridge trail is often devoid of puddles. Restrictions: Gowlland Tod Provincial Park is an on lease park. This is a park where your dog must be under control. Check signs. |
Click here to see a panorama from the view point on Jocelyn Hill.
After it downloads make sure you zoom in.
Dog Walk: Mount Finlayson
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| Mount Finlayson is the main peak inside Goldstream Provincial Park. In general, this is not a great park for dogs as they must be kept on leash and out of the river. However, it’s worth the trip up Mount Finlayson trail and is still one of my favorite parks to visit. The summit view is one of the best in the Victoria Area.
Distance: 4 km round trip, including about 1200 feet of vertical climb. Terrain and Difficulty: Many difficult sections with steep rock and gravel. You will need to scramble up some sections. You will ask yourself: Are we there yet? Restrictions: This is an on lease park and dogs must not go in the river, which is a salmon habitat. There are also other wildlife issues to consider including bears. This is a park where your dog must be under control. Check signs. Click icons and paths for more. |
Dog Walk: Mount Work
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| Mount Work is one of the larger regional parks in Victoria. There are several different sections to explore. The walk shown follows the summit trail. You will see glacial rock formations and fantastic views. There is even a pond near the summit. If you have the option to be dropped off and picked up then you can continue over the summit to Munns road where there is another small parking lot. Another option is to combine this walk with the McKenzie Bight walk which uses the same parking lot.
Distance: 5.83km round trip with about 900 feet of vertical climb. Terrain and Difficulty: Dirt and rock paths, some gravel and steep sections. Restrictions: This is an off lease park. Check signs. Click icons and paths for more. |
Doug Walk: Mount Doug
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Mount Doug is the jewel of the CRD parks. Major features of this park are the summit, which offers views of Victoria, and the its large beach. There are many well marked trails and most people start at the main parking lot off Cordova Bay Rd. The walk shown gets away from the crowds, staying in the West side of the park. Starting at a small parking lot at the end of Glendenning Rd., it goes up the North side to the summit and comes back down the South/West side using the Glendenning Trail. Distance: 3.6km round trip, including about 500 feet of vertical climb. This park has endless trail options going both around the summit and over it. Terrain and Difficulty: Several difficult sections with steep gravel and sand. Easier options are available. Restrictions: This is an off lease park. There is a picnic area on the other side of the park near the beach. Check signs. Click icons and paths for more. |
Dog Walk: Island View Beach
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Island View Beach is a great park to get away from it all. Even on a sunny summer day, the north part of the park is not usually busy. The walk shown continues north of the park along the beach. A major feature of this beach are the sandbars that form when the tide is low. The pictures below were taking during a particularly low tide. The sandbars are a perfect place for a dog to run. Distance: The walk shown is a 4.3km round trip (North most parking lot to the point and back). Other trail options are available. Starting from the south parking lot/boat launch is another option. Terrain and Difficulty: Level dirt/sand paths, wet and dry sand/gravel beach. Restrictions: This is an off lease park but dogs are not allowed in the beach/picnic areas from June 1 through September 15. Check signs. Click icons and paths for more. |
Dog Walk: East Sooke Park
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| East Sooke Park is large wilderness park about 45 minutes from Victoria. There are a few developed areas around Aylard Farm including a large parking lot and grass fields. The rest of the park is rough trails. Often trails can only be followed by using the yellow trail markers. Better signs have been installed in the park in recent years. Make sure to check the map at the Aylard Farm parking lot before setting out. The most popular hike is from Aylard Farm to Beechey Head.
