This is a nice and beautiful lake to walk around. There are a few trails you can take, either to…read morego around the lake, or go to other areas like the Upper Lake, another loop that is a little steeper, etc. The lake is calm and there are some animals in the lake. I was up high so couldn't see tell if they were beavers or another animal. I assumed they were beavers as they can't be otters. There were 3 swimming by the inner rock in the middle of the lake and it looked like they were playing. I wish I had brought my camera but only had my phone. It was quiet when we went and it looks like you can kayak or canoe on the lake. No gas or electric motors on the lake.

We stayed in Langford when I visited Victoria, and this wonderful lake park was recommended. It's a…read moregorgeous and clean lake! There is a trail that goes around the lake and I've heard the lake is about a couple miles long. The lake itself is pretty big and is not circular like the main trail. I saw there are other trails that leads you to other parts of the lake. You can kayak the lake to see the size and see more views, like upper Thetis Lake. The trail is super easy to walk on and can be finished in like 30 minutes if strolling. The lake itself is very pretty and can get quite deep. It's very clean looking and you and see very clearly. It's definitely big enough to float around on a float and enjoy the hot weather. The lake can get pretty populated during the summer time. I went on a Monday and it can get quite full on the beach portion of the lake. There's also a West beach and I've noticed more dog owners go there. On the Main Beach, there is a bathroom, benches/tables, foot washing station, and water fountains. You can also walk around the lake and find a little cove for more isolated and away from the crowd. In the more isolated areas, there are nice rocks that you can sit up on or dirt covered areas. In the other areas, I've seen people diving off cliffs. There are signs around the lake that warns people of cliff diving. No alcohol is an allowed ($200 fine) and parking is around $2.25 until sunset. There are over flow parking lots as well.

One of the best lake hikes! It's not the most well known, so not crowded. The loop around the lake…read moreis about an hour with great up and down, views of water, great places to take a dip. There is also a small island you can swim to in the middle of the lake, beach access, Tarzan swings. This little lake has it all. A true hidden gem! Value 5/5 Atmosphere 5/5 Service 4/5 has toilet but no flushing water nor running water Quality 4/5 18/20

A cute little small town. I had no idea that this place existed. It reminded me of the little…read morevillage of Banff. I have noticed a lot of tubes/inflatable boats rental stores. Yes the town is beautiful and you really need one day to walk from one end to the other. We drove by here to go camping.

This little town is great place to put your feet up and have a beverage. It sits on the shore of…read moreLake Cowichan, an absolutely stunning clean lake. Great for swimming and boating. Highly recommended. Tubing down the river is very relaxing and a lot of fun for any age.

Magical place. Would definitely be going back next summer! The water was a little cold but loved…read morehow clear it was.

Not a tourist destination. Except for Airbnb's, it's a local hotspot. There is no public access…read more Much warmer than Lake Crescent. Great for water sports but it's a relatively small lake so it can get pretty crowded. It's pretty, but Lake Crescent is picturesque. No fishing to speak of.

This lake is a nice lake and meadow right in the city. It a nice walk around the lake with nice…read morescenic meadows and birds. Even though it's called Swan Lake, there are no swans but a variety of birds are around. I walked around the trail and didn't see any birds besides robins but I'm sure if we sat on the various benches around, we would have saw more. The lake has a few docks a bridges. The lake has cute ducks swimming and I didn't see any fishes. The lake had a lot of green algae and it was pretty thick around certain places. The ducks were swimming in it and seems perfectly fine. It was still kind of gross... There's a Nature House that is close to the parking lot. In the Nature House you'll find a gift shop and a few stuffed animals there. There are two educational classrooms that you can sign up for classes.

I think that Swan Lake is a lovely location for a walk, and with Spring here and the beautiful…read moreweather coming back, I highly recommend going to check it out. There are times when the path becomes tunnel-like under the trees and it really helps to fully immerse yourself in the beauty that the nature in Victoria has to offer. Plus, there are lovely bridges and wooden peninsulas so you can look out at the water from a bit closer. Despite its name, I didn't see any swans, but there was a quite large amount of ducks when I was there. And, as I have to sadly admit, there was also a large number of dead fish in the water. I believe the excess amount of algae in the water is to blame, however, I can imagine that the litter I saw occasionally strewn about the pathway doesn't help. Due to this, there is a bit of a stench when you're right above the water, which really put me off from lingering too long by the water. The surrounding greenery, however, was still as stunning and pleasing to the nose as you'd expect. I'll be going back soon for another stroll and hopefully, the stench has cleared up a bit by now.

Hidden Lake belongs to the ducks. Even Schatzi the Münsterländer, a hunting dog we trained for use…read morein duck hunting, doesn't go after the ducks here. One day a duck flew over the lake, then in front of us, twisting in midair so its feet faced us then flew back to the lake and landed as if to say, hey I'm not afraid of you two. Schatzi just looked at me and was mildly amused by the duck, she looked more interested in going swimming. The lake has been closed to swimming and wading for a while due to pollution issues, so keep that in mind when visiting. Trails from Shoreview Park, from Boeing Creek Park, and Innis Arden Way are the easiest way to access Hidden Lake. If you are a bird air access might be easiest and if you are a salmon water access from Boeing Creek may be the easiest. During the Spring and Summer it is especially fun to come here and look for ducks and their babies. My mom and I have been standing on the shore and had a bunch of ducklings and adult ducks invade the beach as we were standing there. Duck and duckling diving sessions are captivating to watch. Odd creatures also abound here... I once saw what might have been a baby Sasquatch. I have found traffic to the lake to be heavier in the early evenings and during the summer months when middle schoolers and high schoolers frequent the lake and surrounding parks. When I run at Shoreview Park I enjoy tacking on a cool down to Hidden Lake to look for critters in the mornings and evenings.

The lake is now a stream/natural area. It was changed in early-mid 2023. I do miss the lovely lake…read morebut now there are raised wooden walkways in the area.

This park had signs everywhere that the water was toxic, so that's why it's 4 stars for this…read morereview. Otherwise, it was beautiful. Lots of trials including ones for horses. Volunteer state park employee is posted at the end of the main road.

This beautiful lake is wonderful for kayaking and canoeing! Fishing is fun there. A great place for…read morea picnic!

Horribly managed marina. As far as I know, the few young people working at the gas dock own the…read morewhole marina. I have tried to contact the owner 11 times (phone calls, emails, showing up in person) throughout this summer regarding moorage, and have not received a single reply. Every time I call the marina I get told that my message will be passed on to the owner, and they will reach out to me. Needless to say, I have not been contacted in over 4 months. Unfortunately, there is no other marina on the lake so I have to keep dealing with this business. Unless you absolutely need something from this marina, I DO NOT RECOMMEND.

I stopped here briefly to look around and stretch my legs while driving around the Olympic…read morePeninsula. There is a pull-out along Highway 113 (Burnt Mountain Road) where you can get out of the vehicle to explore. A gravel road runs parallel to Burnt Mountain Road a short ways past two campsites. Both sites had a picnic table and one also had a campfire pit. South of the campsites is a boat ramp and a short dock. When I stopped here there was someone fishing. Careful driving along this way, there are a bunch of logging trucks barreling down the road. This is also a good place to pull off and let them pass and enjoy the beauty of the lake. If driving south on Highway 113 from Highway 112, Beaver Lake is located on the left hand side of the road a little over halfway to Highway 101. I could see the lake on approach before I reached the pull-out and boat ramp.