Can I Take My Dog to Mount Work and Durrance Lake?

Yes, you can take your dog to Mount Work Regional Park, but the leash stays on the whole time. Mount Work is one of the few CRD parks with no designated off-leash area, so every trail, including the Durrance Lake loop, is on-leash only. What you get instead is the best forest-and-lake walk near the city, and fall is the season it shines.

We take Sahara to Durrance Lake when she needs a gentle day out. The loop is flat, the trail is wide, and there is a bench every few minutes. It is the walk I recommend to anyone whose dog is past the summit phase.

What are the leash rules at Mount Work?

The whole park is on-leash under the CRD regional parks bylaw, and there is no off-leash zone to find. Dogs must be under control and on a leash at all times, and fines for off-leash dogs outside a designated area run $100 to $300.

It is a stricter rule than Thetis Lake, where the dog beach gives you an off-leash option. If your dog needs to run, Thetis or Portage Park in View Royal are the better stops; Mount Work is for leashed walking and swimming.

Can my dog swim at Durrance Lake?

Yes, but only under leash rules, and not from the beach in summer. From June 1 to September 15 dogs are banned from the beach and picnic areas except to pass through on a leash. After September 15 the beach opens back up, so an October visit means your dog can wade and swim while you stay on the sand.

The same blue-green algae caution applies here as at Thetis. The CRD has posted advisories at Durrance in past years, so check the CRD alert page before letting your dog in the water.

What is the Durrance Lake loop like?

The loop around Durrance Lake is about 1.7 km, mostly flat, and takes a relaxed 30 minutes. One side follows the old closed Durrance Lake Road, wide, smooth, and stroller friendly; the other side is a narrower forest path along the shore.

Durrance is the largest of the park's three lakes, and the trailhead parking on Ross-Durrance Road is shared with Gowlland Tod Provincial Park. It fills early on summer weekends and stays quiet in fall, which is exactly when we go.

What about the Mount Work summit?

If your dog can handle a climb, the summit trail starts from the same Ross-Durrance Road lot. Mount Work tops out at 449 metres with wide views over the Saanich Inlet, the Juan de Fuca Strait, and the Olympic Peninsula. It is a proper hike, not a stroll, so save it for a fit, sure-footed dog and a dry day.

What else is nearby?

The park sits in the Highlands, about 14 km from downtown Victoria, and links directly into Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, where the Jocelyn Hill trail continues the ridge. Goldstream Provincial Park is close by too, and its fall salmon run is a classic outing, all of it on-leash. Our salmon run guide covers the timing and the rules.

What is it like to live near Mount Work?

The Highlands and the Saanich side of the park are acreage country: bigger lots, forested backyards, and the trail system starting at your property line. If you want a home where the park is the backyard, this is the part of the region to look at.

It is a different trade-off than View Royal or Langford: more land, fewer services, and a longer drive for coffee. For the right buyer, that is the whole point. Our View Royal guide and Saanich guide break down what each area really costs in time and convenience.