Distance: About 5km
Time: 2.5 hours with lots of time at the trestle for sight seeing and picture taking.
Parking: Day use parking adjacent to the campground and additional parking on Sooke Lake Road.
I feel so guilty! I do! Paired with the title above, I'm sure you can guess where this is going. You in the throws of winter, and me, marveling at the returning but forever new, tender growth that accompanies the first signs of spring. I'll at least spare you a plea for forgiveness, though I'm afraid I'm helpless to refrain from reporting that the snowdrops and tulips have begun to bloom.
But enough of that.
Our copy of 'Hiking Trails I, Victoria & Vicinity' (which I would encourage anyone living on or visiting Vancouver Island to pick up), rates Goldstream's Arbutus Loop Trail as 'easy' and the Gold Mine Ridge Trail as 'moderate'. As I am additionally apt to measure the difficulty of a trail by comparing it to the hellishness of the three days we spent hiking 46km of mud-slide chaos on the Juan de Fuca in April 2009, I will include that these trails are also dependably dry. The only-slightly-muddy-even-in-the-springtime route ascends and descends through shadowy, mossy stands of Douglas fir, fantastic in the spring fog. While there's a notable lack of viewpoint vistas (uncharacteristic for a ridge top hike in this part of the country) I must say it is, in my mind, one of the most scenic hikes on the south end of Vancouver Island.
To perk up the monotonous glory of the forest glades, points of interest appear at regularly spaced intervals along the journey. Not just one, but two springs, 'Hidden Spring' and 'Miner's Spring', are located close to the trail. Though I'd expect it's unlikely you'll need to replenish your water supply at all on a 5km hike, both sites are worth a stop to appreciate the pretty, little (and I do mean little) water falls. As if that's not enough, there's also an abandoned gold mine on the trail - also little, so keep your eyes peeled or you might miss it.
The money spot on this hike is the reason this is one of my favourite spots on Vancouver Island. The trestle! I'm not going to go on too much about it because you really must see it for yourself, and I'm also going to insist that you do your best to go on a foggy day. One glimpse between the railway ties into the mist shrouded 125m drop below and you'll see what I mean. Gobsmacked I tell you!
You could slow me down,
You could show me things,
That otherwise I would just pass by.
- Breathe Owl Breathe, House of Gold from Magic Central (2010)
