Galloping Goose Rail Trail Cycing (Victoria – Leechtown)

The Galloping Goose is named after the gasoline-powered freight railway cars that once chugged along this corridor, built during World War I to serve the communities west of Victoria.

This picturesque trail moves through urban, rural and wilderness scenery on its 55 kilometre journey from Victoria to the ghost town of Leechtown (north of Sooke) – you can even travel an additional 4 km past Leechtown to the termination point (a large fence blocking the trail) for a total of 59 km. While in operation, the railway continued north towards Shawnigan Lake and over the Kinsol Trestle in the Cowichan Valley. The entire trail was once designated as part of the Trans Canada Trail. However, the portion along Sooke Lake (north of Leechtown) has been closed to the public, as this is now the regional water supply – and the lake has been dammed and portion of the railway have been flooded. Although the portion of the trail between Victoria and Langford is still part of the Trans Canada Trail, the portion that continues from Langford to the terminus at Leechtown at Sooke Lake is no longer part of the “main route” as it cannot continue towards the Cowichan Valley.

The entire trail is surfaced with high quality, finely graded gravel. You can cycle, stroll, run, or even ride a horse through the rural sections. At the switch bridge in Victoria, “The Goose” intersects with the Lochside Regional Trail, a 29 kilometre former railway line from Saanich to Sidney.

While it is possible to cycle from Victoria to Leechtown and back in one long day, at about 118 km, it’s a challenge. Some options are finding accommodations in the Sooke area, camping at the Sooke Potholes (adjacent to the Goose before Leechtown) or riding out to Highway 14 and picking up a BC Transit bus (you can mount your bicycle on a rack on the front of all BC Transit buses). More information about these options is included below (under Accommodations and Transportation)