Sooke Potholes Provincial Park

Super easy access. A variety of swim and splash options. Parking is only $2.25 for the entire day, well worth it. Pit toilets as nice as that sort of thing can be.

We love this place. One of the places we live to experience again and again! A little trail for a spot but anywhere is fine. It’s just that we have a 4month old and needed a space for her to lay down and for me to feed her. My toddler loves it here too. Water temp is really nice.

Incredible spot for a swim. Water is crystal clear, nestled in quiet area. Absolutely amazing and highly recommended to others.

Some of the paths down to the water need to be updated, there could be a bit better signage, but overall the beaches are clean and clear and it's a beautiful space

The parking in the first lot is often full on sunny days, but starts to clear out around 3: 30ish, when it is a lot easier to find a spot. The outhouses are horrid though, so try to avoid them if possible.

The Sooke Potholes are an awesome place to go swimming and it's my favourite place to bring friends who are visiting! There are tons of cliffs for jumping, lots of mini waterfalls you can swim right up to, and if you are with kids there are really calm areas you can just splash around in. The water can be a little chilly depending on when you go, but it's nothing you wouldn't expect and every time I have gone we are having so much fun you forget about it right away!

It is very cool here. I arrived at 10pm and parking lot 1&2 had already been full. So Try to be there early
Parking is not free but it's cheap.

If you park at lot 3 it is a steep hike but go till parking lot 2 up the mountain and go there in the water.
The water is a little bit chilly but it's okay for swimming. You can cliff jump there and there are not that many people compared to the beach at lot 3.

It is very beautiful but go on a very sunny day because it can get cold there.

This park is out of a fairytale. So many small natural pools to swim in. Nice hiking to get to the crystal clear water. Bring water shoes and sunscreen.

Great place to take the kids. Super busy when we went, so get there early. And bring water shoes, your feet will thank you.

Enjoyed swimming in the fresh water of a hole however I couldn't do the cliff jumping like the younger guys. I am getting old for that kinda adventure! LoL
Worth visiting on your trip to Sooke since it's quite close to the town.

Great swimming holes, perfect for a hot day. Beware of crowds though, the upper potholes all often are closed because of full parking lots. No cell service there.

What a wonderful place to swim and have lots if fun with grandkids and family.
The park is perfect in everyway with restrooms, picnicking areas and trails to walk with your dogs. Grea memories for a life time!

A worthy 35-minute drive from downtown Victoria. This is a great place to swim or just dunk your feet after a long day. The swimming holes are everywhere and cater to every level of swimmer. There are shallow and deep pools. Deep enough to dive from 12 feet.

It’s amazing what Mother Nature can carve out of rocks and boulders. The pools are red from Sooke River so it is always cold and refreshing. Walk further up if you wish to avoid crowds. There are even people planning for gold. Apparently there is gold nuggets there too. Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself.

The BEST continuous hike along the river without having to go on the road starts at parking lot 3. (head upriver) If you start at a lower parking lot there are lots of beautiful viewpoints and places to spend a sunny day swimming but trying to maintain a continuous 2+ hour hike without walking along sections on the main road or following unmarked forks leading to beaches is impossible.
It is a beautiful park and not to be missed but first time hiking visitors can be disappointed because of lack of signage at parking lots.

Parking was affordable, not too busy in the morning. Pretty cold! Saw what we’re pretty sure were juvenile salmon in the water!:)

Water is as deep as 8.1m (27ft) in some places!

Gorgeous place foshed out since i went thier as a you guy but still breath taking waters pot holes are amazing

Sooke Potholes has an adventure for any type of person be it a simple hike or plunging into the glacier fed waters on a hot day. This place has it all.

Such a pretty park and the river was especially dramatic because of all of the rainfall. A beautiful place to hike/walk.

Beautiful and relaxing place to go and enjoy nature! Wear good shoes- lots of paths and stairs!

So amazing here. Went during the first week of October and despite this being main tourist attraction there wasn't an overwhelming amount of people. Lots of beautiful trails, waterfalls, and shallow strams. Bears are fishing for salmon right now.

