We believe that everyone needs to challenge themselves, feel like a kid again and explore. Leigh has made it easy by stimulating your senses for adventure with these 100 outdoor adventures. Go for it!

Hal Johnson & Joanne McLeod

Body Break

The Amazing Race Canada contestants

Several years of traveling around the world have taught us how good we have it in our own beautiful backyard of Canada. Leigh’s book is an amazing showcase of that, and her dedication in compiling these top adventures is extremely admirable. She is an absolute authority in all things outdoors, and we have already added several of these amazing adventures to our own to-do list!

Dalene and Pete Heck

2014 National Geographic Travelers of the Year

HeckticTravels.com

Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures isn’t just for hardcore, outdoorsy types. This book is for anyone who’s ever felt the pull of the great outdoors. Leigh has created a fantastic guide that will inspire you to get off the couch and get back to nature with these approachable adventures. Leigh is a true travel expert. She’s been pretty much everywhere, experienced more than I could ever hope to in my lifetime, yet remains remarkably ego-free. By thoughtfully matching the appropriate season and best activity to soak up the true essence of the destination, explorers will be well rewarded, thanks to her guidance. Now go on and turn this bucket list into your reality.

Jody Robbins

Award-winning travel writer and blogger

TravelsWithBaggage.com

Every time I receive an email from Hike Bike Travel regarding outdoor adventures I begin to salivate like one of Pavlov’s dogs. When I open one of her posts, I am transformed from my room to a wild and rugged Canadian adventure. Suddenly, I am in a pristine forest, a wilderness lake, or a mountain range with breathtaking views. I am no longer surfing the web. I am now canoeing, kayaking and hiking, thanks to Leigh’s gorgeous photography and engaging prose. This book is a must for those who love Canada; the perfect coffee-table addition to take people from their living room into the wilds of Canada, and a great resource for those who want to follow in Leigh’s footsteps. Just be sure to also buy a bib.

Ted Nelson

travelingted.com

Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures should be a must-read for every Canadian! It demonstrates how much our country truly has to offer, and gets me excited to visit more of it with inspiring photography. Leigh has included activities suitable for the casual day-hiker to more challenging multi-day adventures, so there’s something for everyone. This book will make you proud to be a Canadian and will be the push you need to get out and experience more of our beautiful country.

Laurel Robbins

Adventure travel blogger

MonkeysandMountains.com

Leigh is an adventurer we should all admire. Whether it is bike riding in Spain, kayaking the wonders of Canada or hiking through some magnificent wilderness, she always takes you along with her — celebrating the highs, but often celebrating the tough times more! She challenges herself and always comes out the other end with positive, informative and accurate information for her readers, who can then vicariously enjoy her adventures. Her latest work, Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures, is inspiring! It brings together many of her experiences into one easy-to-read guide. With an easy-to-follow layout, it is brimful of accurate information drawn from her personal experience. Throw in some wonderful images and this guide will motivate you get out and enjoy many adventures across Canada. What’s stopping you?

Frank Wall

Our Hiking Blog

Author of Food to Go: How to Eat Well in the Wild

Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures is the perfect addition to any “bucket list”, making glad the adventurous Canadian and visitors to Canada who are even more happy they came. The book highlights great outdoor venues for hiking, backpacking etc. throughout the entire country. Leigh McAdam has brought together in this book all her skills as a travel/adventure writer to celebrate the incredible offerings of outdoor excitement Canadians can well be proud of. A must read!

Phillip Ferranti

Author of 140 Great Hikes in & Near Palm Springs

Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures is written with an easy-to-read enthusiasm, illustrated with superb photographs and peppered with down-to-earth information on hiking, biking and kayaking across Canada. Leigh’s adventures will inspire those who enjoy the outdoors to never stop exploring!

Anne & Laurence Yeadon-Jones

Authors of the Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide Series

dreamspeakerguides.com

Leigh McAdam has explored more of Canada than anyone I know. I have been an avid reader of her popular blog, HikeBikeTravel, for many years and she would be the first person I would turn to with any question about the Canadian outdoors. Her new book, Discover Canada: 100 Inspiring Outdoor Adventures, is a great resource for anyone who would like to explore more of this beautiful country from coast to coast at any time of the year. The carefully selected adventures in each of the provinces and territories are rated from easy to difficult, so there’s something for the experienced outdoors-person as well as beginners or families with children, and everyone in between. Readers can’t help but be inspired to experience many of these uniquely Canadian adventures for themselves.

