Hiking Soames Hill on the Sunshine Coast
Contents
Soames Hill Hike Information
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.70Km
Elevation Gain: 150m
Highest Elevation: 249m
Average Gradient: 11.11%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / Low
Time Needed:
– Slow: 1.5 – 2 Hours
– Moderate: 1 – 1.5 Hours
– Fast: 0.75 – 1 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Soames Hill Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°25’18.0″N 123°29’46.5″W
Soames Hill Overview
Located in Gibsons, Soames Hill is one of the more popular hikes along the Sunshine Coast thanks to its rewarding views over Keats Island and the Strait of Georgia, all for little effort.
There are a number of starting points for this hike, however the route described here starts at the corner of Bridgeman and Boyle Road, which is accessible to all vehicles. The hike is predominantly forested and flat, before a steep staircase grind up towards the summit. The last push involves some simple hiking along rocky terrain, before reaching the panoramic viewpoint.
Thanks to its low elevation, Soames Hill is a year-round hike. That being said it can be slippery in the winter if ice/snow forms lower down on the staircase, in which case some traction may be advised. Thanks to its relative ease and adjacency to the Langdale Ferry terminal, this is a very popular hike with locals and visitors alike, and you can expect to see plenty of people along the trail, as well as dogs.
While the stats for this hike are 2.7km, you can easily reduce this to around 1.8km if you decide to go straight up and down, avoiding the loop at the end.
Maintaining this website requires a significant investment of both time and money, if you find this website a useful resource, please consider making a donation using this button.
Is Soames Hill worthwhile?
Given its relative ease, Soames Hill offers rewarding views over the Strait of Georgia for a hike that can be completed in under an hour. While it’s certainly not worth taking the ferry over from the mainland just for Soames Hill, if you include it as part of a bigger trip to the Sunshine Coast it’s a very worthwhile stop.
How difficult is the hike to Soames Hill?
This is an easy hike in most aspects, with the only real difficulty being the steep staircase. Even then it’s short lived, and in no time you’ll be at the viewpoint enjoying the scenery. All sorts of abilities can and do complete this hike throughout the year. The only difficulty potentially worth mentioning is that there is a short stretch of steep(ish) rock after the staircase climb that some people may find challenging.
Soames Hill Route Information
As noted there are a few different access points to Soames Hill, but the two most popular are at the end of Bridgeman Road and the end of Esperanza Road. This will describe the route from the end of Bridgeman Road. There is enough space for several cars at this trailhead, and I’m sure plenty of overflow is available just by parking somewhere along the road.
From the trailhead you’ll follow an obvious trail (the Yellow trail) for a couple of hundred meters before reaching a junction. Turning right, you’ll continue on the Yellow trail for another couple of hundred meters before finding yourself at the base of a staircase.
Taking the staircase (the Green trail), you’ll climb steeply for around 50m where the staircase will end. You’ll note a trail to your right, which leads to a small viewpoint that you can stop and take a break at if desired, however the view here is nowhere near as nice as the top.
Instead, turn left and follow the forested trail briefly, before reaching another junction with a descending staircase. Ignoring this staircase, you’ll continue along the forested trail, which climbs once again. There will be a short rocky section which can be slippery here, so take care with your footing. After another ~30m or so of climbing you will reach the top.
The viewpoint will be spacious enough for people to spread out comfortably, with an expansive southeasterly view overlooking the Strait of Georgia and Keats Island. You’ll also be able to see Gibsons and the Langdale Ferry Terminal down below.
After finishing at the top you can either simply return back the way you came, or you can alternatively take the other staircase that you passed by and descend that one. This is a longer staircase, and once at the bottom you can either follow the Yellow trail (shorter) or Blue trail (longer) to reach the base of the staircase that you initially ascended. From here you simply follow the Yellow trail back to the car.
When should I hike Soames Hill?
Soames Hill is a year-round hike that can be completed whenever you prefer. The only time conditions might be concerning is if it’s icy/snowy, when the staircase may become slick.
Top Tip
If you only want to see the viewpoint you might as well just go straight up and down without completing the loop. The loop is really just a forest loop with little else to see.
