The 12 best parks and gardens in Sooke

Small park with a public bathroom and an amphitheatre. Unfortunately the bathroom was locked while I was there. There is also an interesting stone gate with a plaque explaining that it was once a part of an important hotel in Sooke. Interesting place.

Beautiful park and boardwalk. So many birds in the trees could be heard all around. Nice meandering wheelchair accessible path to the water. Nice stafe and amphitheater for live performances. Lots of beautiful trees as well.

Lovely walk down wooden staircase through a wooded area to the pier below, gorgeous views at the bottom, dog friendly, usually folks crabbing almost every visit. It's a favorite haunt on a Sunday afternoon (convenient parking just before the park entrance)

It’s a great place to take a walk through the woods and down to the piers. Wheelchair/power-chair accessible as well. Chill atmosphere, quiet, can people watch and take a breather near the fishermen… Very relaxing and beautiful to boot. It’s the quintessential Vancouver Island vibes here.

Quiet, well kept local park. It used to attract a transient crowd but I think this is now under control for the most part... Easy access with a parking lot located beside the entrance of the park on Sooke's West Coast Road(Highway 14)

I came here to visit as last stop with my family after leaving Sooke and heading back to Victoria, BC. It was pretty empty and quiet in the park. It is also very spacious with a good amount of seating. There is also a bathroom with art decorated on the outside. It seem like no much people come here often because there was an area by the stage that is suppose to be filled with water but it is empty. There is a zig zag trail in the back of the park and leads you to be surrounded by trees. When you reach the end of this trail you would be surrounded by water! There you can birdwatch for eagles and seagulls. The walk here was very relaxing and I love all the greenery. If you need a quiet walk in nature, this is the place to be! FYI, the parking is about a block ahead of the park. The parking lot was very empty when we arrived and the same when we left. So it will be easy coming by car.

It is the famousest site catching crabs in town centre. There is a long wooden plank road winding in the sea, except to see the scenery, constantly throwing down the crab clip, and then constantly retracting, to see if there is enough luck.Many funs and It's easy to kill an afternoon. The parking lot is not next to the park . Need to walk along the road for tens meters to get to the entrance of the park.

Nature at its finest. This was a brief stop but enjoyable. All parks should be five stars ⭐️. Trails, swimming in the river and other natural places are enjoyed by all that come here. My wife and I loved it here.

Beautiful and easy hike on March 31. From parking lot 3 it's an easy hike along the Riverside trail to see the rock formations and river. Plenty of parking, even around noon during a long weekend. Fairly easy hike but some spots do get really hot without the shade. Can be a bit trickier if you want to climb down the rocks to get down the the river for a swim.

Family friendly, beautiful spot for a swim. You have to pay to park but it's only $2.25 for the day. Totally worth it. Don't park in parking areas you will be ticketed.

This was really cool to see. Lots of natural pools that you can swim in. Multiple points of entry. 3 parking lots so ample parking. There is also a campground although we visited in mid September and it was already closed. There are some good trails to walk as well. I would recommend bringing something to swim in.

Nice hiking trail. Beautiful potholes and also a waterfall that was a short quick hike. However on the way back you can take a loop or go back the same way you came in from the parking lot. The loop will take you to a huge pipe that you have to take which can get a bit scary if you're afraid of falling.

Great spot for walking and hiking. You have to walk from the parking lot to access all the trails. The Mary Vine Creek waterfall trail was fairly easy ending at a nice cascading waterfall.

Great place to visit for a walk and clamber over the rocks to see the potholes. If you are brave enough you can even go for a refreshing swim. We parked in lot 3 and have a short walk up the path to the potholes.

The portion of the park here is very nice. The trail leads up to the ocean 🌊 and a very nice look out point. The trail is easy to walk and there is lots of parking. If you’re in the area stop and enjoy the views and great walk.

Amazing park with a wide variety of trails to take. I absolutely love trekking up and down the coastal areas of the park, but the forest trails are also really beautiful. The trails are usually not very crowded and there's lots of edible berries along the paths. Great summer and shoulder season spot.

This park has something to offer for everyone! We did a relatively easy 6 km hike along the shore and wow it did not disappoint. Not only did we see the petroglyphs but we were lucky enough to see a humpback whale breaching! Keep your eyes out for other sea life, we also came across a bunch of sea lions swimming close to shore. If hiking is not your thing there is a beautiful day use area not far from the parking lot to enjoy a picnic.

Another great spot to show visitors to the Island ! The park features diverse landscapes, including rugged coastline, forests, and tranquil beaches. A highlight is the ancient petroglyphs, providing a fascinating glimpse into Indigenous history.

