Horth Hill Regional Park
Markus exploring Horth Hill Regional Park while waiting for the ferry sailing
As frequent travellers to and from Victoria on the ferry, we like being early. Like many of you have probably experienced in the past (or maybe not since you seem like responsible people), we've had to race against the clock in an attempt to make our ferry sailing once too many times. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and because we're traveling with a dog, we want to be there especially early so that we can be loaded onto the top car deck where we're allowed to stay in the car for the duration of the sailing.
On one of our recent visits to Victoria, British Columbia, we were finished our plans for the day with hours to spare before our reserved sailing time. Not wanting to be caught in traffic or anything of the like, we looked for things to do, but we also made our way closer to the Swartz Bay side where the ferry terminal is. What we ended up doing was the perfect thing for us and we were so happy to have found it.
About 5 minutes away from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, we managed to squeeze in a hike at Horth Hill Regional Park. We couldn't have planned it out any better - we were able to stretch our legs out, Markus got to explore the trails and the best part was that we were minutes away from the ferry terminal so there weren't any concerns about hitting traffic trying to get back. For as often as we've taken the ferry in and out of Victoria, we've only just discovered the trail this time around and we just know that this is going to be part of our plans in the future.
About Horth Hill Regional Park
Type: Trail
Length: < 2.4km
Traffic: Low
Route Type: Multiple Trails
Markus walking along the crushed gravel part of Horth Hill Regional Park
Located conveniently close to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, Horth Hill Regional Park is the perfect way to spend time with your dog. The park includes a loop trail that is made up of multiple paths (depending on how much time you have) and the one that we ended up taking was a 1.6km hike through the forest which took about 30 to 40 minutes. If you're concerned about time, there are plenty of paths that will allow you to cut it shorter. The distance around the outer perimeter of the park is 2.4km, which isn't much longer, but it appears to be slightly more difficult so keep that in mind.
At the entrance of the park, there are plenty of parking spots and public washrooms that you can use. Be aware that there are signs about breaking and entering in the area and if you're waiting for the ferry, there's a good chance you'll have some of your belongings with you. I imagine that if there are others like us who are looking to do a hike right before boarding the ferry, this parking lot would be a hot spot for thieves seeking to prey on unsuspecting travellers.
The trail is well groomed where the beginning parts felt better maintained with crushed gravel, but the trail throughout the rest of the park was mostly dirt path. There are some steeper areas that make it a bit more elevated than just a walk in the park. The trail wasn't marked too heavily, so it's worth taking a quick picture of the map in the beginning to use as a guide. Following their map will take through the Lookout Loop Trail, which includes two separate viewpoints that overlook Horth Hill Regional Park and some of the mountains and waters beyond.
What we liked
It was easy to follow with the map and the beginning parts were nicely groomed. This park is well taken care of and it feels like they're going to do more work on it.
The combination of paths allows you to pick and choose how difficult or how long of a hike you want to do, which is convenient if you're trying to kill time while waiting for your ferry sailing.
The park is located within 5 minutes of the ferry terminal, which is great for not having to worry about traffic to catch your sailing.
What we didn't like
For obvious reasons, the car break-in signs were a bit unnerving and since we did have our belongings with us, we didn't want to spend too much time away from the car. We enjoyed the walk, but we were also a bit hasty just in case.
Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs
We really liked the park because it was large and quiet for the most part. Although we came across a couple of off-leash dogs at the beginning parts of the hike closer to the parking lot, our paths quickly diverged and we didn't see many dogs or other hikers throughout the rest of the trail. The paths are fairly wide and there are plenty of trails that you can detour around if you are concerned about meeting other dogs.
Although there plenty of cars at the parking lot, we didn't run into very many people while we were doing the hike because of its size, so we felt comfortable walking through with our dog. This is something that we'll definitely end up doing again in the future when we have to wait for another sailing and next time, we might even do the longer hike around the perimeter!
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
