East Sooke Regional Park, 3/26/2022
East Sooke Regional Park, 3/26/2022
With the Black Ball ferry running out of Port Angeles again, my wife and I took a long weekend to visit our son. It is always nice to visit Victoria but we needed a break from walking on pavement so we struck out for East Sooke Regional Park. It is about 15 miles west of Victoria but it takes nearly an hour to get there largely because the speed limit is 30 mph almost the entire way. It is a large, heavily forested park with an extensive, very well marked trial network. There are several trailhead options. We opted for the Aylard Fam TH, the eastern most. The interior trails are in very good shape. The coastal trail is rougher, lots of tree roots and rock, and occasionally very muddy. There are yellow reflective markers, particularly where the trail crosses bare rock, to help you stay on the trail. It makes for a beautiful hike. It follows the coast line and winds through madrone, cedar, and spruce, with short user trails to a range of overlooks and pocket beaches. The water is surprisingly clear. If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of harbor seals or otters in the kelp beds. About 1.5 miles from the trailhead there is a large petroglyph facing the Strait. The TH parking lot is pretty large, maybe space for 50 cars, and was perhaps 3/4 full when we left. There are other parks that are a bit closer in to downtown Victoria but this one is well worth the visit.
Re: East Sooke Regional Park, 3/26/2022
What a pretty coastline! Do you know the provenance of the petroglyph?
Re: East Sooke Regional Park, 3/26/2022
From what I've read, the artist carved it into sandstone using a technique called "skimming" which involves chipping off the darker layer leaving lighter colored crystals behind. Experts don't have a way to estimate the age. I've seen estimates ranging from 200 to 3,000 years old. Elders from the nearby Bristol Bay First Nation say this particular petroglyph represents an elephant seal and may have been viewed as a spiritual "game warden". Time is taking its toll. The site is completely exposed and easily accessible to overeager visitors wanting to touch it. While I could easily see this image, it is not nearly as distinct as photos I've seen of it from some years ago. Apparently there was another petroglyph of a fish that is no longer visible.