Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse

Fort Rodd Hill - a National Historic Site - is a coast artillery fort built in the late 1890s to defend Victoria and the Esquimalt Naval Base. The Fort includes three gun batteries, underground magazines, command posts, guardhouses, barracks and searchlight emplacements. There are numerous interpretive signs and audio-visual stations, as well as period furnished rooms and friendly, knowledgeable staff. Visitors can explore gun batteries and underground magazines built a century ago, as well as searchlight emplacements, command posts... and much more.

At Fort Rodd Hill, visitors can explore gun batteries and underground magazines built a century ago, as well as searchlight emplacements, command posts... and much more. Signs, audio and video stations, and friendly, knowledgeable staff tell the stories of this national historic site.

Families often bring a picnic lunch and stay for a half a day. While the kids investigate our tide pools, parents can enjoy the spectacular sea and mountain views. Come visit soon!

The waterfront sites at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse are extremely photogenic, especially with the scenic backdrop of the Olympic Mountains in neighbouring Washington state.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca almost always offers a wide variety of ships, from small sailing vessels, to enormous cargo ships, and the proximity of the Canadian Navy base means that military craft of several nations are often seen at close range.

Wildlife at the sites includes Columbian black-tailed deer, river otters, mink, raccoons, harbour seals, and sea lions.

Birders may be rewarded with a wide variety of both pelagic and meadow birds, including bald eagles, blue herons, harlequin and eider ducks, and many small songbirds.

There are 12 picnic tables, including one for disabled visitors, near the parking lot. You may also picnic inside the sites, under the trees on the main field, or on any of our three beaches. Please note that there are no fires or barbeques permitted in the sites.

Scuba diving is becoming more and more popular in the waters around Fisgard Lighthouse, but divers are advised that there is no vehicle access and that they will have to transport their equipment about 500 metres (1/4 mile) from the parking lot. (Hint: bring a wheelbarrow to move tanks and weights!)

The Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse Preservation Society offers light refreshments and souvenirs in the old Canteen building inside Fort Rodd Hill during the summer months.

source: Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site