Lisa Goodmurphy

Family Travel Blogger

GonewiththeFamily.com

A comprehensive and well-respected guide to Canadian adventures for the outdoors lover. A book worth investing in.

Barbara Arnold

Owner

Hidden Trails International Horseback Riding and Outdoor Vacations

Copyright © 2015 Leigh McAdam

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the publisher or, in the case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a licence from Access Copyright, the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency, www.accesscopyright.ca, 1-800-893-5777, info@accesscopyright.ca.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
McAdam, Leigh, 1957–, author
Discover Canada : 100 inspiring outdoor adventures / Leigh AcAdam.
Includes index.
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-926991-46-7 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-1-926991-57-3 (ebook)

1. Outdoor recreation—Canada—Guidebooks. 2. Hiking—Canada—
Guidebooks. 3. Cycling—Canada—Guidebooks. 4. Skis and skiing—Canada—
Guidebooks. 5. Canoes and canoeing—Canada—Guidebooks. 6. Backpacking—Canada—Guidebooks. 7. Canada—Guidebooks. I. Title.
GV191.44.M312 2014 796.50971 C2014-907378-X
C2014-907379-8

The activities described in this book involve risk. Though the author tried to make this guide as accurate as possible, we make no warranty of its content and disclaim all liability arising from its use. Users of this book are solely responsible for their own safety.
Editors: Cynthia Nugent and Adriana Van Leeuwen

Proofreader: Renate Preuss
Book designer: Omar Gallegos
Indexer: Bookmark: Editing and Indexing

Granville Island Publishing Ltd.
212 – 1656 Duranleau St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6H 3S4
604-688-0320 / 1-877-688-0320

info@granvilleislandpublishing.com
www.granvilleislandpublishing.com
First published in 2015

To my husband and best friend John, for his tireless support, sense of adventure and good humour, even under adverse conditions.
To Kristen, for inspiring me with her efficiency and her efforts to make this book a success.
And to Matt and Grace, for your love and encouragement.

Contents

Introduction

The outdoors has called to me for as long as I can remember. I was lucky to grow up in Ottawa where so many great outdoor locations were at my fingertips: the Gatineau Hills for skiing, the Rideau Canal for skating, the Ottawa River for canoeing and countless bike paths available for cycling.

Then when I turned fifteen I was bitten by the travel bug. It was a summer when Ottawa suddenly felt too small and boring, especially when I heard that a 600-mile bike ride around England and Wales was being offered to Ottawa high school students. I pestered and browbeat my parents, promising to do anything they asked until they finally agreed to let me go.

That cycling trip was my first serious outdoor adventure. It was unforgettable on many levels and forty years on I still remember the camaraderie, the satisfaction of making it through a tough day, and the excitement of feeling totally alive. It was intoxicating and I never wanted to lose those feelings.

But life brought me to Toronto, where hours of highway traffic separated me from anything that felt like the real outdoors. That’s not to say that I didn’t take advantage of canoeing in Killarney Provincial Park or hut-to-hut skiing in Algonquin Park, but the frequency of those outings was rare, especially while raising a young family.

Then in the early ’90s our family moved to Boulder, Colorado — and life changed for the better. Now with easy access to the great outdoors, we could escape to the mountains most weekends. We climbed 14,000-foot peaks; we camped and backpacked; backcountry-skiied to mountain huts and downhill-skied the big-name resorts. We developed confidence in ourselves and in being in wild places. The one thing we didn’t do was go anywhere near the water. Something had to change.

Sea kayaking was becoming more popular around that time, so we booked our first kayaking trip out of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. There we had our first west coast experience of deserted white sand beaches, challenging seas, seabirds, animal life and that state of bliss which comes from relaxing by a campfire after a day on the water. We were hooked. Kayaking, not only on oceans but on lakes and rivers, opened up a world of possibilities.

In 2002, we moved to Vancouver where, for the better part of the next ten years, summer holidays and weekends were spent exploring the waters around Vancouver Island, Desolation Sound, the Sunshine Coast and the city itself.

