The Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail is scheduled to open to the public in July.
This unpaved trail will offer new adventures to hikers and mountain bikers with its steep elevation and route through wildlife habitats.
The trail will run between the Humpback Reservoir and the Capital Regional District and Cowichan Valley Regional District boundary, where it will form part of The Great Trail and the Vancouver Island Spine Trail. It will connect with the Cowichan Valley Trail, which is being extended to reach past the south end of Shawnigan Lake.
There are several highlights in the new trail.
One is a 41-metre suspension bridge over Goldstream River, similar to the one found at Cascade Falls in the Fraser Valley.
The trail goes through the habitats of bears, wolves, and cougars.
The Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park Reserve is also home to the highest peak in the CRD parks system, Mount Braden, which stands 471 metres tall.
Construction started in July 2016, with the trail costing $2.3 million to build.
CRD currently plans to open the trail this July, coinciding with Canada’s 150th anniversary. 2017 also marks the 25th anniversary of The Great Trail, previously known as the Trans Canada Trail.
Written by Kim Dias for Victoria Buzz
