First pick
East Sooke Regional Park
Park or garden
1,495 ha47.5 km of path
10 h 35 minto walk all 47.5 km of path
6.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Coast TrailInterior TrailAnderson Cove Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Kyle Wilson · CC BY-SA 4.023%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Sooke · parks, protected land & trails
Within 10 km of Sooke, 23% of the land is protected
For a national park, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is 30 km away. Swimmers have 12 beaches within 5 km, Crescent Beach the nearest. The largest is Greater Victoria Water Supply Area: 20,620 ha, 2.6 km from the edge of town.
Protected land
23%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
23
within 10 km, 18 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
30 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Sooke Mountain Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
12
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Sooke apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round23% of the land within 10 km, more than 96% of Canadian townsProtected land in town21% of Sooke itself lies in protected areasWalking routes3 named routes within 2 kmA provincial park at the edgeSooke Mountain Park reaches the town
Out of doors, Sooke leads with protected land around it, with protected land inside its own boundary close behind.
Against other towns
How Sooke compares with other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km23%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town21%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas18Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches12Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Sooke has the 2nd most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (16,760 to 17,708 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Sooke23%
Towns its size2.7%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Sooke18
Towns its size5
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Sooke3
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Sooke does best for protected land nearby: 1 of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canmore AB | 90% | 57% | 6 | 7 | 4 |
| 2 | Sooke BC | 23% | 21% | 23 | 3 | 12 |
| 3 | Sunnyside BC | 19% | 1.9% | 127 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Saint-Henri QC | 10% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 6 |
| 5 | Grandview BC | 10% | 3.9% | 170 | 7 | 1 |
| 6 | Unionville ON | 7.5% | 0% | 27 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Elder Mills ON | 7.3% | 8% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Yorkton SK | 6.4% | 0% | 38 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Lake Country BC | 6.1% | 0.5% | 20 | 0 | 22 |
| 10 | East Burnaby BC | 5.5% | 2.6% | 54 | 3 | 17 |
| 11 | Saint-Michel QC | 5.2% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 7 |
| 12 | Davie Village BC | 5.2% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 71 |
| 13 | Cap-Rouge QC | 4.7% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | Saint-Basile-le-Grand QC | 4.3% | 0% | 36 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Fraser Heights BC | 4.1% | 24% | 129 | 4 | 6 |
| 16 | Sainte-Thérèse-de-Lisieux QC | 4% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 8 |
| 17 | Petite-Côte QC | 4% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Malvern West ON | 3.5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Humbermede ON | 3% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Morningside ON | 3% | 27% | 16 | 0 | 4 |
| 21 | Bay-Cloverhill ON | 2.4% | 0% | 12 | 9 | 18 |
| 22 | Kennedy Park ON | 2.4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 8 |
| 23 | Saint-Édouard QC | 2.3% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 24 | Danforth East York ON | 2.2% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 21 |
| 25 | Scarborough Village ON | 2.2% | 7% | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 26 | Victoria Village ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 4 |
| 27 | Saint-Émile QC | 2% | 0% | 25 | 1 | 3 |
| 28 | Willowdale West ON | 1.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Laurentian West ON | 1.5% | 5.8% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | St.Andrew-Windfields ON | 1.4% | 2.3% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Clanton Park ON | 1.3% | 0% | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | Yorkdale-Glen Park ON | 1.3% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | La Visitation QC | 1.1% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Oakbank MB | 0.8% | 0.8% | 22 | 7 | 1 |
| 35 | Cowansville QC | 0.6% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Brookhaven-Amesbury ON | 0.5% | 0% | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Brooks AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Summerside AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 39 | Saint-Charles-Borromée QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Coventry Hills AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Sooke
The town’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
Walk in Sooke: 30 named parks and woods
Largest first: East Sooke Regional Park leads with 1,495 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 2,108 ha in all
Parks & gardens 2,108 ha
Most of it sits in East Sooke Regional Park and Roche Cove Regional Park: 79% together.