Now I live in Calgary. I didn’t want to come at first, but I’ve learned that there is much to love about the city, especially its proximity to the Rocky Mountains. Hiking and backpacking to some of the world’s most beautiful mountain lakes and peaks has replaced sea kayaking, and fortunately, we can still kayak on the many nearby lakes and rivers. Calgary also borders Saskatchewan, which led me to discover, as you’ll read in this book, that the province is rich in beautiful wild places and holds so much more than wheat fields.

I’ve written a number of adventure guides to places outside Canada, as well as maintained my popular travel blog, HikeBikeTravel.com, for the last four years. Now I want the world to know that some of the best places on the planet for an outdoor adventure are right here. My hope is that this compilation will inspire you to get out there and be active while getting to know this fantastic place called Canada.

How I Chose the Adventures

Choosing just 100 adventures from the potentially thousands that a country the size of Canada can offer was a difficult task. The second-largest country in the world, Canada is bordered by three oceans, creating 202,280 km (125,691 mi) of coastline. It is crisscrossed by mountain ranges and boasts hundreds of rivers, thousands of lakes and a land mass greater than all of Europe. Keep in mind, too, that there are nine natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites, thirty-six national parks, eight national park preserves and several hundred provincial parks, all offering a slice of some of the most interesting and dramatic pieces of Canada.

To whittle down the list I took into account the following factors:

• I had to personally experience each of the adventures. Research is useful but it’s on-the-ground, first-hand familiarity with each and every adventure in this book that allowed me to decide whether it deserved to make the top 100. If it didn’t live up to its billing, it got the boot. All 100 adventures are unique Canadian experiences.

• The list should show Canadians and visitors the country’s geographic diversity.

• I wanted to cover all four seasons. Canada offers outdoor adventures year-round. Even so, most of these suggestions are for summer and fall, the time when people take vacations and get outside. I also feel it’s better to embrace than simply endure our long winter, so I looked for ideas to get even the worst winter couch potatoes outside. Spring, with its reputation for balm and blossom, actually has the most unpredictable weather; lakes are cold, and campgrounds, if they’re open, are soggy. Knowing that eastern Canada enjoys better springs than the west, I’ve located my April and May trips there.

• Cost was a consideration. As much as I would like to hike or kayak in every national park in Canada, those in the far north are simply out of the financial reach of most people. Nunavut, Canada’s newest territory, is the size of Western Europe, but it’s particularly hard to access, so is represented by only one adventure, even though it merits many more. If you can afford it, there are phenomenal hiking and kayaking opportunities all across the hauntingly beautiful Arctic. Fortunately, the Yukon and Northwest Territories are at least partially accessible by car in the summer, as well as by air. You could spend a lifetime up there; I have just provided a taste of the possibilities.

• Outstanding natural beauty influenced my choices, particularly for hiking, backpacking and kayaking trips. What better way to get the sense of the wild Canadian landscape than by visiting places with spectacular mountain or coastal scenery?

• Locomotion was another factor. I’ve limited the adventures to certain ways of getting about: walking, hiking, backpacking, road cycling, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, skating and cross-country skiing. Apologies to the downhill skiers, surfers, stand-up paddle boarders, horseback riders, fishermen, golfers and whomever else I’ve left out.

I realize the result is not a comprehensive list, and that I’ve probably missed some of the gems that only locals know. But I hope the winning recommendations in this book will widen the scope of possible adventures for my fellow Canadians and visitors alike. Please visit my website, HikeBikeTravel.com, to post comments and suggestions for the next edition. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Rating the Adventures

Throughout the book, look for a symbol below each title indicating the grade (level of difficulty). Easy adventures are represented by , moderate ones by , difficult adventures by , and very difficult adventures by . Some adventures can have more than one level of difficulty depending on certain circumstances. For example, if an adventure could be moderate and/or difficult, this is represented by . If it could be easy all the way to very difficult, it would be . You’ll find different combinations in the book.

Ratings are subjective. What’s hard for one person might be a walk in the park for another. It depends on your physical conditioning, prior experience and, to a lesser degree, age. For those reasons, it’s difficult to rate a hike, a bike ride or a kayaking trip. I have tried to explain my rationale, but it seems there are always one or two adventures that don’t quite fit the criteria.

