sooke hills wilderness trail cycling

If you include a new trail section added at the north by the Malahat First Nation to connect to the Cowichan Valley Trail (CVT - local name for the TCT), then it's closer to ~22kms. Location: Langford and Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Time: 2 hrs. Stars: Activities: mtn-bike Seasons: spring fall summer From: wji. print. The Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail is now open for exploring. Dark-eyed Junco on the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail. Connector between Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail and Cowichan Valley Trail.This is on the shoulder of a paved road. A few weeks ago, we went to another section of the Great Trail near the north end of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail and the southern end of the Cowichan Valley Trail. 2020 Jul 5 - A mountain biking adventure in the Sooke Wilderness Park, in Victoria, BC, Canada .. Easier to go up east side and down west, especially if you have a dog. This mountain park was one of the earliest provincial parks established on southern Vancouver Island and is part of the extensive Sooke Hills greenbelt. After a bit of a mess up with our initial plan (read the Sooke Hills Trail post for details), my family (husband and nine-year-old twins) found ourselves at the access point to the Cowichan Valley Trail near the McGee Creek Trestle, deciding whether we should go north towards the iconic Kinsol Trestle or south towards Victoria. With an area of 4090 hectares, the Sooke Hills Wilderness Park is the largest park in the Capital region. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. In early 2019, news spread that the BC government was considering building a road through the Sooke Hills as an alternative to the Malahat highway. Hours: Sunrise to Sunset. Most of the track is level and wide enough to comfortably pass oncoming bikes. The Trail traverses rugged terrain, much of it natural wildlife habitat, spanning rivers, open areas and sheltered woodlands. Trail Rating: Challenging - not suitable for all ages and abilities A short ride north of Shawnigan Lake and you'll reach the famous Kinsol Trestle. Start checking them out and you'll be out on the trail in no time! Follow the Trans-Canada Highway from Victoria, and turn left on West Shore Parkway. The primary role of Sooke Mountain Provincial Park is to protect conservation values as part of a larger wildlife and greenbelt corridor. Hike and ride within your limits and on sections of the trail suitable to your skill level. Trail designers invariably chose winding, twisting routes rather than straight lines, keeping the riding interesting. The 13km unpaved trail … The Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail, which opened in June of 2017, completed trail across the so-called ‘Malahat Gap’ in the Great Trail/Trans Canada Trail and Vancouver Island Trail. Do not leave children or pets unattended. Coming from the south, there's a long steady upward climb near the start. Sections like the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail are exactly what the founders of the trail had in mind, said Valerie Pringle, a former broadcaster and co-chair of the Trans Canada Trail Foundation. The trailhead is about 100m up. In early 2019, news spread that the BC government was considering building a road through the Sooke Hills as an alternative to the Malahat highway. “The CRD is opening the new Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail as a major visitor opportunity in the vast 4,090-hectare Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park,” says CRD Board Chair Barbara Desjardins. Residents in the impacted area should continue to BOIL their drinking water until further notice. Saved from ... Cycling on the Sooke Wilderness Trail. Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail - Vancouver Island Hike The Great Trail stretches 24,000-kilometres, through 15,000 communities across Canada. Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park Capital Regional District . Paved bike and pedestrian trail. Rest at the viewing platform, 2.5 km from the Humpback trailhead, to take in the sights and sounds of Waugh Creek Falls, which flows forcefully in the winter and spring. Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail provides part of both The Great Trail and the Vancouver Island Spine Trail routes. From either direction, there are many short but very steep (up to 16 degree) hills. The mileage seems short, but this is a tough trail in places. Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail Total Distance: 18 km. Steep little hill (north section). Kinsol Trestle, along the Cowichan Valley Trail, north from the Sooke Foothills Wilderness Trail. The multi-use Sooke Hills Wilderness trail cuts through 13 kilometres of hilly terrain to connect Greater Victoria with the Cowichan Valley. To the south it runs along Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail, winds through the street and trails in the City of Langford, follows the Galloping Goose Regional Trail and meanders along the waterfront in the City of Victoria to Clover Point. Equestrians are permitted on the north end of the trail, from the Cowichan Valley Regional District-Capital Regional District boundary southwards for 4km. The 13km unpaved trail offers a unique wilderness experience as it travels through remote areas and wildlife habitat. The summit trail rises through Douglas-fir and Garry oak to grassy bolds with their spindly arbutus trees and bushy manzanita. If you continue north on the new 9km Malahat 1st Nation segment, you'll gradually descend to ~200m elevation. Toilet Wall Loop via Summit Trail and peak trail. If you're cycle touring, you'll no doubt be roping in some riding on the Cowichan Valley Trail to the north. Critics have questioned safety along the Great Trail. Well worth checking out. Previous Reports. Not wet but not dry, moisture in soil. The northern section opened in 2017, and the southern section will open fall 2020. The Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail within the park is part of The Great Trail route. It's the new part of the TCT (Great Trail) that goes from Langford to Shawnigan. The trail is challenging and not designed for all ages and abilities. Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail to Cowichan Valley Trail connector (Malahat Ridge) All Clear / Green; Ideal - Hero dirt! Town: Duncan, BC. After a bit of a mess up with our initial plan (read the Sooke Hills Trail post for details), my family (husband and nine-year-old twins) found ourselves at the access point to the Cowichan Valley Trail near the McGee Creek Trestle, deciding whether we should go north towards the iconic Kinsol Trestle or south towards Victoria. Keep right and anticipate other users along the trail. Note the solid, built-up foundation. The Trans Canada Trail continues west along the Galloping Goose Trail to Langford. A wilderness trail more than 20 years in the making has been completed to close the gap in The Great Trail on southern Vancouver Island. add review. We started out on the Sooke Hills Wilderness trail, but at about 2 kms in, we came to a portion where the trail was … There are 3 toilets, 2 parking lots, a viewing platform and suspension bridge. status date description; Aug 2, 2020 @ 7:47am. The Galloping Goose Regional Trail serves as a fantastic start to the ride, and a quick escape from the city. I'm sure usage will pick up as word spreads - particularly on weekends. Good little trail for a short hike. You'll pass through remote areas, so you may want to read up on how to react should you meet larger wildlife, particularly bears (here's a useful Parks Canada link). In places, particularly near the north, there is treacherous loose gravel topping, making climbing and descents a challenge. The Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail is a 14.18-kilometre section of this incredible pathway. The Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail is now open for exploring. 7. Sports & Recreation The route in Langford utilizes urban trails to the West Hills housing development, reaching the Humpback Reservoir, then begins its climb over the Malahat following the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail, which opened in late June 2017. Size: 151 hectares (373 acres) or 60 km long Location: Sooke, Metchosin, Colwood, Langford, View Royal, Saanich, Victoria Classification: park corridor Activities: cycling, hiking, horse riding, inline skating Facilities: parking, washrooms, trail Acquired: 1987 Visitation: 100,000-150,000/yr est (1993) Features: a rails-to-trails … I assume they did so because they committed to doing so. The views are the reward for the effort made to reach the top! It runs between Langford’s Humpback Reservoir and the CRD’s boundary with the Cowichan Valley Regional District. If you're on a loaded touring bike, you should be well seasoned before tackling this ride. There are no guarantees with any information provided in this website. We followed printed directions like this: At 40-45 minutes note the wreck of an old red car on the left above the river and shortly thereafter cross the creek… This park consists of two separate land areas located on either side of the Goldstream catchment. The second day, up the Cowichan Valley Trail and over the Kinsol Trestle, ends in Duncan. The CVRD was responsible for going further south to the CVRD-CRD boundary, which is the end of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail. As of December 12, this advisory for Beaver Lake has been expanded to include Elk Lake. Type: out-and-back. New horizons will open for hikers and bicyclists in July with the unveiling of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail through an area that has been closed to the public