Lone Tree Hill Regional Park is located in the Highlands of southern Vancouver Island, a municipality of Greater Victoria. It is a small park but the views from the 364 meter (1200′) summit are well worth the trip. You will enjoy views of the Malahat, the Highlands, the Gowlland Todd Range, Victoria and the distant Olympic Mountains in Washington state.
On the summit
Things to See & Do
According to the CRD’s website, the park’s namesake was a bonsai-like Douglas-fir tree, which was designated a “Heritage Tree.” It was only four meters tall, it graced the hillside for over two centuries. While no longer there, there are other scrub like trees near the summit.
Arbutus trees provides great entertainment for kids
The trail to the summit is moderate to challenging, as it is uphill all the way with some fairly steep sections. You will pass through Douglas Fir forests climbing up through drier forested areas with lots of Arbutus trees. On the summit is lots of dry outcrop vegetation and exposed bare bedrock.
Sparse exposed summit of Lone Tree Hill
The hilltop is an excellent spot for bird watching. Look for bald eagles, red-tailed hawks. Turkey vultures are a common site riding the thermals around the mountain. From the summit you are often looking down on them as they soar by!
Like many of Victoria’s parks, Lone Tree Hill is particularly spectacular in the spring, when wildflowers such as fawn lilies, shooting stars and camas add a flash of colour to the hillsides.
Common Camas
Fawn Lily
Ammenities
There is a small parking lot, information kiosk and toilet at the entrance.
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