Continued from last week:
Here is an inventory of local trails and walks in the Sooke/Juan de Fuca area that are easy to moderate in length and footing.
Be on the lookout for wildlife and other trail users. And take your garbage home with you. Enjoy!
Otter Point
- Park at William Simmons Memorial Park (Otter Point Road turn in at the Sooke business park). Take the Butler Trail Loop around the woods to the power lines, proceed back via Young Lake Road. Or take the Panama Trail into the park. Go to the picnic area, Poirier Lake overlook and horse meadow. Or follow the Wieland trail south to the single track forest trails on Broom Hill for much longer walks.
- Park on Otter Point Road at Farmer Road and take the King Creek Trail. Crossing King Creek can be a challenge after a heavy rain. The trail continues straight then around “The Llama Loop” to return the same way. Or after crossing King Creek turn left to Kemp Lake Road and back. (Leash your dog when you enter the last single track segment as you pass a farm).
- Park just west of 8639 West Coast Road for a beach walk along Gordon’s Beach.
- Park on the west side of the Muir Creek Bridge. Walk back across the bridge and left for a walk in old growth forest; or walk down to the beach and right along the shore to see the fossils, great views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Shirley/Jordan River
- Park in the lot at the end of Sheringham Point Road for the Sheringham Point Loop Trail through the woods; or take a look at teh Sheringham Point Lighthouse.
- Follow Seaside Drive to the beautiful little sandy thumbnail of Flea Beach.
- Park at French Beach Provincial Park for picnic area, beach walks.
- Park at the end of Juan de Fuca Road and walk up the gravel roads to the Priest’s Cabin Park. Turn right towards the copse of trees at the crest of the hill. The turn is just before the yellow gate across the road and is not obvious. The park offers incredible views of French Beach, the Strait, and the Olympic Mountains beyond.
Continue past the yellow gate along a public right of way to a 10 km+ hike to the Matterhorn promontory (elevation 460m). This summer, logging may cause you to turn back.
- Park at the end of Fishboat Bay Road. A steep slope to a jewel of a little beach with sand at low tide.
- Park at the lot west of Sandcut Creek. A great trail through signature West Coast forest to a spectacular wild beach featuring a waterfall and wild view planes.
- Park along West Coast Road at Jordan River for the surfing beach. Follow the beach along Jordan River towards First Creek, China Beach.
- China Beach Juan de Fuca Provincial Park provides an accessible wild beach. Further west is Mystic Beach, a beautiful wild beach.
- Park at Sombrio Beach, a wild beach, with surfing, slot canyon, caves, sea mammals.
Port Renfrew
- Park at Botanical Beach, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park and enjoy loop trails to Botanical Bay Beach. Try for low tide, to see tide pools, sea life.
- Park at the Beach Camp between the Gordon and San Juan Rivers and enjoy the scenery and a beach walk.
- Visit Fairy Lake on the Circle Route; seek directions to Avatar Grove on the Gordon River; or ask at the tourist info centre about the Lens Creek trail on San Juan River and the John Quinn Trail.
With permission of Rural Observer and Rosemary Jorna; Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society