Matheson Lake Regional Park
Park or garden
165 ha11.2 km of path
2 h 30 minto walk all 11.2 km of path
9.6 km eastfrom the centre
Lake TrailGalloping Goose Regional TrailBob Mountain Trail+4 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Roche Cove Regional Park
Park or garden
170 ha8.3 km of path
1 h 50 minto walk all 8.3 km of path
8.3 km eastfrom the centre
Cedar Grove TrailGalloping Goose Regional TrailMount Matheson Trail+1 path
Directionsto a point inside
Galloping Goose Regional Trail
Park or garden
96 ha28.2 km of path
6 h 15 minto walk all 28.2 km of path
12 km eastfrom the centre
Galloping Goose Regional TrailCharters TrestleTodd Creek Bypass Trail+1 path
Directionsto a point inside
Sooke Potholes Regional Park
Park or garden
68 ha6.2 km of path
1 h 20 minto walk all 6.2 km of path
10 km northfrom the centre
Riverside TrailGalloping Goose Regional Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Sunriver Nature Trail Park
Park or garden
19 ha1.7 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
2.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Allman Park
Park or garden
12 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
5.8 km north-eastfrom the centre
Ayum Creek Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Demamiel Creek Park
Park or garden
9.8 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
1.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Sun Run Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
East Sooke Regional ParkPark or garden · 1,495 ha · 47.5 km of path
DirectionsMatheson Lake Regional ParkPark or garden · 165 ha · 11.2 km of path
DirectionsRoche Cove Regional ParkPark or garden · 170 ha · 8.3 km of path
DirectionsGalloping Goose Regional TrailPark or garden · 96 ha · 28.2 km of path
DirectionsSooke Potholes Regional ParkPark or garden · 68 ha · 6.2 km of path
DirectionsSunriver Nature Trail ParkPark or garden · 19 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsAllman ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsDemamiel Creek ParkPark or garden · 9.8 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsLudlow Road ParkPark or garden · 9.3 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsJohn Phillips Memorial ParkPark or garden · 7.0 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsWhiffin Spit ParkPark or garden · 5.7 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsWilliam Simmons Memorial ParkPark or garden · 6.1 ha · 1.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSooke River ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsPonds Park CorridorPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsStone Creek ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsRavens Ridge ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha
DirectionsFred Milne Play FieldPark or garden · 3.6 ha
DirectionsBroom Hill ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsWinfield ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsDeMamiel ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · just outside town
DirectionsWoodland Creek ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsThroup Road ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha
DirectionsClarkson ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsEd Macgregor ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsDeerlepe ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsFirwood ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsThroup Road Ball FieldsPark or garden · 1.9 ha
DirectionsSunriver Stormwater ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWest Trail ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha
DirectionsNott Brook ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
About 9 in 10 of Sooke’s residents are a short walk from a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (85%)Further (15%)
Sooke85%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
Few do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%. That leaves about 2,600 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
The 23 protected areas near Sooke
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Sooke21%
Within 10 km23%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
18 of the 23 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. Greater Victoria Water Supply Area leads for size with 20,620 ha. 5 more areas are private land or have no recorded public owner: counted, not named.
