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Take your breath away with the views on Vancouver Island. Malahat Skywalk puts into perspective the beauty of the West Coast. An easy family experience that won’t be forgotten.
Do you want to experience the kind of view that takes your breath away? You need to add the Malahat Skywalk to your list of travel adventures for the next time you’re visiting beautiful Vancouver Island. The Skywalk is highly accessible for the entire family — so bring your littles and your elders!
Open seven days per week, the Malahat Skywalk is truly a unique attraction, built to compliment the land and honour the environment, part of the Malahat Nation of the Coast Salish Peoples. You are guaranteed to feel immersed in the beauty of Canada’s western coastline!
Kicking off with the “Tree Walk” a 600-meter-long wooden walkway elevates you 20 metres into the forest canopy. Watch out for a number of driftwood art pieces by Tanya Bub. Driftwood cougars, herons, and a bald eagle are all waiting to be discovered. Guests will find a deeper connection to nature, learning about the trees, birds, animals and marine life of this coastal region unique to this area.
What makes the tower special is the completely unobstructed 360-degree views of the Saanich Inlet. Take your time and soak it all in. Fortunate onlookers have been known to spy wonderful wildlife from high above the canopy. Beautiful Arbutus trees (or Pacific Mandrones) are dotted throughout the thick forested areas and are native to Vancouver Island.
Have your camera at the ready! Views of Mount Baker, Finlayson Arm, the Saanich Peninsula, Cowichan Valley, and the islands between British Columbia and Washington state await! Gather up the family for the perfect group photo with the most amazing natural backdrop.
The café at the Malahat Skywalk offers grab-and-go local products. You can dine in or take away with picnic snacks and baked goods, and there is a full beverage service, including fantastic coffee from a local island roaster, Stick in the Mud Coffee. You can also find Goldstream Provincial Park along the highway to the Malahat Skywalk, it’s another great place to stop for a hike and a picnic.
In the summertime, plan a little wiggle room in your itinerary to enjoy live music Saturdays during the months of July and August at no extra cost.
A couple of notes before you arrive, no dogs are allowed at the Malahat Skywalk, and no drone flying is permitted. You must be at least five years of age and 42 inches tall to ride the spiral slide.
The Malahat is an easy 35-minute drive from the capital, Victoria, and ample parking awaits! Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Tree Walk and the incredible Spiral Tower, 90 minutes is a good estimate for time. If you have a family with limited mobility, fear not. Wheelchairs and strollers traverse the area with ease. From the steps of the welcome center to the tippy top of the tower and back again is approximately 2.2 km.
The Malahat SkyWalk is wheelchair and stroller friendly. This includes the TreeWalk, Spiral Tower, and all Welcome Centre facilities. Wheelchair-accessible parking stalls and washrooms are provided. The exception is the more rugged terrain on the optional return trail and the nature trail.
If needed, complimentary wheelchairs are available for guests and which is very useful to those with mobility issues.
After enjoying the 360 views you have two options, head back the way you came or take the quick way down by hopping on the 20 metre spiral slide — do it as many times as you like, no one’s counting and slide carpets are provided!
You must be at least five years of age and 107 cm (42″) tall to ride the spiral slide and must feel comfortable riding solo as only one person at a time.
Want a little extra adventure? Step out onto the large Adventure Net at the top of the tower for uninterrupted views of the lush surroundings and spiral structure just beneath your feet!
Really great place! Views are incredible. The care for the guest experience is obvious--they have lots of things to see, refreshment stands and restrooms at both ends, kids' play areas, and more. Lots of cute stuff in the gift shop. Somehow, the slope of the walkway is not bad at all. We didn't even get out of breath. So don't worry about not being able to walk up. Definitely one of the nicest tourist places I've been.
This forest was once home to the Malahat Nation, part of the Coast Salish Peoples. Malahat SkyWalk is located on the traditional and ancestral territory of the Malahat Nation and their Indigenous stories are embedded in the natural environment and your experience at Malahat SkyWalk.
Inspired by elevated forest walks in Europe, the 17-million-dollar project is a partnership between A.Spire by Nature and the Malahat Nation started off as a dream to allow locals and visitors to immerse themselves in local storytelling, cultural celebration and natural interpretive education as well as the stunning natural lands scape and vistas of the Cowichan Valley and Finlayson Arm.
