Great Canadian Hike : Trail Walks Victoria

September 26, 2026

Walk begins at 10:30 AM

Beacon Hill Park

About the Walk

There's no better place to celebrate the Great Canadian Hike than at the western end of the Trans Canada Trail. Join us for a 3 km group walk through Beacon Hill Park to the iconic Point Zero monument, where Canada's national trail begins (or ends, depending on your perspective!).

We'll be joined by special guest walk leader Melanie Vogel, who will lead participants on this 3km trail walk and help celebrate the Great Canadian Hike. This walk is an opportunity to experience one of the country's most recognizable trail landmarks, connect with other hikers, and celebrate the shared journey that links communities from coast to coast to coast. Stop by our event booth before or after the walk to say hello, learn more about the Great Canadian Hike, and log a few more kilometres toward your September goal.

Walk Details

3km group walk
Walk from Beacon Hill Park to Point Zero and return
Suitable for all ages and abilities
Visit the event booth, meet community partners, and connect with fellow hikers

Walk Leaders

Melanie Vogel, Adventurer

Melanie Vogel is a solo adventurer who travelled the world extensively before she stepped on the Trans Canada Trail to begin her longest journey to date. Born and raised in Germany, she immigrated to Canada and decided to get to know this country by walking across it.

On June 2, 2017, Melanie dipped her toes in the Atlantic and thus began her journey that would take her across Canada, from coast to coast to coast!

Melanie completed this monumental trip to reach all three oceans and arrived at the Trail’s west coast Point Zero in Victoria, BC, on November 12, 2022. Melanie blogs about her epic, challenging adventure on social media and her website.

Matt Bawtinheimer, Manager, Network Development & Support, Trans Canada Trail

With 8 years of experience in the recreation and active transportation sectors, Matt offers a diverse mix of leadership, community outreach, and hands-on field experience to the organization. Most recently, he managed the Ecology Action Centre’s Pop-Up Bike Hub program, which brought free bike repairs, active transportation advocacy, and capacity building workshops to over 1,000 community members across Nova Scotia.

An avid trail runner, hiker and cyclist, Matt has explored over 100 segments of the Trans Canada Trail across 7 provinces. Having lived on both the East and West coasts, his favorite segments of the Trail are the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and the Salt Marsh Trail on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.