Sooke Potholes: B.C.'s ancient glacier-carved rock pools are a freshwater swimming paradise
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Did you know British Columbia is home to ancient rock pools sculpted by glaciers during the last ice age? The renowned Sooke Potholes are a genuine natural wonder that showcase the province’s distinctive landscape, rewarding those who find them with a cool, refreshing swim. Located beside the Sooke River, the potholes sit within a provincial park and should not be mistaken for the nearby Sooke Potholes Regional Park.
Some of the best freshwater swimming in B.C.
The regional park is a separate riverside reserve that safeguards important Coho and Chinook salmon runs and their spawning grounds. Each fall it’s a prime spot to watch the salmon return, and it also offers catch-and-release fishing.
The potholes themselves, however, are found in the provincial park. According to BC Parks, glacial movement roughly 15,000 years ago carved a deep channel into the bedrock, leaving behind a string of striking, crystal-clear potholes.
These days, the area is regarded as offering some of the finest freshwater swimming in the province.
Beyond a dip, visitors can tackle the moderate 12.9 km out-and-back trail from Sooke Potholes to Empress Mountain, passing multiple waterfalls and a lake before reaching sweeping views of the hills and ocean.
You can also wander shorter forested trails and take in spectacular viewpoints at Mary Vine Falls, or hop onto the nearby Galloping Goose Regional Trail, a former railway corridor running from Sooke to Victoria.
And if you see the wilderness trek through to the end, Roche Cove Regional Park will reward you with dramatic scenery and wildlife.
Know before you visit
Keep in mind the park is for day use only and has no facilities on site; the District of Sooke provides parking, washrooms and garbage bins next to the park.
Campers can head to the 67-site RV and tent Spring Salmon Place Campground at the park’s north end (open until mid-September), which offers garbage bins, washrooms, drinking water, picnic tables and fire rings.
The potholes are only a 45-minute drive from Victoria, making them an easy addition to your next South Island itinerary.
Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
How to get there: Take a ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, then drive about 46 minutes via Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N and Juan De Fuca Hwy/Sooke Rd/BC-14 W.
【Attraction Tickets】Vancouver Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus + Evening City Tour Package
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