for more than 15 years. This mountain park was one of the earliest provincial parks established on southern Vancouver Island and is part of the extensive Sooke Hills greenbelt. Wilderness (typically no bikes in USA) BLM (public) USFS (Wildlife sanctuaries darker than usfs) ... Trails Mountain Bike 45 Trails E-Bike 34 Trails Hike 38 Trails Trail Running 38 Trails Horse 11. I rode the new trail south to north, loaded up with gear, on a hot summer day, and found it a tough go (not for everyone). MODERATE 3.2 mi. With an area of 4090 hectares, the Sooke Hills Wilderness Park is the largest park in the Capital region. The Capital Regional District has bought another 15 hectares of parkland for Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park. 343 reviews Directions Print/PDF Map; Share; VIEW FULL MAP. Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail, Victoria, British Columbia. Trans Canada Trail – connecting The Great Trail in 2017: It began as a bold dream in 1992: the idea of creating a trail that would be a gift from Canadians to Canadians. You should expect to push your bike up a few of the steeper parts. Watch for signs such as tracks, claw marks on trees and scat. At the roundabout, continue straight to stay on Westshore Pkwy. You'll find yourself atop hills, with some sweeping vistas (see pic below), particularly along the north portions. There is no CRD parking lot at the north trail head. Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail offers outstanding hiking and cycling, and in some sections, horseback riding, that spans rivers, forests and hilltops. Total Distance ... embed map of Sooke mountain bike trails … Bring lots of water... - 30.3 km, +792 m. Bike ride in Langford, British Columbia The north section opened in 2017, and the south section opened late 2020. In the south, the Sooke HIlls Trailhead is near Humpback Reservoir just SW of Goldstream Provincial Campground. Did it on one of those smokey days, so missed … Turn left onto Irwin Rd, stay left at Humpback Rd. Although the terrain is gravel and path is quite broad, it’s still marked as a moderately difficult trail because of steep sections with a 16% grade. Mountain Bike Reporter Primary Activity; This report was generated from the a ridelog. DIFFICULT 12.2 mi. New horizons will open for hikers and bicyclists in July with the unveiling of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail through an area that has been closed to the public for more than 15 years. Hike and ride within your limits and on sections of the trail suitable to your skill level. A Cowichan Valley Regional District parking lot for the Cowichan Valley Trail is located on Sooke Lake Road in Shawnigan Lake. There's a southern section on an old, repurposed hardpack backroad. Different sections of the route have It runs between Langford’s Humpback Reservoir and the CRD’s boundary with the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Trail is … There are no guarantees with any information provided in this website. However, the trail also acts as a connection for a much larger project: The Great Trail, which celebrates its 25th … There are steep grades up to 16%, narrow sections and rocky, gravel surfaces along the route. Follow the Galloping Goose Regional Trail that begins at Harbour Road in Victoria for approximately 15 km. This park consists of two separate land areas located on either side of the Goldstream catchment. In very Canadian fashion, the Trail is set up for orderly riding. Best Forest Trails in Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park Reserve. Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail The link here is to the Blog page, where you'll find the post on this fabulous new Trail opened in summer 2017. With the opening of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail in the summer of 2017, it is now possible to hike from the Mount Wells parking area in Langford to the town of Lake Cowichan over three days — all on trails — and all without needing a car to get back to Victoria. As you will see in the map legends,the maps indicate completed trail sections in green, sections of the route using roads in yellow, proposed/projected sections of trail in olive green, and sections over water in blue. You can now avoid having to ride the heavily trafficked 'Malahat' hill on the Big Island Highway. ... Mountain bike recommended, but even with a low gearing you are probably going to be walking some of the steeper ones. Biking the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail from Sooke Lake Road parking 4.3km to Stebbings Road Xing in Goldstream Heights on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. Both parks are in the traditional territory of the T’Sou-ke and Scia’new (Beecher Bay) First Nations. Today’s adventure was a bit of cross country mountain biking as a family. Do not approach or feed wildlife. 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