Malahat Skywalk

Elevation: 260 m
Elevation Gain: 32 m
The Malahat Skywalk is a 32-meter-tall spiral tower, located at the end of a 600-meter-long elevated boardwalk. Guests who enjoy the scenic walk to the top of the Skywalk can opt for a faster descent, thanks to a 20-meter-tall slide in its center. This attraction takes its name from the Malahat Nation, a Coast Salish Indigenous Community. The Mountain Range upon which the Skywalk is located is also referred to as “the Malahat” and is a sacred site.
My Ascents:
April 18 2024
Trailhead: Malahat Skywalk Parking

After a long Alberta winter 🥶☃️ and a cold Calgary spring ☔, the Hobbs clan grew restless waiting for hiking season to arrive. With the nearby Rocky Mountains still sporting thick, white coats, we therefore turned our attention to the more temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest to get a head start on the 2024 hiking season. Of course, we had another good reason 🎂 to head west as well (but that’s a story for another trip report)… Taking advantage of a seat sale, Brianne and I enjoyed a mercifully short flight ✈️ with our 3 littles to Victoria, BC. From YYJ, we planned to make our way north along Vancouver Island to Gulf Islands, Denman and Hornby, for an extended long weekend filled with spring hiking and other outdoor pursuits.

The drive from YJR to our (breathtaking) accommodation on Denman Island was 4-hours-long. To break it up, we therefore decided to stop at the recently built Malahat Skywalk in Cowichan. Like many, we became aware of the Skywalk’s existence thanks to the “Amazing Race Canada.” After a “Roadblock” collecting our rental car (which didn’t have an infant car seat for Lillian like it was supposed to) and a “Detour” to a Victoria Superstore to collect provisions for the trip, we followed Highway 1 north from Victoria to the spiral tower tourist trap atop the Malahat.

LEFT: From the parking lot, a 600-meter-long boardwalk guided us through the forest canopy towards the Skywalk. Like the contestants on Season 9 of “The Amazing Race Canada,” 8-year-old Mera and 6-year-old Penny enjoyed “hunting” for the many driftwood animal sculptures that are hidden (in plain sight) along the way.
RIGHT: At the boardwalk’s end, the Skywalk spirals 32-meters up into the sky.

Spectacular views towards the Saanich Inlet as we wound our way, round and round, and up the tower (well behind Mera and Penny who elected to sprint to the top 🏃‍♀️ as though John Montgomery was waiting there for them). 😂

LEFT: If going in circles makes you dizzy or heights give you vertigo, the Malahat Skywalk may not be the attraction for you! 😵
RIGHT: 1-year-old Lillian enjoying the views from the top (after being pushed all the way up in her stroller). With a gusty ocean wind up top, we were happy that we brought some winter clothes with us from Calgary.

The Malahat range (right) stretches panoramically south from the Skywalk’s “summit”, while Gowlland Tod Provincial Park rises up across the Saanich Inlet to the east. Click to see larger.

LEFT and RIGHT: A bouncy net across a gap at the top of the tower gives thrill-seekers something to do (while others gawk at the beautiful scenery). As you can see, Penny and Mera had very different attitudes when it came to this vertiginous traverse! 😂

Overdue springtime views from the Skywalk net.

Team Hobbs: winners of our own “Amazing Race Canada” on this day.

LEFT: While Penny crept slowly back across the tower-top net, Mera helped me to keep my troublesome back limber and loose.
RIGHT: Unfortunately, my sore back precluded me from taking the fast way back down to the base of the 32-meter-tall tower. Someone had to push Lilly’s stroller back down while the kids enjoyed the massive metal slide, I suppose… 😞

LEFT: The biggest kid of them all: 39-year-and-364-day-old Brianne, excited to ride the slide! Breezy says “Speed!”
RIGHT: Mera took some convincing but was so excited after taking the slide down that she promptly ran back to the top to have another go at it. 🤣❤️

LEFT: Penny, on the other hand, walked down with Lillian and I, and found a smaller slide more to her liking in the courtyard below the tower. ❤️
RIGHT: After retracing our steps along the boardwalk, we decided that our “hike” up the Skywalk had earned us refreshments to go alongside a late lunch at the Red Arrow brewery in Duncan.

LEFT: With the day’s "challenges" complete and full bellies, we caught the ferry from Buckley Bay to Denman Island: our home-away-from-home for the next 4 nights.
RIGHT: Brianne, excited that this leg of the “Race” is nearly complete! All-in-all, the trip from Calgary to Denman Island proved to be a moderately long travel day with 3 small children in tow!

Our absolutely SPECTACULAR “Pitstop” for this leg of “the Race”: the magnificent Cokely Cove Guesthouse on Denman Island’s east shore! Neither Jon Montgomery, nor Phil Koeghan were here, but who needs them to welcome you when you’re greeted by views like this! 😍

Arriving just in time for sunset, the girls were all eager to explore the nearby beach!

LEFT: Lillian puts her puddle boots to good use, searching for ocean creatures in Cokely Cove’s many tidepools.
RIGHT: Penny and Mera celebrate after successfully locating a Salish Sea starfish. ⭐ Lhotse and Nuptse would be proud!

A perfect ending to a busy, beautiful travel day!

With daylight fading, we got the kids back into the Airbnb and started their respective bedtime routines. Normally, we’d draw the curtains so that they could sleep in the dark but it seemed a shame to do so with views this fine from their bedrooms!

With the kids finally asleep, Brianne and I retired to the balcony and enjoyed a peaceful pint 🍺, looking out over Cokely Cove (while the snow continued to fall back home in Calgary). As the sun’s last rays faded, we too retired for the evening. After all, tomorrow promised to be a BIG day… 🥳