Thetis Lake Regional Park protects a beautiful area not far from downtown Victoria, including Upper and Lower Thetis Lakes, as well as a few hills, including Stewart Mountain, Scafe Hill, and Seymour Hill. While the views towards the distant city from the first two hills are gorgeous, Seymour Hill is unique in the views it offers over the lovely Thetis Lake. Hikers looking for more of a challenge might be more interested interested in those first two peaks, or any number of hikes near Victoria. Seymour Hill however is perfect for those simply looking to enjoy a nice (if steep) walk through the woods to a picture-perfect sunset spot.
The journey up Seymour Hill is definitely not a long hike, but the views are well worth it, especially considering it how close it is to the city, making Seymour Hill one of my favourite hikes close to Victoria. The trail doesn’t require very much elevation gain, but the little elevation requires is gained steeply, and often up bare smooth rock, meaning I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the trail when it’s wet.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Seymour Hill hike on Vancouver Island for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
When hiking it’s important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Seymour Hill as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Seymour Hill Lookout Round Trip Details
Distance: 3 KM / 1.9 MI
Elevation Gain: 90 M / 295 FT
Hiking Time: 1-1.5 HRS
Hiking & Safety Tips
- Prepare for the possibility of wildlife encounters. There are almost no grizzly bears on Vancouver Island, but black bears are still common. Bear bells are proven to be an ineffective bear deterrent, and are even actively discouraged by Parks Canada. The best way to let bears know you’re around is simply to use your voice. Make sure to keep a respectful distance from wildlife and never feed the animals. It may seem kind but it doesn’t just kill wildlife and put people in danger, it’s also in many cases illegal.
- Research current trail conditions and make sure you are well-informed about the route before you leave, and assess if it is within your capability. Be aware of what time it gets dark and check the weather forecast. Make sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Every year as more and more people try hiking for the first time, the number of rescues goes up. Being prepared is the best defense.
- Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. Remember to pack out everything you pack in though – don’t expect to find a convenient garbage can halfway up the trail. Bring appropriate layers (remember you’ll warm up once you start hiking) and sun protection. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. In addition to not leaving any garbage on the trail yourself, I highly recommend bringing a garbage bag and collecting any trash that you do see on the trail. You’re guaranteed to make the hike up to Seymour Hill a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Seymour Hill Trailhead
The trailhead for Seymour Hill is located in Thetis Lake Regional park, only about twenty minutes from downtown Victoria. From Highway 1, turn off just west of View Royal and head north, turning left onto Watkiss Way. Continue straight for 1.5 km as the road passes through residential, then into the woods. Look out for the small parking area and trailhead on the left side at a curve in the road.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking Seymour Hill
The small parking area at the start of the trail up Seymour Hill.
The trail is initially wide and flat, but eventually turns off.
The turnoff to the left is marked Seymour Hill. This is just a minute past another social trail turning off to the left that looks like it could be the path. Make sure to only turn off here where you see the sign.
The trail starts heading up the backside of Seymour Hill.
Turning right at two minor forks in the trail, following signs for Viewpoint or Seymour Hill.
And a left turn. The signage is still helpful.
The push up to the viewpoint is the steepest, and is somewhat rocky and rooty.
Approaching the bare rocky viewpoint over Thetis Lake.
Note that I am following existing path towards the viewpoint. The grass and moss here is fragile so make sure to only walk on existing paths or on bare rock to help preserve the place for future visitors.
A lovely view over Thetis Lake. This rock makes a great picnic spot, just make sure to pick up your trash. The viewpoint is a logical end point of the hike as the actual top of Seymour Hill doesn’t have any views, but for those wanting to be be able to claim the summit it’s a ten minute walk from here.
From the viewpoint, continuing on towards the summit of Seymour Hill. The path continues on from the viewpoint, heading down steeply before climbing back up.
As it heads down, the path branches. Go left.
Note the sign for Seymour Hill Summit.
Following the small yellow trail markers, You can see the path rising back up at right.
A social trail branches off to the left leading nowhere. Keep right. This is a minute away from the summit.
The summit of Semour Hill doesn’t really have any views, even if you walk off of the trail, so most hikers will be happy just turning around at the viewpoint below. Again, even at the summit here, don’t go off trail and trample the grass.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to hiking Seymour Hill near Victoria! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.