Priest Cabin Park is west of the seaside community of Sooke, one of thirteen communities that form the Capital Regional District of British Columbia and lies in the Juan de Fuca Electoral District of British Columbia. Priest Cabin Park is a six and half hectare nature park. The park has a second growth forest with many cedar, fir and hemlock trees. The single track gravel and dirt trail is about two hundred and eighty meter long. The parkland has wonderful views of the French Beach area and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Olympic Mountains of Washington State are also pretty spectacular. The cabin was built by a Jesuit Priest, Father Sherburne, who donated for parkland to the Capital Regional District in the year two thousand. This park is good place to enjoy bird watching and a more remote nature walk. Swallow Creek flows from the hills beyond the parkland. The trail access to the park is through District Lot 177 and is about a kilometer long. Once your arrive at the park carefully explore the disintegrating cabin. The Peak, to the northeast, past this park is the four hundred and eighty meter summit of the Matterhorn; the access route was logged (again) and is not for the uninitiated with orienteering or backcountry hiking. Priest Cabin Park is a good place to explore in your back yard.
Geographical location N48º 23’ 15” W123º 44’ 20”
Priest Cabin Park can be reached from the Trans Canada Highway. Take the Langford Parkway exit and follow along to reach Sooke Road (Hwy 14). Follow highway 14 past Sooke, past Shirley and past French Beach Provincial Park. Turn right onto Cedar Coast Drive which is about 100 meters long. Park without blocking the yellow barrier gate. The trail access is about four hundred meters further along the gravel road, past the gate, which are old logging roads. Look for the signed trail access on the right near a copse of trees, it is easy to miss. Please respect private property signs, and if you are confused do not trespass, stay on the roadway to reach the CRD trail sign on the right. The pathway is seasonally well trodden. There is limited parking in this area. City buses travel along Sooke Road.
Maps and information at the CRD park page:
Further information about Father Sherburne https://jesuitsmidwest.org/memoriam-detail/Fr.-Richard-F.-Sherburne,-SJ and https://issuu.com/naaaxo/docs/rojuly2011issue
Walks in Your Backyard 
The connecting path to the Matterhorn is not open and the priest cabin trail.does NOT legimately connect.
You are advising people to go trespass on private property and private driveways. You don’t access it from Juan de Fuca . You only park at cedar coast drive beside foggy mountain and go up and down on the NEW trail that isn’t “rough” there is no loop! Only disregard the sign at west coast rd but respect the rest.
Hi Mara, Thanks for reading my blog! This park is not a easy place to find, so people inadvertently walk off the public access trail which is only seasonally well trodden. Responsibility for correct orienteering lies with each outdoor explorer. As written in the blog pages – As all else, trails are altered and the conditions of the parks and green spaces that are described change. Thank you for your help to keep this blog current and useful. For the enjoyment of all parks, playgrounds, and green spaces, please carry out any litter, respect adjacent property, pickup after your dog and keep dogs on a leash, and do not pick the wildflowers, mushrooms or other vegetation. Please pack out all the items you bring on your hike. Practice responsible outdoor recreation. – We live in such an amazing beautiful area. Enjoy walks in your back yard!