One of the most beautiful places on Southern Vancouver Island is the Saanich Inlet, from the finger-like narrow fjord of the Finlayson Arm to the outer inlet dotted with islands large and small. There are numerous incredible views of the Saanich Inlet that can be hiked to, or even just seen from the highway, but one of my favourite vistas is the one to be seen from Squally Reach Viewpoint of the expansive glacier-carved inlet to the north.
Squally Reach is the east-west channel that connects the Finlayson Arm with the rest of the Saanich Inlet, and the viewpoint is uniquely positioned above it to provide absolutely spectacular views. The trail there isn’t particularly strenuous and requires about an hour of hiking each way, with an optional detour to see Cascade Falls as well, adding some elevation gain.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Squally Reach Lookout 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 the Squally Reach Viewpoint as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Squally Reach Viewpoint Round Trip Details
Distance: 6.3 KM / 3.9 MI
Elevation Gain: 253 M / 830 FT
Hiking Time: 2 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 Squally Reach Viewpoint a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Squally Reach Viewpoint Trailhead
The trailhead for the Squally Reach Viewpoint is located only a minute or two past Durrance Lake, about half an hour from downtown Victoria. Just after passing Durrance Lake, turn left onto the narrow singe lane that continues Ross Durrance Road. The turn is easy to miss as there’s only a small sign that marks the road as anything other than a driveway. When you reach the signed trailhead 350 m later pull off on the side of the road and begin your hike.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking to Squally Reach Viewpoint
Pulled off on the side of the road and starting down the Cascade Trail which will eventually lead to the Squally Reach Viewpoint.
The trail is initally wide, flat, straight, and not super interesting. Hard to get lost hough.
A sign where the trail splits in two. To the left it leads to Squally Reach Viewpoint, and the right leads down past Cascade Falls to Mackenzie Bight. I suggest taking the ten minute detour to see Cascade Falls.
There are a couple false trails that branch off of the official trail, but they are usually marked off with sticks so it’s easy to know the right way to go.
Stairs sort of help as the trail finally starts to gain elevation.
Steeply.
The trail to Squally Reach Lookout turns left here, and it’s a little easy to miss. Note the trail continuing ahead blocked off by the sticks.
Winding up and around towards the lookout.
A small bridge about five minutes before the end of the hike.
Parts of the trail can definitely be a bit wet and muddy. This is why proper footwear is essential to avoid widening the path and trampling vegetation in order to avoid the mud.
The bare rock of the lookout just ahead.
Much of the fragile grass and moss on the lookout area has ben destroyed by careless hikers. Take great care to step only on existing paths and bare rocks to help preserve the place for future visitors.
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 to Squally Reach Viewpoint near Victoria! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.