Rating difficulty for hike and backpack trips

Easy: Mostly flat, well-maintained trails, less than 10 km (6 mi) long; family- friendly.

Moderate: Trails are generally in good shape but there may be elevation changes of

up to 760 m (2,500 ft). Trails are longer, up to 18 km (11 mi) in a day.

Difficult: Trails may include rough terrain with uneven footing and river or stream crossings. Most adventures labeled difficult have more than 760 m (2,500 ft) of elevation gain and require long days of hiking — even if the distances are shorter than a moderate day. Any backpacking trip greater than three days is considered difficult because of the amount of food you must carry.

Rating difficulty for single and multi-day bike rides

Easy: Flat; typically less than 30 km (19 mi) in a day; family-friendly.

Moderate: Expect more hills and greater mileage — up to 50 km (31 mi) in a day.

Difficult: Hills are steeper and there are lots of them. Generally mileage is anything greater than 50 km (31 mi) but there are exceptions. Some rides are short but with many steep hills, like the Fundy Trail.

Rating difficulty for kayak and canoe trips

Easy: Water is calm and waves and currents are minimal to non-existent,

distances are short; family-friendly.

Moderate: A full day trip where wind and waves may be a factor but distance traveled is less than 15 km (9.3 mi). If canoeing, frequent short portages are a possibility.

Difficult: A long day on the water, covering more than 15 km (9.3 mi), with wind and waves your constant companion. Currents may be an issue. Portages, if there are any, are longer or encounter rougher terrain. All wilderness trips far from civilization are rated difficult.

Rating difficulty for cross-country ski trips

Ratings for all of the cross-country ski adventures are in line with how each hill is rated by the park or organization that owns it. It’s been my experience that ease or difficulty is related to the steepness of the hills on the trail.

All skating adventures are easy. Rafting is easy unless you’re in Class III whitewater, in which case it becomes moderate.

Safety On Your Adventures

Managing risk and staying safe while participating in any outdoor adventure should be the goal of every outing. But you can’t eliminate all risk and, in reality, that is part of the thrill of an outdoor adventure. Not everything is within your control, but most accidents can be prevented if you educate yourself and go prepared. If you’re new to the outdoors, start off with shorter trips, perhaps with a tour so you can learn from the guides. Take the time to understand the risks, carry the 10 essentials and learn from your mistakes. Here are some of my thoughts on how you can make your next adventure a safe one.

The 10 Essentials

Always carry the 10 essentials; these items are your survival insurance in case of an emergency.

1. A map. Nowadays people rely on a GPS but you should always carry a map and know how to read it, just in case your batteries die or your GPS gets broken or stolen.
2. A compass. And you should know how to use it.
3. A flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries and a spare bulb. Keep it in a waterproof bag.
4. Extra clothing. You’ll have to decide how much you need to carry. Remember that cotton kills when it’s wet.
5. A one-day supply of extra food that doesn’t require cooking, such as energy bars and dried fruit. Always have extra water and a means of purifying it.
6. Sunglasses. On longer trips consider taking an extra pair and some duct tape to make a repair.
7. A Swiss Army–style pocketknife with scissors, a screwdriver, a can opener and at least two folding blades.
8. Matches stored in a waterproof container with a piece of sandpaper.
9. A firestarter. This is a lifesaver when wood is wet or you really need to start a fire quickly to warm up.
10. A first-aid kit in a waterproof bag. The contents will vary depending on what the adventure is, but at the very least carry an assortment of bandages, moleskin, adhesive tape, gauze bandages, cleanser, Neosporin and a triangular bandage. Add pain killers like Ibuprofen, Benadryl for allergic reactions and any other drugs you might think helpful.

Other Necessary Items

• Sunscreen and a lip balm with a high SPF.
• Insect repellent is an absolute essential in many parts of Canada, depending on the time of year. Also, be wary of ticks. They are carriers of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. During peak tick season wear long pants and sleeves and check your body thoroughly after each adventure.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is the excessive loss of body heat that can eventually lead to death. It’s preventable and reversible if you know how to treat it. It commonly occurs when it’s wet and the temperature is between 0 and 10°C (32–50°F). Most of us in Canada have suffered the mild hypothermia of shivering and chills. But as it progresses, watch for impaired coordination, slurred speech and fuzzy thinking, followed by slowing pulse, shallow breathing, blue skin and finally, loss of consciousness. Irregular heartbeat is the last stage before death.