Beautiful place. The first parking lot is where families with younger kids would want to go. At the next parking lot (also called the Parking Lot 1), the water are deeper. There is shallow water but you will have to watch the kids and go with them into the water. At the next parking lot (Parking Lot 2), there is a short trail to get to a viewpoint to see the beautiful potholes. There are outhouses at all parking lots. The water is COLD for sure. Come prepared.

Sooke Potholes Provincial and Regional Park is a great gem to visit while you’re in Sooke. Personally I prefer the Regional park section more than the provincial park section as it has more to offer. In terms of the potholes, the regional park has more to offer as the provincial park is just covered in sections of gravel. When you head up Sooke river road the first parking lot you’ll see is the provincial parking lot. Then there’s parking lot 1,2, and 3 as you continue on the road.parking lot 1: this is the family friendly part of the regional park, highly recommend you bring swimsuits as you cannot reach the potholes in the far end without swimming

parking lot 2: this area is mainly focused on views and sightseeing, no access to potholes

parking lot 3: I never went there so go see the next review

Serene environment, access is okay, has pay parking but not a lot of spaces especially on busier days. There's also a campground.

Had a lot of fun swimming here in mild weather. Water is a little nippy but we had a private section of the river all to ourselves. Would be awesome if they could add a few more garbage or recycling cans in the area as many visitors were a little careless with clean up. Bring a floaty as the current is slow enough to stay in one place while chatting with friends

Many great swimming spots and cliffs of varying heights to jump from. Can be lots of walking and climbing to get to the more secluded spots. Kids will love it.

Magnifique endroit pour courte randonnée facile. Beaux points de vue et baignade possible le long de la rivière. Parking payant (2,25$ pour la journée)

One of the best hiking /swimming spots on Vancouver Island! Lots of trails for hiking as countless access points for swimming.

This was the second time I've been to the park. First time was with my sons and they enjoyed very much. This time it was with my wife and she enjoyed it even more. Beautiful spot for hiking, cycling, camping and swimming.

This is a great place to go swimming.
There are several shallow mini-lakes where kids and adults can swim or just walk in the water. Only a few deep spots.
The water is constantly being refreshed by a river flowing through.
Bring your floating water mattress and inflatable toys. There is considerable parking but get there before noon. Very scenic and bring a picnic lunch since there is no food nor drink.

Great place to explore, rock scale, and swim in the summer! Follow the Riverside Trail along the canyon for some great views and swimming holes

Amazing place to head to on a hot summers day! The first parking lot is the best place to park if you're gonna be swimming for the day.must go early.

What a lovely place! The first parking lot is perfectly nice if you just want to take a dip, but I would recommend parking in lot 1,2, or 3 to access the Riverside trail and explore the different beaches. Also, bring a pair of shoes you can wear in the water as the rocks can be slippery and difficult to walk on.

Tourist accessibility is terrible and hostile facility …I didn’t notice it’s a paid parking while I was walking away from my car a guy from Robins parking issued a ticket right away he didn’t even inform me it’s a paid parking which I realised later ……
Place like Sook already has less traffic for tourism and CRD should improve accessibility and facilities for tourists rather than just to focus on parking …. Dry and dead bushes surrounding the trails need to be clean soon as possible during that summer …. Also need to invest in more beautification and facilities for tourists ….

Family and friends had a wonderful day.
Crystal clear clean water.any age/height can access.

Not sure if there's a lower terrain for those with physical disabilities to access from

You thought thetis was the place to go. You're wrong. Come to Sooke, there's a river, nice water, cliff jumping, underwater exploration and caves and loads of waterfalls. Bring a cooler and some drinks to enjoy the day.

Beautiful! Went here while on vacation. It was hot, around 32°C, when I took my kids to swim in the potholes, and it was the best decision ever. The water is clear, cool but not cold, even some little waterfalls you can slide down. The kids found salamanders and crawdads (and put them back), and enjoyed every minute. If you go with kids, use parking lot #1. Parking lot #2 is closer to the lookout but more of a walk to the potholes.

What a beautiful park! Walk 15 minutes up from lot 3 for some nice river side spots to relax.
Only downfall is parking, I would advise waiting in a reasonable area till someone starts going to their car and then follow them. Constantly moving your car to search for a spot is like moving to the end of different lines at a grocery store because the one you were in felt too long; it may pay off but you are more likely to reset the wait!

