Mill Hill stands two hundred and two meters above sea level and has most of its parkland in City of Langford, B.C. Part of the park also lies within the Town of View Royal, B.C. This park is about seventy one hectares in size and encompasses a second growth forest of Douglas fir, arbutus and Garry oak trees. The terrain is mostly rocky and steep although Mill Stream flows through the southwestern edge of the park where its narrow flood plain lies. The Capital Regional District for British Columbia has administration over this parkland which hosts several buildings, used as headquarters, within a chain-linked fence area. There is limited access to this part of the park. The main parking area and trails are in Langford, B.C., where the formal trails, Auburn Trail and Calypso Trail, to the top of the hill skirt the south and western slopes. The Auburn Trail is the most direct route up to the summit and is about two thousand meters long. The gravel trail is wide and has several switchback sections though rocky Garry oak meadows. The meadows contain wildflowers that bloom in the spring. A minor trail, The Mill Pond Trail, is found a short distance along the Auburn Trail. This trail leads to the right and heads downward toward a small pond and the playground at Crystalview elementary school (with separate write-ups). The Auburn Trails also passes through groves of arbutus trees near a rough rocky area just before the summit. You may notice that some rocks show signs of glacial striations. As this pathway was the original road to the fire watch tower keep an eye out for small paved sections. Near the summit the trail branches to the left and right. The left branch leads to the cairn and concrete foot posts of the fire tower while the right branch leads to a bench with a wooden platform that overlooks Esquimalt Harbour, Portage Inlet and the communities to the south. On a clear day Mount Baker in Washington State, USA, can be seen to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the south across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Salish Sea. Flowers that are found in this park include the common camas, white fawn lilies, tiger lilies and calypso orchids.
There are benches, a privy and picnic tables found near the parking lot.
The Calypso Trail has three sections. A lower section, accessed from the parking lot, includes a route on the floodplain of Mill Stream while the upper section provides an alternative route down from the summit. This trail also continues down the northeast side of the hill with a trail access near Thetis Lake, which can be read about here (include link to page). The east side of the park is bordered by Edwards Park and several large private properties.
Geographical location N48° 27’ 10” W123° 28’ 55” parking lot; consult the CRD website for a map of the trails and facilities in the park
Mill Hill Regional Park can be accessed from the Trans Canada Highway, Hwy1. Exit onto the Island Highway and turn right onto Six Mile Road. Turn left onto Atkins Road and continue along to reach the park entrance on the right. There is a large gravel parking area near the park building’s chainlink fence. City buses travel along Atkins Road.
There are many articles and papers written about Mill Hill Regional Park.
Walks in Your Backyard 