PKOLS Mount Douglas Park

To the W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) and Lekwungen peoples, this mountain has always been known as PKOLS (pronounced p-k-als), which translates to "white rock".

According to oral tradition, the mountain grew from one of four rocks thrown by the Creator to mark the boundaries of W̱SÁNEĆ territory (source & source).

The mountain’s timber played a foundational role in the region's colonial history; when Fort Victoria was constructed in 1843, the wooden pickets that formed its walls were from trees harvested here.

In 1852, the summit served as the backdrop for a pivotal moment in history: the signing of the Douglas Treaties between James Douglas and the W̱SÁNEĆ leaders.

Recognizing the land's importance, Governor James Douglas established the area as a Government Reserve in 1858.

From the roaring twenties all the way into the 1950s, the park was a bustling social destination. A popular restaurant and tearoom sat nestled in the trees, drawing crowds of locals and visitors who came to enjoy the views with a side of hospitality.

But the park’s beauty was also built on a foundation of resilience. During the 1930s, the Great Depression hit the region hard, and the park became a vital source of employment. Men looking for work were hired for major park improvements, providing a much-needed lifeline during those lean years.

The crews lived on-site in simple 'crew huts' constructed in the picnic area. Once the work projects were completed, these buildings didn't go to waste, they found a second life as a youth hostel, welcoming travelers and adventurers until the early 1950s (source).

It’s a fascinating layer of history hidden right beneath the feet of today’s hikers.

Ownership of the land shifted over the years, moving from the Province to the City of Victoria in 1889, before the District of Saanich took over management in 1992.

A pivotal moment in the park’s history occurred on August 15, 2022, when its name was officially restored to PKOLS (Mount Douglas Park). PKOLS is the ancestral name in the SENĆOŦEN language, reflecting its profound spiritual and cultural significance to the W̱SÁNEĆ people.

Over the last century, the park has expanded from its original 150 hectares to 188 hectares today.

As it continues to grow, the commitment remains the same: to manage and protect this landscape as a wild, natural area for all to enjoy (source).

Beyond the 21kms of trails, the park is full of surprises.

At the very top, you’ll notice a strange concrete octagonal structure. This was originally the foundation for a World War II radio direction-finding tower, built in 1939.

Today, it serves as a 360-degree lookout offering views that stretch from the Olympic Mountains in Washington State to the Gulf Islands and the distant peaks of the Cascades (source & source & source).

In the late summer of 1942, the park welcomed one of Canada’s most legendary voices: the artist Emily Carr.

For nearly two weeks, she lived simply in one of the park's huts, drawn by a deep, spiritual calling to the woods. She famously told a friend, “the forest still has something to say to me”.

Tucked away in a gully just 75 yards from the park entrance, Carr spent those days among the trees, painting what would become her final masterpiece series: Summer, Mt. Douglas.

If you explore the south side of the mountain, you might even stumble upon the entrance to the old Mount Douglas Mine: a short, 18-meter tunnel left over from early prospecting days.

And in the lower valley, Douglas Creek serves as a success story for local conservation, where community efforts have helped restore the habitat for spawning salmon (source).