Hypothermia can happen quickly. In the outdoors, the possibility of it happening is high, especially on wet, windy days when the temperature is cool but not cold. Wear synthetic clothing, as it wicks the moisture away from your skin. Cotton kills because it doesn’t dry quickly. Eat high-calorie foods regularly to stay energized. Stay tuned to other group members, who may not be aware of what’s happening to them.

The key to dealing with hypothermia is to act fast. Change into dry, warm gear as soon as you feel the onset of shivering. Toss on rain gear and get out of the wind. Seek shelter. Eat sweets and have a hot drink. If someone is already incoherent, then the best thing to do is to set up a shelter. Remove the person’s wet clothes and climb naked into a sleeping bag with them. Keep the person conscious and try to get them eating sweet foods, which provide energy quickly. Start a fire if you can and when possible seek medical help.

Wildlife

Bears

Say the word Canada and the first thing that pops into people’s minds is bears. They are around, but fortunately they’re rarely a problem. Even so, if you’re travelling through bear country, it’s very important that you get to know your bears and take all the steps necessary to mitigate any kind of bear–human interaction. Remember, just your voice is usually enough to scare off a bear and it works far better than bear bells. Nonetheless, always carry a can of bear spray that is no more than two years old.

Black bears are much smaller than grizzly bears and lack the shoulder hump. If you see a bear print and it’s got claws, then a grizzly has been through the area. Also look for signs of bear scat. If you find fresh scat, make a lot of noise and leave the area. Keep your campsite clean. Hang your food off a pole or a tree or bring bear-proof containers to store your food. Keep your tent scent free.

If you meet a bear and it doesn’t take off, do the following:

• Keep an eye on the bear but don’t make direct eye contact.
• Provide the bear with an escape route.
• Speak in a calm voice — which is easier said than done.
• Remain in a tight group; four people being the magic number to avoid an attack.
• Make yourself look taller.

Should the bear head in your direction:

• Use bear bangers, flares or whatever noisemaker you have.
• Yell and speak loudly.
• Use bear spray if it gets within 4 m (13 ft) but make sure the wind isn’t blowing in your direction or you’ll become incapacitated.
• If a bear charges, stand your ground; it’s usually a bluff.
• Never run away from a bear, swim for it or let your dog off the leash as their barking will further agitate the bear.
• If it’s a black bear, back away slowly. Do not climb a tree and do not play dead. If it attacks, fight back with everything you’ve got!!
• If it’s a grizzly bear, back away slowly and try to climb higher than 3.6 m (12 ft) in a tree or it can pull you down. If it attacks, protect your head and stomach and play dead.

For all the days and weeks I have spent in the wilderness over a period of decades, I have seen bears perhaps a dozen times. In all instances, it has taken off or I’ve been able to back away without it following me. Go into the wilderness prepared and educated; don’t avoid it altogether just because of bears.

Cougars

Cougars are present in many parts of Canada, especially on Vancouver Island and in the Rockies. Chances of seeing one are very rare. You should feel privileged if you do see one. They are solitary animals found in dense forest or rocky areas. They can grow to a length of 2.4 m (8 ft) and the average male weighs 56.7 kg (125 lb). Although cougar attacks are rare, it’s important to know what to do.

• Don’t hike by yourself if you are travelling through known cougar country.
• Always provide the cougar with an avenue of escape.
• Pick up small children and form a group. Try to make yourself look large by waving sticks.
• Speak in a calm voice. Don’t look a cougar in the eye. Back away slowly but never turn your back on a cougar.
• Do not run or make sudden movements as this can trigger an attack.
• If a cougar attacks, fight back with whatever is on hand including sticks, stones and your fists.

Moose

Moose can be found in most parts of Canada but especially around lakes, streams and muskeg in the boreal forest. Although they give the appearance of looking docile, they are not. It’s highly unlikely you’d be killed by a moose but they can inflict significant damage with a kick.

Fortunately a moose provides you with warning signs indicating that you should leave the area. If they smack their lips, flatten their ears, show the whites of their eye, toss their head up in the manner of a horse or if their hair bristles on the back of their neck or hips, it’s time to leave. Once you do, they’ll leave you alone. Should they charge, get behind a tree, as their eyesight is poor.