One of my favourite spots to come in the South Island! Such a large park, tons of different trails The beach is nice to enjoy The coastal trail has beautiful views of the Olympics the whole way, with lots of spots to stop and relax! Lots of wildlife to be spotted and enjoyed ! Lots of birds, seals, sea lions, and even the occasional whale ! Easy to spend the whole day here There are also picnic tables near Alyard farm parking

I can't say enough about East Sooke Regional Park. We ventured off on the Coast Trail and WOW...the views were amazing and trail was so much fun. Please note that this trail is definitely not for the first time hiker at times. Make sure to read the trail description so you know what you're getting yourself into and download the "All Trails" App so that you can track your progress so that you know where you are during your hike. Being that the Coast Trail is right along the ocean please make sure that you are prepared for all types of weather, wildlife and situations. You will want to bring a hiking pack with snacks and hydration, as well i would recommend carrying Bear Spray just in case and also bring a jacket, hat, change of socks and a small first-aid kit (with Afterbite, as we had a couple hornet stings along the way). I also brought my hiking poles along which helped tremendously as we were climbing up and down all the rocky trail areas. Our hike ended up being about 13-14km and 6.5hrs (granted we stopped a lot to explore and take pictures and also had a wonderful 40min lunch overlooking the ocean). I would actually plan to start earlier in the future and take our time to stop and enjoy the many gravel beach areas we came across along the way. If you're looking for a memorable day hike that will challenge you and provide you with a great experience...the East Sooke Regional Park COAST TRAIL is definitely the hike for you. Have fun and be safe everyone! ***The two things I would maybe recommend to the organization that manages or maintains the trails is adding distance markers to your trail signs as we found it difficult to know how far along we were until we came to a couple maps along the trail. Also maybe a sign that says "Parking Lot this way" at the end of the trail as we had someone meeting us to pick us up and got turned around when searching for the parking lot.

Coastal Trail: Difficult hikes at times and really tests your endurance. The views are amazing! You feel like you're the only one in the world - in paradise - once you get past all the busy beach areas near parking lots. It took 7 hours (6 hours moving time) from Ayland Farm parking lot to Iron Mine parking lot. The journey was over mixed terrain, through mixed forest, beaches and coves, under warm sunny blues skies with a light ocean breeze. I recommend to take two cars so you can do the entire Coastal trail one way. The halfway point is the cabin (bring a sharpie to sign the wall). An unforgettable hike!!!

A really beautiful park, has camping and a great day use area Only a 3-5 minute walk from the car park to the beach The beach is sandy which is nice since there aren’t too many Sandy beaches on the island At the south end of the beach there are some small tide pools The day use area has about 5 campfire rings, some picnic tables, a children’s playground, lots of grass, and a toilet

Gorgeous views, the only downside is that there’s no onsite office so for questions you just have to wait for someone to come around when they do their rounds! Besides that overall nice camp. No showers but nice scenery. All campsites had trees surrounding to provide bit of privacy. Water and pit-toilets.

Booked this back in March (had to book 2 months in advance online) was SO WORTH IT. We lucked out in the weather, and the campsite was so clean and well kept. We were a 5 min walk from the ocean and they had a brand new children's playground. There is drinking water and pit toilets available on site. And you can have fires (there are picnic tables and fire pits in each campsite) There were two bears when we stayed. Although we did not see them, it's important your food stays in your vehicle. (They have steel containers If you come with no car) One thing to note is there is no service when you are at the campground. So keep that in mind prior to your visit. You can technically get roaming from the US but we opted not too. When you arrive you check the sign of the list of campsites to find yours, and a park ranger will meet you on their rounds for check in. I only had to show my ID for check-in. They also sell wood but it was cash only. I couldn't get over how green the trees were and how calming the ocean sounded. I HIGHLY recommend this campsite. We will definitely go next year.

A very scenic drive alongside the Coast, beautiful sights and stops all the way here. So many beautiful beaches and trails ❤️ So much to see and do. One trip at a Time 😀 I'll see it all 😊 sooner or later. Some sections of this highway is rough for a highway. This is another big beach with lots of parking.

Just a handful of people here during the Thanksgiving weekend. Very peaceful and we thoroughly enjoyed the drive here. Love day trips and joyrides to new places. Definitely coming back here again and I highly recommend this place for a beautiful view here and along the drive getting here. Not a cloud in the sky when we came and the sun was shining, reflecting off the water like a mirror. Saw a few crabs and fish while the kids tossed rocks at the surf, great place to unwind and relax, perhaps have a picnic 😀. Loads of places to chill and eat, at least 4 portable toilets that we saw, playground for the kids. The hill back up can seem unusually steep so keep an eye on the older folks please..

Very nice place for family play and unwinding. Be prepared for it to be windy since it's not in a cove. That said there's plenty of areas for reprieve from the wind. Recommend bringing everything you need before getting there. Bathrooms are clean with pit outhouses. Lots of picnic areas and a cool playground for the kids.

It is a really beautiful area, the beach is stunning. There are many paths and trails to explore. We had a relaxing time there. Although there are no hookups, we got along just fine without them. I highly recommend this campground.

This is beautiful and clean beach to enjoy with your family and friends. A nice trail is also there for walk and light hiking. Washrooms available with lots of spacious parking.

Just hiked here earlier today. Gorgeous day and beautiful scenery, that include rocks, didn't trees, petroglyphs and more. There are quite a few rocks to climb but of modest height.

