Hiking Trails in Witty's Lagoon Regional Park

Difficulty: Easy to moderate. There is a choice of three hiking trails within Witty's Lagoon Park.

Lagoon Trail

Witty's Lagoon is situated in Metchosin, BC and is located about 25 minutes drive from Comfort Cove Cottage. This spectacular oceanfront park features a waterfall, a sandy beach and a fresh-water/salt-water lagoon. Thousands of birds take refuge in these calm waters and feed in the abundant mudflats that are exposed at low-tide. This picturesque park is in perfect natural balance between fresh-water and salt-water, land and sea. It's a must-see site when visiting Sooke and Victoria.

HISTORY OF THE PARK

Witty's Lagoon has been inhabited for thousands of years. The first know settlers were the Salish people who harvested the land and water around the estuary. In the 1850's, the Hudson's Bay Company purchased the land from the Ka-Kyaakan band for the equivalent of 43 British pounds of blankets. A few years later, the remaining people moved to Esquimalt to join the Songhees people.

If you think you've discovered an artifact, do not disturb it. Contact the CRD Parks (250-478-3344) so that it can be recorded and protected appropriately.

HIKING TRAILS

There are over 5 kilometres of hiking trails in this gorgeous Vancouver Island park. The three main trails showcase different pieces of this coastal environment:

• The Lagoon Trail

• The Beach Trail

• Tower Point Trail

Witty's Lagoon is one of our favourite hikes in the Sooke area and we hope you'll enjoy it too.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS (from Comfort Cove Cottage)

Witty's Lagoon is about 25 minutes away from the cottage.

1. Turn left onto East Sooke Road (towards town).
2. Go straight through the T-intersection past Gillespie Road (past Bills Food 'n Feed).
3. Drive for 10 minutes along East Sooke Road, through the Becher Bay Reserve.
4. At the stop sign, you'll come to an intersection. Turn left and follow Rocky Point Road for about 10 minutes.
5. Once you pass Hans Helgesen Elementary School on the right, SLOW DOWN. Your turn is coming up.
6. Turn right on Lombard Drive. This narrow one-lane road is lined with beautiful 100 year old trees, and is a Metchosin historical site.
7. Turn left on Williams Head Road and drive for 1 kilometre. This road turns into Metchosin Road.

Access to Witty's Lagoon is through two separate parking areas. To get to the Lagoon Trail or the Beach Trail, look for the parking lot on the right-hand side of the road, across the street from the Metchosin Golf Club.

To get to the Tower Point trail, go past the main parking lot for Witty's Lagoon. Turn right on Duke Road, then right onto Olympic View Drive. Look for a small, gravel parking lot.

Click here for a driving map.

NOTES:

• There are two separate sections of the park, each with its own parking lot. The Lagoon Trail can be reached from the main parking lot, across the street from the Metchosin Golf Club. The hike starts besides the small nature office housed in a trailer.

• Keep your dog on leash and under control at all times to avoid an encounter with wildlife.

• Dogs are prohibited on the beach from June 1 - September 15.

• Bicycles, camping, open fires and alcohol are prohibited.

• Canadian and American cell phone coverage is good in this park.

• Hiking boots are recommended as there are often muddy sections.

• As the name of implies, the Lagoon Trail has amazing views of the lively lagoon but not many ocean views. For sweeping views of the Juan de Fuca Strait and the shoreline, the Beach Trail is best.

OFFICIAL LINKS:

• Witty's Lagoon Regional Park - from the Capital Regional District website.
• Download the map of Witty's Lagoon Regional Park
• Click here for tidal information. The closest reference site is Pedder Bay, BC.
• Click here for beginning bird courses from the Victoria Natural History Society.

Ready to visit Sooke? Contact us for availability!