Distance: The walk shown is a 5km round trip (Aylard Farm to Beechey Head via the Coast Trail and back on the interior trail/service road). East Sooke Park is huge with many trails to explore. The possibilities are endless. Terrain and Difficulty: Around Aylard Farm and the beech is an easy walk. The coast trail is fairly level but has difficult rocky terrain and can be muddy. The interior trails and service road may be muddy but are fairly easy to traverse. Restrictions: This is an off lease park but dogs are not allowed in the beech and picnic areas from June 1 through September 15. Click icons and paths for more. |
Dog Walk: Macaulay Point
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| A good park for dog play, especially after work on a weekday. It also has some interesting leftovers from WWII, including the foundations for two gun batteries (same as you see at Fort Rod Hill). This park has one main loop and several trails that cut through the middle. It’s fun to explore and see if your dog will go through the concrete tunnel. You can also access the beach if you don’t mind walking down some steeper slopes. The best parking is at the Fleming Beach Boat Ramp off Munro St. but the park can also be accessed from Vaughan St.
Distance: 300m from the parking lot to the off lease area. The main loop in the park is 700m around. Terrain: Main path is paved or graval. Secondary paths are narrower dirt and rock. The paths down to the beach can be a steep but some are easier than others. Difficulty: A walk in the park. Restrictions: This is an off lease park but the short walk from the parking lot to the park is on lease and goes through a popular rock climing and picnic area. Click icons for more. |
Dog Walk: McKenzie Bight
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| This is a great walk when you have a bit more time to get out of the city. There are many trails from easy to hard. The map shows the easy McKenzie Bight trail (north most trail) which leads directly from the parking lot to the beach. The Cascade trail (south most) climbs steeply from the beach to a waterfall. It’s well worth the trip and levels out shortly after the waterfall. The walk can be made shorter and much easier by using only the McKenzie Bight trail and it can be made much longer and harder by exploring the other trails in the park. Trail signs with this map are posted in the park so you shouldn’t get lost.
Distance: 4.77km Terrain: Dirt path and rock, uneven and muddy at times. Difficulty: A walk in the park with some hills. Restrictions: This is a provincial park so, technically, it is an on lease only park. I have never seen a dog on lease in this park but Tod Inlet is a sensitive nesting area. Check signs, be respectful, and use your best judgment. Click icons for more. |
Dog Walk: Thetis Lake
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| This is a very popular park for dogs and trail runners. There is a 4.3km trail that goes around both upper and lower Thetis Lake (shown on map). You can cut the walk short by using a trail that runs between the two lakes. There are many other trails in the park as well.
Distance: 4.36km Terrain: Dirt path and rock, uneven and muddy at times. Difficulty: A walk in the park with some hills. Restrictions: Only the main beach area is off limits to dogs during the summer months. Dogs may pass through on leash. Check signs. Click paths and icons for more. |
Dog Walk: Mystic Vale and Cadboro-Gyro Park
More dog walks near Victoria BC!
| Each of these parks can be visited separately or combine them for a longer walk. Mystic Vale is a great place for dogs to socialize and for humans to walk the “tread mill”. The fields of Mystic Vale are fenced in along the road. Water, for the dogs, is normally available near the gate at Mystic Vale.
Distance: 5-8km walk (for the human) depending on how many times you go around the loop in Mystic Vale and how much of the beach is walked. Terrain: long grass field, short grass field, trail, road, beach, fresh and salt water. Difficulty: A walk in the park. Restrictions: Only the north/east part of Cadboro Bay beach is open to dogs from May 1 to August 31. Check Signs. Warnings: Mystic Vale is known for spear grass and has many small animals especially on the upper trail. Mystic Vale is a multiuse area, you will see disc golf, mountain bikers, runners, and heavy equipment. Click paths and icons for more. |
Dog Walk: Elk/Beaver Lake
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| Two short walks at Elk/Beaver Lake Park. This is a very popular park for dogs and runners. There is a 10km trail that goes around both lakes. Horses are common with the largest concentration on the west side of Beaver Lake which also has retriever fields. There are many other trails here to keep your and your pup entertained.
Distance: East side loop 4.25km, West side loop 4km. Terrain: long grass field, short grass field, trail, fresh water. Difficulty: A walk in the park. Restrictions: Only the main beach areas are off limits to dogs. Dogs may pass through on leash. Check signs. Warnings: Part of the 10km trail, on the north east side of Elk Lake, is only a few meters from the highway. Click paths and icons for more. |
East Side Trail
West Side Trail
