McKenzie Bight, Durrance Lake Loop (Victoria) - Retreads
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 6.18 mi
- Elevation gain
- 833 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 833 ft
- Max elevation
- 601 ft
- TrailRank
- 59
- Min elevation
- 601 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Time
- 3 hours 27 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1715
- Uploaded
- April 3, 2024
- Recorded
- April 2024
near Brentwood Bay, British Columbia (Canada)
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Trail photos
Itinerary description
This hike is in the amazing Gowlland Tod Provincial Park and Mount Work Regional park. The trail follows the McKenzie Bight & Cascade trails in Gowlland Tod Park and then enters Mount Work Park, going around Durrance Lake before looping back through Gowlland Tod.
Along the arbutus lined lower section of McKenzie Bight trail there are great views across the Saanich Inlet to the Malahat Hills. There is a lovely beach at McKenzie Bight, where we saw seals swimming about.
The upper sections of the McKenzie Bight & Cascade trails are in the shade of the Douglas Fir forest. The Cascade trail ascending steeply, with stairs to assist you, up the Pease Creek valley. About half way up, just off the trail you will encounter Cascade Falls, which was showing well on this late spring day. There was an abundance of Erythonium (Fawn Lilies) carpeting the forest floor.
We left Gowlland Tod park and walked all around Durrance Lake in Mount Work park. There is a nice picnic area there for lunch overlooking the lake and a swimming beach. There is a bit of on-road walking to get to and from Mount Work park.
You descend back down the much gentler McKenzie Bight trail along the valley of another creek. Both creeks were running well on this late spring day.
The Retreads Hiking Club gives this hike an AVA rating of 3 A.
Looking for a hike in the Cowichan Valley? Or, looking for hiking companions? Google "Retreads Hiking Club CVRD"
Along the arbutus lined lower section of McKenzie Bight trail there are great views across the Saanich Inlet to the Malahat Hills. There is a lovely beach at McKenzie Bight, where we saw seals swimming about.
The upper sections of the McKenzie Bight & Cascade trails are in the shade of the Douglas Fir forest. The Cascade trail ascending steeply, with stairs to assist you, up the Pease Creek valley. About half way up, just off the trail you will encounter Cascade Falls, which was showing well on this late spring day. There was an abundance of Erythonium (Fawn Lilies) carpeting the forest floor.
We left Gowlland Tod park and walked all around Durrance Lake in Mount Work park. There is a nice picnic area there for lunch overlooking the lake and a swimming beach. There is a bit of on-road walking to get to and from Mount Work park.
You descend back down the much gentler McKenzie Bight trail along the valley of another creek. Both creeks were running well on this late spring day.
The Retreads Hiking Club gives this hike an AVA rating of 3 A.
Looking for a hike in the Cowichan Valley? Or, looking for hiking companions? Google "Retreads Hiking Club CVRD"
Waypoints
Photo
Intersection
Beach
Information point
289 ft
Typical trail condition - steep ascent rewarded with glimpse of the waterfall
Waterfall
335 ft
Cascade waterfall on Pease Creek
The waterfall was beautiful and the forest floor was covered with Fawn Lilies (Erythronium) which you will only see in the spring season.
Flora
Lake
Picnic
456 ft
Durrance Lake floating dock and picnic area
The picnic area is directly behind this dock.
River
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