Three popular West Shore outings can look interchangeable in a photo: trees, water and a piece of coast.
They are not interchangeable once you leave the car.
The main entrance at Witty's Lagoon, the separate Tower Point entrance and the three entrances to East Sooke Regional Park offer different distances, surfaces and commitments. Pick the outing before the parking lot picks it for you.
Witty's main beach: short distance, real return climb
From the main Witty's Lagoon entrance, the CRD describes a 1.2-kilometre moderate forest trail to the beach. The path can be narrow, uneven and muddy after rain.
The walk down can make the trip feel easier than it is. Leave time and energy for the uphill return, especially with children or beach gear.
This is the option for a beach destination when the group can manage an uneven forest trail and a climb back out.
Tower Point: the shorter, flatter option
Tower Point has its own entrance. Its roughly 500-metre route is flat, with gravel and dirt surfaces.
Flat does not mean dry. The CRD warns that the trail can be muddy and slippery in wet weather. If surface or gradient will decide whether the outing works for your group, open the user-friendly trail map before leaving.
Tower Point is the lower-commitment choice when a short approach matters more than reaching Witty's main beach.
East Sooke: choose the entrance and the route together
East Sooke Regional Park has main entrances at Aylard Farm, Anderson Cove and Pike Road. They lead into different parts of a large trail network.
The Coast Trail is rugged. A shoreline photograph does not show the roots, rock, distance or effort of getting back. Use the official map to select both an entrance and a turnaround that fit the daylight and the slowest hiker in the group.
Choose Aylard Farm, Anderson Cove or Pike Road before opening directions. Each entrance starts a different outing.
Bringing a dog
At Witty's Lagoon, dogs are not permitted above the natural sea boundary from June 1 through September 15, except at Tower Point. Leashed dogs may pass through the restricted area without stopping to reach the beach.
The restriction ends after September 15. Check the current CRD page for the exact boundary, exceptions and any newer notice before leaving.
At every park, keep the dog under control, stay on marked trails and carry out what you brought in.
The two-minute decision
Choose Witty's main entrance for a beach reached by a moderate forest trail. Choose Tower Point when short and flat is the priority. Choose East Sooke when the trail itself is the outing and the group is prepared for a longer, rougher return.
Then check alerts, weather and remaining daylight. The coast will still look good if you choose the easier day.
Sources checked September 14, 2026.