Hatley Castle Gardens is a free-to-visit National Historic Site on the Royal Roads University campus in Colwood, about 20 minutes west of downtown Victoria. The grounds include three formal gardens (Italian, rose, and Japanese), Charlie’s Trail down to Esquimalt Lagoon, and the early-1900s Hatley Castle itself. Garden access is free year-round; only parking and the optional guided castle tour cost money.
This is an easy stop to add to your Vancouver Island Bucket List, whether you are a garden lover, movie fan, or just looking for a relaxed walk with great photo spots. You can wander through the Italian, rose, and Japanese gardens, explore Charlie’s Trail down toward the lagoon, and appreciate the mix of history and nature around this National Historic Site.
What to expect at Hatley Castle Gardens
- Best for: Garden lovers, photographers, history buffs, and families looking for an easy walk.
- Time needed: Plan for 1 to 2 hours to explore the formal gardens and a bit of Charlie’s Trail.
- Cost: Garden access is free; there is a paid parking lot on site. Guided castle tours are an additional cost and are usually offered in peak season.
- Season: Gardens are open daily, typically from 10 am to dusk. Spring and summer bring flowers in the Italian, rose, and Japanese gardens, but the grounds are enjoyable year-round.
- Accessibility: The main castle lawns and formal gardens have paved or hard-packed paths with some stairs and gentle slopes. Charlie’s Trail includes inclines, steps, and natural surfaces.
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Hatley Castle Park may be the perfect garden experience on a shoestring budget! There is a long list of gardens to visit in Greater Victoria, but the Hatley Castle grounds stand out due to the tremendous garden landscape it offers for the grand ol’ price of parking.
Top 3 things to do when at Hatley Castle
- The gardens – Spring to fall, the gardens are some of the best in Canada, and every time I visit, I’m always amazed that admission is free.
- Photos of the exterior of the castle – this early 20th-century example of Gothic Revival architecture looks great from all angles, surrounded by lush gardens.
- Walk the Charlie’s Trail Loop – down to the Esquimalt Lagoon and return through the forest along the creek on Charlies Trail.
Walk up from the parking lot and across the field toward the back of the castle, where the first hints of hedges and manicured gardens start to appear. Continue around to the front entrance to take in the oak doors, shaped hedges and beautifully kept lawns. The staircase here is one of the best photo spots on the property, giving you a great angle of the stone railings, gardens and the castle itself.
To the right of the castle, you will see a small gate that leads down to the Italian Garden and the entrance to the rest of the formal gardens. Wander through the grounds at your own pace. The stonework, ponds and colourful garden beds make for easy photo moments, and on weekends, you may see wedding parties using the gardens as a backdrop.
Following the narrow path through the gardens, make sure you stop in the Rose Garden for the gorgeous scents, and the stunning display of endless blooms will keep you there for a while. Down the hill, a calming koi pond welcomes you in the Japanese garden after a leisurely walk through a rainforest backdrop.
Keep an eye out for a clever fish ladder assisting salmon to spawn in the fall. There are also many opportunities to sit under pergolas, stroll over bridges and pause at a gazebo.
Other walking opportunities, including “Charlie’s Trail,” are on the east side of the castle. This trail takes you down to Esquimalt Lagoon.
At the right time of year, you can catch a little waterfall in action and take in the relaxing sounds of birdsong. Treed walking trails provide relief from the sun on hot summer days.
Hatley Park is the perfect combo for history and horticulture, with plenty of grassy space for a picnic with the kids.
Walk down from the parking lot to Esquimalt Lagoon to experience open-air, big sky and a fantastic view of the water. Please respect that dogs are not allowed within the gated garden areas.
From formal rose gardens to peaceful woodland trails, we’ve rounded up the most beautiful public gardens in Victoria BC.
Map of Hatley Castle Gardens
- Esquimalt Lagoon – Walk past the university buildings, note the historical information on the outer walls of the buildings, walk out on the pier, and look out into Esquimalt Lagoon, where you can take in the view of the bird sanctuary and see the cars parked on the other side where they are visiting the popular beach.
- Charlie’s Trail – Heading back up towards the castle on the 1.2km trail. The trail is mostly flat and easy until you reach an incline and some steps towards the end. The path follows along the creek, through the forest, weaving back and forth over bridges up to a small waterfall.
