Thetis Lake with McKenzie/Phelps hike

This trail is the ideal morning or afternoon walk for those seeking an escape from Victoria, BC. Take your family, friends, and venture deeper into nature, passing Lower and Upper Thetis Lake as you walk. Expect to encounter other families, runners, and hikers on this loop.

Start this route from the Thetis Lake Regional Park – Main Parking Lot and walk towards Thetis Lake. You briefly go through a forest before opening up to the beach cradling Lower Thetis Lake. Turn to the right and continue walking along Thetis Lake, with the lake on your left. You’ll enjoy the pretty views out to the forested hills surrounding Thetis Lake.

The path winds along Thetis Lake. Go left at the first 3-way junction, but soon afterwards (0.7mi from the car) you come to a Y junction, just after you pass Thetis Creek, take the path on the right that leaves the lakeside if you want to do the longer route that takes in McKenzie and Prior Lake. If you just want to walk around Thetis Lakes, continue on the left.

If you go right, this path soon connects in 656ft with the Trillium Trail, where you go right again. This path eventually connects with Highland Road, where you go left, passing by a road that leads down to Prior Lake on your left (1.4mi from the car).

Continue going north and take a left onto the McKenzie Creek Trail, that leads off to the west. Follow this trail as it eventually comes beside McKenzie Creek and trends north again. Soon you’ll arrive near McKenzie Lake (2.8mi from the start).

Continue following the McKenzie Creek Trail as it heads south, back towards Upper Thetis Lake. There are several junctions along the way you have to navigate – it’s helpful to look at google maps to ensure you are headed south towards the lake!

Once at Upper Thetis Lake continue along the edge, with the lake on your left as you make your way back to your car.