Other Concerns

Lightning

Getting caught in a lightning storm is never a pleasant experience, especially when you’re high on a mountain or out on a lake. These tips may save your life.

• Seek shelter in a substantial building if at all possible.
• Monitor approaching storms, especially if you’re on the water or high on a mountain, and take cover as soon as you can.
• Stay away from tent poles and cooking gear.
• Crouch on a sleeping bag, plastic sheet or anything that helps shield you from wet ground.
• Never be the tallest object in a meadow.
• If you’re caught on a mountain or hilltop, lose elevation as fast as you can. Get into a crouch position with feet together. When lightning hits the ground it spreads out along the surface and causes the formation of a ground current. This current can travel up one leg and down another. That’s why it’s so important to crouch with your legs together. Do not lie down.
• Avoid all metal conductors including wire fences, metal sheds and even ice axes.
• If you’re with a group, spread out!!! You should be at least 15 m (50 ft) apart to minimize injuries. Again, assume the crouch position.
• Remove any metal jewelry; it can cause severe burns.
• Close your eyes to protect your vision and cover your ears to prevent hearing damage.
• Tuck your head into your knees to minimize the chance of a strike to the head.

Stream Crossings

Spring can be an especially deadly time to cross a fast-moving stream. To prevent injury and drowning, refer to the blog 12 Safety Tips for Safely Fording Rivers and Streams found in the following address:

hikebiketravel.com/30262/12-safety-trips-for-safely-fording-rivers-streams/

Bugs

Depending on the time of year, you may have to deal with bugs. June and early July are usually the worst time, but peak bug activity varies across the country. You may encounter a combination of blackflies, mosquitoes, no-see-ums, deer flies and horseflies. I do my best to avoid prime bug times as it really can ruin a trip. If you have no choice, then at least go prepared. Take a bug jacket and a lightweight head net. Carry insect repellent. Products with 30% DEET usually work on everything but the flies. Wear light-coloured clothing, don’t use fragrances and avoid eating bananas. Choose your campsites wisely, avoiding any near standing water. Windy points work well.

You’re in for a treat if you decide to hike Newfoundland’s East Coast Trail, rated by National Geographic in 2012 as one of the ten best adventure destinations in the world. Running from Cape St. Francis in the north to Cappahayden in the south, it offers 265 km (165 mi) of rugged and very beautiful coastal scenery via a series of twenty-four connected paths, each with its own northern and southern trailhead. Along the length of the trail you will be treated to a display of fjords, rugged cliffs, headlands and vertical columns of rock called sea stacks. You’ll hike past Cape Spear, the most easterly point in Canada — where, with luck, you’ll see icebergs and whales. Lighthouses, ecological reserves, abandoned settlements and wildlife encounters are also in the cards.

You can choose to do the trail in its entirety over a couple of weeks, or you can hike a section or two at a time. The trail winds through wilderness linking a total of thirty-three communities, including St. John’s. There are highway signs pointing to trailheads, and once on the trail there should be no difficulty following it. Unless hiking the whole trail, the hard part lies in deciding what section to do and working out the logistics of getting to and from trailheads without retracing your steps.

For day trips, you can simply base yourself in St. John’s. If you’re there on a weekend, it’s easy to carpool and join a hike led by a volunteer from the East Coast Trail Association. Some of the most scenic day hikes include Sugarloaf Path, Stiles Cove Path, Spout Path and the Cape Spear Path. All are very different and each appealing for different reasons. The level of difficulty of the twenty-four trails varies: sixteen are rated easy or moderate, and the rest are either difficult or strenuous. The East Coast Trail website, eastcoasttrail.ca, is a great resource with detailed information about each section of the hike.

Another option is to do the full trail, either on your own with a backpack or with the help of the tour company Trail Connections. If you camp, there are five wilderness campsites along the trail and one campsite in a provincial park. Alternatively, get a taste of Newfoundland hospitality and stay in a B&B. Many B&B hosts are very accommodating and will pick you up at trailheads at pre-arranged times. Failing that, try booking a local taxi. But be warned that you will need to be prepared for a full wilderness experience because the distances between villages can be large and there isn’t much infrastructure in place.