- Hatley Castle – Follow the road to the front of the castle. The entrance garden and stairs up to Royal Roads University are stunning. Continue across the front of the castle to a small gate and booth. It is free to access the gardens; the booth sells castle tours.
- Italian and Formal Gardens – Wander around the magnificent Italian and formal gardens. You might want to head down the hill a bit to take some photos of the back of the castle, as this is the best opportunity to get the whole castle in your shot. At the top of the Italian Gardens (by the booth) is the trail to the rest of the gardens.
- Rose Garden – Follow the signs across to the fenced rose garden. There are two gates for easy access and exit.
- Japanese Gardens – Trails weave around the upper and lower Japanese gardens, with ponds, water wheels, benches and structures. Head all the way down to the bottom of the pond, and you will see a trail sign to the bog gardens.
- Fish ladder and Bog Garden – It’s a short trail that takes you across a fish ladder for the spawning salmon in the fall. Follow the trail around the pond to a pergola, a walking bridge, and a gazebo. There’s a lower exit straight to the parking lot, or feel free to wander around the gardens before returning to Hatley Castle.
Getting to Hatley Castle
Car:
Directions: Google Maps
20 Minute Drive From Victoria,
- Head west on Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N
- Take exit 10 toward View Royal/Colwood
- Merge onto Burnside Rd W
- Continue onto Island Hwy/Sooke Road
- Turn left onto University Dr
- Continue past the castle and the parking lot will be on your right-hand side
Bike:
The Galloping Goose multi-use trail crosses Sooke Road and University Drive. There are bike racks spread around the Campus. Closest to the castle would be in front of the Library, a couple of hundred yards past the front doors of the castle down College Drive or Grant Bike rack on Neptune Crescent.
Bus:
Royal Roads Grounds is located on a busy BC Transit Route.
Any one of these buses 39, 48, 51, 52, 55, 61, will get you within a 10 min walk.
Bus 43 goes right to the castle.
Just Down the Road:
Fort Rodd Hill is in close proximity to two other great stops. For an exceptional day, we suggest visiting Hatley Castle in the morning, then heading to Esquimalt Lagoon for a picnic or food truck and spending the afternoon at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse.
Hatley Castle is part of our Affordable Full-Day Adventure Itinerary
History of Hatley Park
Hatley Castle exists because of one family’s drive to display wealth on Vancouver Island. James Dunsmuir, son of coal baron Robert Dunsmuir, built it as a grand retirement estate in the early 1900s.
To display wealth and status for a grand retirement home. It turns out we can enjoy Hatley Castle’s grounds today thanks to James Dunsmuir, a coal baron and politician in the late 19th century.
James came from wealth as the son of Robert Dunsmuir, who built Craigdarroch Castle, the first castle in Victoria. Unfortunately, construction took longer than expected, and Robert Dunsmuir died before his mansion was completed.
In 1907, James Dunsmuir purchased the property of Hatley Park from a farmer. In 1908, he hired the influential British Columbia architect Samuel Maclure to build his dream of a grand home and manicured estate.
James Dunsmuir did not want to repeat the long-drawn-out construction problems his father faced with the Craigdarrach Castle, so he spared no expense and hired over a hundred builders to ensure a quick completion. It worked; construction of Hatley Castle took just 18 months. James moved into the lavish estate with his wife Laura and five of their ten children.
With the home completed, the Dunsmuir family turned their focus to the grounds. Similar to the lavish castle, James wanted the gardens to showcase his wealth and status. The Japanese gardens were worked on throughout the 1910s, and the formal gardens to the west of the castle were built in 1913. James passed away in 1920 at the age of 68.
After James’s death, Laura kept involved in the social scene, using the grounds to host events and raising money for charitable projects until she passed away in 1937 at the age of 79.
In 1940, the Department of National Defence purchased Hatley Park for $75,000. As WWII became the nation’s main focus, the grounds became HMCS Royal Roads, a junior naval officer training site.
1967 – the name was changed to Royal Roads Military College (RRMC)
1995 – After 54 years of serving as a military school, the final class of RRMC graduates, marking the end of an era.
1995 – Designated as a National Historic Site of Canada
1995 – Present – Royal Roads University opens its doors as a public university. The Department of National Defence still owns the property.
Hatley Park
Hatley Park vs. Hatley Castle: the names mean the same place. Hatley Park is the National Historic Site that includes the castle, the formal gardens, woodland trails, and the surrounding 565-acre estate.
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