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| The summit of Mount Finlayson |
Hike length: Approximately 4km
Hike duration: 2-3 hours
If you like your outdoor experiences to include an blood pumping workout, then this trail should be right up your alley.
The hike up Mount Finlayson in Goldstream Provincial Park just outside Victoria was one of the first trails we hiked after moving to Victoria. It's among the select must-do day hikes locals dependably recommend to newcomers - a collection of world-class gems that includes East Sooke Regional Park's Coastal trail, for it's gorgeous vistas, and Botanical Beach at Juan De Fuca Provincial Park, for marine life viewing.
The Mount Finlayson trail can be accessed a short distance from the parking lot at Goldstream's main entrance on Highway 1, just west of Victoria (map). From the main entrance, follow the side road from the parking lot across the bridge and into the park to the trailhead. Just past the bridge, look for a large sign and an intimidating-at-first-glance flight of stairs. If stairs aren't your thing, or if you're looking to ease into the hike, take the alternate, slightly less steep trail to your left. The two routes meet a short way up the mountain.
After the two trails merge, the path continues climbing through beautiful, mossy, green forest until levelling out for a short stretch near the Bear Mountain subdivision.
The trees change from soaring pines to scraggly arbutus, then disappear all together as the trail turns into a steeper scramble up the remaining distance to the rocky summit. I believe most hikers familiar with this trail see this as being the fun part of the hike, though I have had a handful of hiking companions suggest this section can challenge the reserve of anyone with a fear of heights.
The summit is a nice spot to enjoy a meal or snack before you make your way back down the mountain. From the top you can enjoy views of the Olympic Mountains and the Straight of Juan De Fuca.
Planning tips:
- Sections of this trail are a bit technically challenging. Wear shoes with good support and rubber soles that will grip rocky surfaces, especially important in slippery, wet weather.
- It's also possible to approach or descend from the summit of Mount Finlayson via the north side of the mountain from an access point a little over a kilometre down Finlayson Arm Road from Goldstream's main entrance. This is a gentler route that doubles the distance of the hike.
- As an added bonus, if you head out to Goldstream over the next month or so (mid-October to early December) you should also be able to catch the park's yearly salmon run.
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