Loved this place! A real natural swimming pool in a great environment and even though we were there during the weekend, it didn’t feel too busy (although we had to park in the very last parking).

3 parking lots are wisely displayed: the first two are to explore the old trestle and take a small hike with a breathtaking view right by the river. The 3d is for those who want to go further to Leech town (old gold mining town).

Absolutly stunning was oneof my highlights of my vacation will defenetly be back again when I'm on the island again

Such a refreshing spot! I recommend going to the third parking lot and walking a bit on the path to get a private spot: stunning!

Always a nice place to stop and explore
Besides the wanna be cops / rangers harassing people. Descent place to check out with the waterfalls, swimming holes and trails to explore. Worth a visit

Very good place for enjoy nature and nature and they have 3 parking lots to help to visit the park.we visit on octuber very nice quite and no to.many people

Now that the rains have returned, the creeks and water falls are filling up again. Lots of species of moss, mushrooms, and slugs to observe. Spotted a deer, too.

A piece of heaven. Go when others won't be and badk in the glory that is Pacific Northwest Rivers. Good fishing though, catch and release. Look up the regs.

One of the best places to relax or hike or walk the dog or whatever else you can think of really. So scenic and picturesque with beautiful views at almost every step. Waterfalls of varying sizes are to be found throughout the park. The color hues in the water are amazing as well, going from light blue to a bluish green. The only limits are your imagination and and stamina. Three parking areas to choose from where your adventure begins. Highly recommend coming here and checking out another great Canadian national park

Absolutely stunning views with some world-class riding here! Take the goose here and make a day of it!

It's an Island treasure. Hiking, swimming, wildlife watching or just walking you won't be disappointed. It's easily accessible and lots of parking. For those who want more than a single day experience there is camping

Great area for outdoor activities such as walking, hiking or biking. In the summer you can swim and camp too.

The Potholes of Sooke have always been a required destination for recreation and seasonal visits. The refreshing waters are essential to stave off the summer heat and the local itself is a wonderful site for exploration with its dense foliage, well maintained trails, riverside access and parking lots (which admittedly get a bit crammed during the summer tourist months). If you are looking for more adventure, there are multiple lots the further you travel on Sooke River Road with access to different landmarks and even a campsite.
It has been a personal favourite for both my partner and I for numerous years. I couldn’t recommend this location more for the casual explorer or frequent adventurer.

Natural, unspoilt pools that are perfect for a refreshing swim. Parking is limited and a short walk away.

Awesome place for day hikes, some many little lakes and the river is a lot fun. From when I was young boy to being a adult. Worth the trip to explore.

Over zealous CRD "park rangers" harassed my family and ruined the park experience. Will not be back. CRD was contacted I doubt they will do anything.

A true gem of Vancouver island. Truly beautiful. But BRING A HIKING BUDDY. This forest needs some serious safety management. Particularly the barley-standing dead trees.

Excellent little day excursion. Especially if you maybe follow the fence to where you’re not supposed to go ;)

Beautiful area. 3 parking lots. First one is free the second 2 you pay for. You can walk all away across the river and dont have to pay would just be a long hike. Water level are down right now

Parking is cheap, $2.50 all day parking. Went there for a hike. The trail was not well marked. We had to walk on the road for some.

Lovely place on a hot summer day. It gets busy in the summer so arrive either early or after 4-5pm or it may be hard to find parking. We spent a lot of time looking for the waterfall and found the site but it was completely dried up. The trail is a small path off the galloping goose trail at the top of parking lot two. It’s a nice trail but if the creekbed is dry, don’t expect to find a waterfall at the top! The trestle bridge is currently closed.

Beautiful spot for a swim, walk or hike! It's a bit off the main roads, but it's well worth a visit if you enjoy waterfalls, a winding river and a peaceful walk.

Fantastic place lots of nature and little walks and hikes to enjoy, sadly this little gem has grown huge and the past summer's it's absolutely swamped with people and kids. Not saying that's a bad thing however can make it difficult to find a spot. Definitely worth coming and checking it out if you haven't been and will keep coming back

Pretty cool place lots of good swimming holes cliff jumping there's an old abandoned building there lots of graffiti if you're into that stuff