Bear Mountain

Eastern Highlands encompasses the gentle rolling terrain and forested properties on the eastern side of the Highlands municipality, characterized by larger acreage lots, equestrian-friendly zoning, and proximity to Thetis Lake Regional Park. This rural residential area appeals to buyers seeking country living with horse facilities, private forest settings, and convenient access to Victoria via the Trans-Canada Highway. Eastern Highlands real estate features predominantly custom homes on 2-10 acre properties, many designed to accommodate horses with barns, paddocks, and riding rings integrated into the natural landscape. The area attracts horse enthusiasts, families seeking space and privacy, and those desiring a retreat-like setting without extreme remoteness. Properties benefit from proximity to Thetis Lake Regional Park, offering world-class mountain biking, hiking, and swimming just minutes from home. The neighborhood maintains Highlands' commitment to environmental stewardship with protective covenants preserving natural forest, limiting light pollution, and maintaining the area's dark-sky character. Eastern Highlands residents form a tight-knit community bonded by shared values of conservation, outdoor recreation, and rural lifestyle. While the area lacks urban services and requires personal vehicles for all needs, it compensates with extraordinary natural beauty, peace, and space increasingly rare in Greater Victoria. The combination of acreage, horse facilities, and Thetis Lake proximity creates strong demand among buyers seeking authentic rural living within commuting distance of Victoria employment centers.

Western Highlands represents the most remote and pristine section of the Highlands municipality, featuring rugged terrain, old-growth forest, and larger acreage properties that offer exceptional privacy and natural beauty. This area appeals to buyers seeking true wilderness living with minimal development, dark skies, and immersion in Vancouver Island's coastal forest ecosystems while remaining within Greater Victoria's boundaries. Western Highlands real estate consists of custom homes on large lots ranging from 5 to 20+ acres, often accessed via private roads and surrounded by Crown land, creating a genuine backcountry atmosphere. Properties attract nature enthusiasts, artists, writers, and retirees seeking solitude and connection with the natural world. The area benefits from proximity to Mount Work Regional Park and extensive Crown land trail networks popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and wildlife viewers. Western Highlands maintains the strongest environmental protections in Greater Victoria, with covenants limiting development, preserving forest canopy, and protecting sensitive ecosystems. Residents embrace off-grid or semi-off-grid living with well water, septic systems, and in some cases alternative energy sources. The community values privacy, environmental stewardship, and low-impact living, creating a unique culture distinct from suburban neighborhoods. While Western Highlands requires longer commutes and greater self-sufficiency, it delivers an unmatched rural experience with ancient forests, abundant wildlife including deer, eagles, and black bears, and night skies unpolluted by urban light. For those seeking genuine wilderness retreat living within Greater Victoria, Western Highlands offers the most remote and naturally beautiful option.