The parking lot is very close to the coast, we hiked Creyke Point, Orca Rock, and the Alldridge Point Petroglyphs. It was very muddy since it had been raining for days (we visited in February) but we still enjoyed the trail and views. Definitely want to return in the summer or fall.

Lots of parking spaces, two bathrooms, a shelter with tables, and garbage/recycling bins. Trails here are well maintained and can be accomplished with even moderate mobility. I highly suggest these trails. The views are stunning

East Sooke Aylard Farm entrance is pretty beautiful. There are many trails you can access from this lot. The wide main gravel path leads down to a lovely sandy beach and stunning ocean views. This connects to the longest path which is the coastal trail that spans the whole coast line through undulating terrain. There are also many forest trails that you can use to cut from the coastal trail to loop back to the Aylard Farm parking lot. Maps are limited on the trail so a mapping app is suggested or take a picture of the map at the start. If you go far enough up the coastal trail you will come to the petroglyphs. Please remember to respect these valuable historical drawings by taking only pictures. Many types of wildlife can be spotted here, a large variety of birds, seals, sea lions and sometimes even Whales. Aylard Farms is a true gem so let's keep it that way! Please pack all garbage back to the many trash cans and resist the urge to graffiti the trees and stone outcroppings. Happy hiking!

Beautiful beaches and hike along the coast line. Dogs are allowed off leash if they are “in control” our mutt walks the fine line between the two. There are bathrooms and lots of parking. Quick walk approx. 10 minutes in and you’re at the beach.

Be nice if the trail was a little more accessible down to the beach, proper toilets were in place (the pit toilets were pretty gross and sorely needed a cleaning), and more parking was available. Otherwise one of our favorite beaches in the area, low tide brought out some great little tide pools to explore and the rocks were smaller than other beaches in the area so easier to walk on.

It's like a mini version of Thetis Lake but without the noise from the highway. The hike around the lake is short, about 4 km, but with hilly terrain that will be challenging for some. Lovely little island in the middle to have a picnic on if you come with a canoe or paddle board.

You can make it a shorter, or longer hike... Depending on your walking pace; the trail we aimed for was the 4km Matheson lake perimeter one, to do with my parents. Easily marked trails, little bit of extra incline for those that do not hike often. Otherwise, it's an easy hike; there's maps at some points of the trail where you have the option to go further if you wish. Highlights: Some shaded areas to avoid direct the heat from the sun Beautiful scenery, gentle up and down slope Most of the trail is by the water Decent amount of parking Paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing Consider: Just keeping dogs under control/leashed Washrooms available only near the lake Didn't see picnic tables; if there are, very limited Smaller beach access There were spots where you may be comfortable to unleash the dog; we just see how our dog is behaving this particular day (sometimes she's got an attitude and doesn't listen right away), mostly we kept her leashed, especially if we see other hikers or dogs that are in the area. Merely to ensure a good experience with everyone we come across. There were some fishing nearby (not sure if its allowed there, but it was neat to see), so also to consider keeping fido close so those who are fishing aren't bothered. I wrote down smaller beach access- but the trail is close enough that you can reach the water in some parts (but there are foliage obstacles). Good walk/hike- my dad doesn't hike often (once a month), so he struggled slightly. Our shorter hike turned into closer to two hours at a casual pace.

Great hiking spot! It's easy enough that my 3 year old can do the whole thing but hard enough that it's still a good workout for the adults! Our dog also has a great time, people are respectful and I like that it connects to the goose

Beautiful lake to walk around! Love the amazing views all around! A great way walk, hike on your own or with family and dogs!

Very cute lake, good for hiking, swimming and paddling! We went for a nice paddle recently and enjoyed the beauty of this lake! It’s even better from the water perspective.

Beautiful 90min hike around d the lake. Enough ups and downs to get a workout. Very well maintained trail. Large parking lot and access from galloping goose trail. Beach. No boat ramp.

Lovely peaceful and relatively easy walk/hike around a little gem of a lake. The lake has a small beach, for swimming and sunbathing, in the warmer months.

Sooke Mountain Provincial Park is a hidden gem for those seeking a more rugged and adventurous outdoor experience. The park operates year-round from dawn to dusk, giving you ample time to explore its wild beauty. When visiting, wear sturdy hiking boots and dress in layers. The terrain is uneven, and weather can change quickly in the higher elevations. Be sure to bring plenty of water and a trail map, as some routes can be challenging to navigate. Safety tips include checking for uneven ground and loose rocks and ensuring enough daylight to complete your hike. One of the best trails to try is the Sooke Mountain Trail, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. You’ll likely encounter various wildlife, including black-tailed deer, squirrels, and many bird species like hawks and eagles. You might even spot a bear or cougar if you're lucky, so always stay aware of your surroundings.

Beautiful forest and lakeside area at Shield’s. Sad that camping is no longer permitted and the fire ring has been removed. The frogs were so loud, it was pretty amazing.

Clean, well tended, amazing place to enjoy the outdoors. Washrooms are clean, trails are well marked. Just so sad that you can camp out in the rough anymore. Bad campers ruin it for us all.

View was amazing on top, and enjoyed every single step to go up.

The best trails for long trail runs

Great hiking

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