If you are attracted to the idea of immersing yourself in a landscape of rugged east coast scenery while breathing in generous doses of the Newfoundland whiff (the Newfoundland term for good salt air), then you’re going to love this trail.

Highlights: Dramatic coastal scenery, coves, rock faces, cliffs, pocket beaches, occasional icebergs, interesting flora, lighthouses, historic communities

Distance: 265 km (165 mi) of developed trail

Time needed: 1–14 days

Grade: Easy to very difficult depending on what section you hike and whether it’s wet or dry

Where: The trail runs from Cape St. Francis at the tip of the Avalon Peninsula to Cappahayden in the south.

How: Do it on your own or sign a waiver to do a weekend hike with volunteers from the East Coast Trail Association.

When: April to November, but you could snowshoe many sections of the trail in the winter.

Cost: Free

Don’t forget: Warm clothes, rain gear, bug repellent, walking poles, gaiters. You can buy a map in St. John’s or download one from the website.

Options: Pick one section of the trail to hike at a time.

Tour companies: Trail Connections. Or join a guided weekend hike with the East Coast Trail Association.

Interesting fact: In 2010, Hurricane Igor toppled 5,000 trees onto the trail. The trail has since been cleaned up.

The Skerwink Trail has received its share of accolades, including a ranking as one of the top 35 trails in North America and Europe by Travel & Leisure magazine in 2003. It offers more scenery per linear foot than any other trail in Newfoundland, at least according to John Vivian, the founder of the trail. Located in Trinity East on the Bonavista Peninsula, the Skerwink Trail follows the north and south coasts of Skerwink Head, a rocky peninsula separating Port Rexton from Trinity Harbour. It’s best hiked in a clockwise direction so you can take advantage of the views of Trinity Harbour as you hike south from Skerwink Head.

The trail starts off flat and proceeds arrow-straight along an old rail bed. Just after the one-kilometre post, the coast comes into view and remains in sight for the next 3 km (1.9 mi). The hiking through this section is exceptional with a different first-class coastal view every few minutes. Should you be afraid of heights or if you prefer trees to coast, there is also the option to hike an inland portion of trail between kilometres one and two. But really, it’s the coastal trail that packs the visual punch.

Chances are your progress along the coast will be slow, not because the trail is overly strenuous but because there’s so much to look at. Views of improbably shaped sea stacks rising out of the water and narrow cliff-faced beaches keep stopping you in your tracks. Photographic opportunities abound. And if you’re lucky, whales and icebergs can be seen in season. But even with all that grand coastal scenery, the highlight for me was watching a couple of baby foxes playing.

The Skerwink Trail is one of the best-maintained trails I have ever hiked. There are signs every kilometre so you can track your progress; steep sections are accessed with stairs; boardwalks abound and lookouts come with benches. Along the coast, trees have been trimmed so you can continually enjoy the views. But do exercise caution, especially if you are hiking with children; the drop-offs are severe and any fall will probably be your last.

Don’t miss the Skerwink Trail if you’re anywhere near the Bonavista Peninsula. It’s a superb hike, and one you’ll be talking about for years. 

Highlights: Coastal landscape, sea stacks, sea caves and arches, capelin beaches, bird life, humpback and minke whales, moose, occasional icebergs

Distance: 5.3 km (3.3 mi) loop

Time needed: 1.5–2.5 hours at a minimum, more if you’re an avid photographer or you want beach time

Grade: Easy to moderate and family-friendly

Where: Located 11 km (6.8 mi) northeast of Trinity via Highway 239 and 230 N, and 270 km (168 mi) north of St. John’s

How: There is a parking lot across from the trailhead, but no public transportation.

When: May to early October

Cost: Free, though you can donate to Friends of Skerwink to help with trail maintenance.

Don’t forget: Dogs must be on a leash. Bring wind- and rain-proof gear. There is one outhouse within five minutes of the trailhead.

Options: Hike the 7.7 km (4.8 mi) Murphy’s Cove–Lodge Pond Trail in Trinity Bay North, or the short Upper or Lower Gun Hill Trails out of Trinity.

Tour companies: None

Interesting fact: ‘Skerwink’ is the local name for a seabird called a shearwater.