The dream became reality during the successful grand opening on July 15th 2021 with a great fan fair and successful summer. Now one of the premier tourist attractions on Vancouver Island, the Malahat SkyWalk is a great stop for anyone travelling in the Cowichan Valley and South Vancouver Island regions.
Located only 35 minutes from Victoria, the Malahat Skywalk is definitely worth the trip. The views from the tower will stay with you for a lifetime, and the beauty of it is that they are ever-changing. Each season, each day, has something new to offer your senses — take a break and enjoy a big deep relaxing breath in the middle of nature.
Add in a stroll within the forest canopy, the excitement of the Adventure Net and the spiral slide down the core of the structure. All while being wheel chare accessible and designed for everyone. The Malahat SkyWalk is a great addition to the natural beauty of Vancouver Island.
Get on highway 1 (Trans-Canada) Once on the Trans-Canada head north past Gold Stream Provincial Park up the Scenic Malahat. You will see the Malahat Skywalk Sign on your right. (35min from downtown) Google Maps
Get on highway 1 (Trans-Canada). Once on the Trans-Canada, head South towards Victoria. You are unable to make a lefthand turn-off of Trans Canada into the Malahat SkyWalk. Continue past the Skywalk sign down the Malahat until you reach the turn-around point at Malahat Chalet and head back towards the SkyWalk. (1hr 21min from Nanaimo) Google Maps
Or make a day out of it and continue a little further to Goldstream Provincial Park and enjoy the old-growth forest, waterfalls and walking trails. Then head back up towards the SkyWalk.
Do you need to Book in Advance to Visit the Malahat Skywalk?
Reservations are not accepted. General admission tickets and annual passes can be purchased at the ticking office or online here. Tickets are valid for one full year from the date of purchase.
Group tickets for 10 or more are available but must be pre-purchased in advance to take advantage of available discounts.
How long of a walk is the entire SkyWalk?
Expect to walk about 2.2km or 1.4mi planning for 90 minutes for the entire experience.
What it’s the best time to visit the Malahat SkyWalk?
During the tourism months during the summer, the SkyWalk can get fairly busy. There is a lot of room to stroll around and not have people in your way. The slide can get a bottleneck due to its popularity so be prepared for a lineup during busy times. The busiest time of day is usually 11am-3pm – with Saturday being the busiest.
Usually, the summer has more clear days for views across the Saanich Peninsula and into Washinton, but with the mild temperatures, all year round on Vancouver Island anytime is a great time to visit.
Is there an Elevator to get to the top?
The SkyWalk is wheelchair, walker and stroller friendly with a 5% incline. If needed, complimentary wheelchairs are available for guests, which is very useful to those with mobility issues.
What attractions are near Malahat Skywalk?
If you are looking for other places to visit close to the Malahat Skywalk, we recommend checking out the waterfall at Goldstream Provincial Park
Does the Malahat Skywalk have an electric charging station?
Not at the time of this article.
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Pack Out:
We love this Island, and want to keep the natural beauty please respect the places you visit and pack out what you pack in and leave the area better than when you arrived. We all know how much trash can spoil an experience and the environment, so please help us keep it clean!
Wildlife:
Vancouver Island is a land of natural beauty and abundant wildlife. Please be aware of your surroundings and take the usual precautions for personal and wildlife safety.
Black bears, cougars and even wolves are common on Vancouver Island for more on Wildlife Safety Click Here
Tide and Seasonal Safety:
Changing seasons and tides can have a drastic effect on most locations on Vancouver Island. Please be cautious as the information in this post may vary depending on the time of year and weather. Make sure to check for current weather and tide information before you make your journey!
When visiting the beach, it’s essential to pay attention and stay safe! Please be cautious walking on the shore during high tide. At this time, some areas may not be accessible. Click here for the tides in your area. Be aware of ocean currents before swimming, paddle boarding or kayaking.
Land Acknowledgement:
We would like to acknowledge the land we appreciate daily within the 50 First Nations that make up the traditional territories of the Coast Salish, Nuu chah nulth, and Kwakiutl–the first peoples of Vancouver Island .
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