Trails in the Juan de Fuca and Sooke area
Broom Hill - Blanchard St Access to Summit
This trail is good for hikers and mountain biking.
Access: From Otter Point Road turn up Burr Rd, then left onto Petemar, right onto Blanchard. Parking is available at the top of Blanchard Street.
Difficulty: Level 3 to 4
Time: numerous trails of approximately 3 hours
The views of the whole Sooke Basin and Strait of Juan de Fuca can be seen. The house of Calhoun Grant and John Muir is visible as the Woodside Farm. This is Ground Zero for the Broom infestation. However, despite the name Broom Hill, there are beautiful fir forests including numerous old growth trees on the south facing slope.
Grassy Lake Trail
Access: The trail is accessed from the Sooke River Road up the abandoned Peden Lake Road. Located just before the yellow gates of the Sooke Pot Holes Provincial Park, the coordinates are [48 25.440N; 123 42.879W].
Difficulty: Level 3 to 4
Time: Round trip is approximately 5 hours
Set aside approximately 5 hours for this trip and be in reasonable shape as it is quite a climb. In the warmer months, bring you bathing suit and swim among the red, white and pink water lilies that populate the lake.
Ironmine/Mt. Maguire trail (East Sooke Park)
This trail is for hikers.
Access: This trail is accessed from the Pike Road trail head in East Sooke Park.
Difficulty: Level 2
Time: 1.5 hours
This is a loop trail. Proceed down the main trail to Iron Mine Bay. This is an easy section suitable for nearly everyone. The forests are remarkable and are an excellent showcase of our West Coast Rain Forest. To continue the loop proceed along the coast trail at Iron Mine Bay for about 100 meters until the sign for the Mt. Maguire Trail is reached. Follow the Mt. Maguire trail uphill and inland and continue the loop in accordance with the trail description. The beginning of the Mt. Maguire trail is quite steep but only for a little while.
King Creek Trail
This trail is ideal for hikers and equestrians. It is one of the few places where sight lines allow horses to canter in safety.
Access: Otter Point Road across from Farmer Road, with parking on the side of the road. This trail is also accessed from from Kemp Lake Road.
Difficulty level 1- 1.5 hours.
Time: 1 to 2 hours.
Important Notes: please ensure water levels on King Creek are passable before crossing.
Sandcut Beach Trail
This trail is for hikers.
Access: The trail head is at a parking lot, on Highway 14, approximately 6.4 km past French Beach Provincial Park, and just past the Sandcut Creek bridge. Coordinates are: [48:25.05N; 124:01.00W].
Difficulty: Level 2
Time: Round trip 45 minutes to an hour.
The trail itself is a short walk through a pleasant, mostly spruce and cedar forest. The last stretch is steep, leading to a beautiful cobble beach. There is something here for everyone including a waterfall where Sandcut Creek drops to the beach.
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