A hiking adventure to Jocelyn Peak

Let’s go for a hike! Our destination… Gowlland Tod Provincial Park!

This post will give an inside look into the provincial park. In case you’re curious about some of the hiking available in Victoria, or want to join me on my hiking adventure, I decided to document the hike with my GoPro camera! I have yet to purchase a chest-strap or head-strap, but I hope to soon!

I was talking with a friend I’ve gone on several adventures with, and he mentioned this wonderful area called Jocelyn Peak. I was dazzled by his description of the hike. I wanted to go and he wanted to go, so we spurred forward a plan of action. Soon we became a group of 5 people who set out in the morning for a curious adventure to explore a new area.

We started at the very southern tip of the park. Finding parking was an ordeal (we definitely took the scenic route in beginning this hike), but thanks to the friendly construction workers nearby we were able to secure a parking spot and get geared up for the hike.

Beginning of the trail.

We were soon underway trekking the trail ahead, sharing stories of previous hiking adventures and sometimes stopping to admire the view around us.

Group selfie at Holmes Peak.

Holmes Peak, overlooking Finlayson Arm.

We even stopped briefly to climb a tree.

The weather was beautiful that day, with clear skies and high temperatures. Even though it was winter (February 13th), we had warm temperatures of 13° Celsius — the warmest place place in Canada that day!

The trail was very nice, and well laid-out with maps at junctions along the way to help us continue in the direction of Jocelyn Peak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHrS9hDHx9E

We took several pictures along the way…

Hiking through the beautiful trails.

Jocelyn Peak viewpoint.

After about 2 hours of hiking, we reached Jocelyn Peak! Wooo! What an incredible hike it had been so far! We finally reached the top and had the opportunity to stop for lunch and enjoy the view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBtXsDoyTC8

Our group overlooking the nearby landscape.

As we were at the top, the clouds began to roll in (living by the water, the weather sometimes changes quickly), and we realized it was soon time to head back down the trail and head home.

To avoid the rain and use our energy, we ran. Going downhill was a lot easier and very fun. I had a lot of energy and felt the adrenaline running downhill while avoiding boulders, mud, and slippery slopes.

We all made it out in one piece and shared our excitement on the ride home while listening to some great music. The day had been an amazing success bringing friends together, having fun learning how to use the GoPro, and sharing in one of the most wonderful activities to do on a beautiful day—hiking.

Sunset and arbutus tree.