Sooke Potholes
A Stretch Of The Sooke River Where The Water Has Worn Pools And Ledges Into The Sandstone, With Warm Summer Swimming Holes, Cliff Jumping Spots And Shaded Walking Along The Galloping Goose Trail. A Popular Summer Day Trip For Victoria And Sooke, Busy On Hot Weekends, With Strong Currents In High Water · Sooke, British Columbia
Sooke Potholes Provincial Park protects a stretch of the Sooke River about 8 km north of the town of Sooke on Vancouver Island, roughly 40 km from Victoria. Over thousands of years the river has worn round pools, ledges and chutes into the sandstone bedrock, and in summer the water settles into clear green swimming holes that warm in the sun. The park is a day-use area with a parking lot, trails and viewpoints, and the Galloping Goose Trail, the old rail corridor that crosses Vancouver Island, passes close by. Families picnic on the flat rock shelves while teenagers jump from the cliffs into the deeper pools, which is the most dangerous habit of the place and has caused injuries and deaths over the years. There are no lifeguards. In high water after rain the current is strong and pools join into a single rushing channel. On hot weekends the lot fills early and people park along the road. The river is cold in spring and best from July to early September.
Sooke Potholes Provincial Park, a stretch of the Sooke River with pools in sandstone about 8 km north of Sooke on Vancouver Island, about 40 km from Victoria; coordinates approximate, Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
The park is a day-use area, generally open from dawn to dusk all year, and entering the park, walking the trails and swimming cost nothing. There are no staffed hours, no ticket office and no lifeguards, so nobody is watching the water. Summer is the busy season, from late June to early September, and the pools are coldest and fastest in spring melt and after heavy rain from November to March. Washrooms, if provided, may be seasonal or closed in winter (confirm). Parking can close at the posted gate time, so check signs and leave before dusk. Confirm any trail or pool closure with BC Parks before you drive out.