Sea to Sea Regional ParkMunicipal park · 3,980 ha · reaches Sooke
East Sooke Regional ParkMunicipal park · 1,474 ha · reaches Sooke
Sooke Mountain ParkProvincial park · 450 ha · reaches Sooke
Roche Cove Regional ParkMunicipal park · 160 ha · reaches Sooke
Matheson Lake Regional ParkMunicipal park · 157 ha · reaches Sooke
Sooke Potholes Regional ParkMunicipal park · 72 ha · reaches Sooke
Sooke Potholes ParkProvincial park · 7.2 ha · reaches Sooke
Sooke River Regional Park ReserveMunicipal park · 7.0 ha · reaches Sooke
Ayum Creek Regional Park ReserveMunicipal park · 6.4 ha · reaches Sooke
Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional ParkMunicipal park · 4,120 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
8 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is 30 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Sooke Mountain Park
At the edge4.5 km²since 1928
Provincial park
Sooke Potholes Park
At the edge0.1 km²since 1972
Provincial park
Goldstream Park
6.5 km north-east4.8 km²since 1958
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
30 km north-east67 km²since 2010
There are 3 provincial parks within 10 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Sooke has 269 km of footpaths in and around it
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
269 km
in and around the town (130.6 km²)
Woodland
75%
about 97.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
SookeTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.1
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SookeTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland75%
0%50%100%
It is more wooded than 93% of Canadian towns. Paths are denser here than in 57% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
Sooke has 3 named walking routes
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Sooke Flowline38.8 km
Quimper Connector Trail1.5 km
Mount Brulé Trail0.7 km
The Sooke Flowline is the big one locally: 38.8 km. 2 of them are under 3 km, good for a short outing.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Sooke: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Victoria Gonzales (City) (29 km), and daylight at the town’s latitude. Good months: 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15–30 °C, little rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.7 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 16.1 | 15.7 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.3 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 111 | 61 | 62 | 36 | 28 | 19 | 13 | 16 | 28 | 85 | 129 | 87 |
July is the driest month at 13 mm; November the wettest at 129 mm. From 8 °C in December to 21 °C in August: that is the range of daytime highs. The yearly snowfall is near 39 cm. The climate in Sooke →
Beaches
12 beaches within 5 km of Sooke
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Crescent Beachin town
DirectionsHideaway Beachin town
DirectionsRipple Rock Beachpebbles · in town
DirectionsSand Pebble Beachin town
DirectionsSkipping Rock Beachin town
DirectionsGordon's Beachsand · 4.0 km from town
DirectionsWeir's Beach4.4 km from town
DirectionsBilston Barpebbles · 4.9 km from town
DirectionsUnnamed on the map: 4 more. OpenStreetMap maps 107 km of coastline within 5 km. This page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Sooke: 34 and 9
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The tallest named summit close by is Ragged Mountain (578 m). The map shows 42 hills and peaks, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 34
Gold Panning Sitein town
DirectionsPotholes Viewpointin town
DirectionsBread Oven Trail0.0 km from town
DirectionsSid’s Overlook0.2 km from town
DirectionsThunderbird Mountain0.5 km from town
DirectionsWindy Point0.5 km from town
DirectionsBultaco View Point0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 27 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 42
Ann's Peak316 m · in town
DirectionsIron Mine Hill102 m · in town
DirectionsLarkspur North322 m · in town
DirectionsLarkspur South322 m · in town
DirectionsMount Brulé378 m · in town
DirectionsMount Manuel Quimper546 m · in town
DirectionsRedflag Mountain309 m · in town
DirectionsBroom Hill290 m · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 34 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 25
Plus 25 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Sooke River Campgroundin town
DirectionsSlipways 4
Plus 4 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Sooke
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Juan de Fuca (Part 1)MetchosinLangfordColwoodSooke
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sooke | 23% | 23 | 3 | 12 |
| Juan de Fuca (Part 1) 4.3 km | 14% | 64 | 12 | 71 |
| Metchosin 13 km | 18% | 31 | 2 | 22 |
| Langford 17 km | 27% | 41 | 7 | 19 |
| Colwood 18 km | 19% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
More routes are mapped around Juan de Fuca (Part 1) (12). Around Sooke, nobody nearby has double its protected land.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Protected land. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
Questions about the outdoors in Sooke
What is the nearest provincial park to Sooke?
Sooke Mountain Park, which reaches the edge of town.
When is the best time for walking in Sooke?
On the normals, May to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
How much land around Sooke is protected?
Within 10 km, 23% of the land lies in protected areas.
Are there hiking trails near Sooke?
OpenStreetMap maps the Sooke Flowline, Quimper Connector Trail and Mount Brulé Trail close by, with others.
Is there a beach near Sooke?
Crescent Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Which is the biggest protected area near Sooke?
Greater Victoria Water Supply Area: 20,620 ha, a protected area.
What is the nearest national park to Sooke?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 30 km from the edge of town.
Sources
Sources for this page on Sooke
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).