One of the best ways to explore South Island is by cycling or hiking on the Galloping Goose Trail, a multi-purpose trail for cyclists, hikers, and, in designated areas only, horseback riders. Named after a gawky, noisy gas railcar that carried passengers between Victoria and Sooke in the 1920’s, this is one of the most picturesque trail systems in Canada and is part of the TransCanada Rails to Trails network. Built along the former railbed, this 55-kilometre linear park stretches from downtown Victoria (Selkirk Trestle) all the way to Leechtown, once the townsite for Sooke’s brief gold rush in 1864. The trail is relatively flat and leads through a wonderful diversity of landscapes, linking Victoria, View Royal, Coiwood, Langford, Metchosin, and Sooke. The Galloping Goose is accessible at numerous points, giving trail users the flexibility to choose the area they want to explore and the distance they want to travel.
The Galloping Goose connects with the Lochside Regional Trail, a 29-kilometre route that winds its way from Victoria’s municipality of Saanich, through the Saanich Peninsula, to Sidney and Swartz Bay, the location of BC Ferries’ main South Island terminal.
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