Expect the Unexpected: Strange Signs and Surprising Warnings on the Trans Canada Trail

From Strange Encounters to Serious Warnings to Trail Angels

 
When preparing to walk long sections of, or even across, Canada on the Trans Canada Trail, most people probably imagine encountering directional arrows, distance markers, trail maps, and occasional signs identifying local wildlife or places of historical interest. And to be clear - these are certainly common features of Canada's national pathway, in addition to which many regional trails have excellent interpretive displays that introduce visitors to their surrounding landscapes. 

 
However, over the thousands of kilometres we travelled between the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans, we discovered that some of the most memorable signs had very little to do with identifying the trail itself. Instead, they warned of damaged bridges, dangerous wildlife, logging operations, unstable slopes, potential flooding, and a remarkable assortment of hazards, from avalanches and unexploded bombs to free-range chicken and tsunami zones that we had never imagined encountering while walking across Canada.

 
Others were simply unexpected, occasionally confusing, and sometimes rather amusing.  Taken together, these signs provided an interesting reminder that the Trans Canada Trail is not a single, uniformly managed hiking pathway. It passes through communities, agricultural landscapes, forests, industrial areas, mountain ranges, and working transportation corridors. Along the way, travellers encounter different land uses, regional concerns, environmental conditions, and individual people’s own paranoia – some of which present their own challenges to hiking the TCT.  Sometimes those challenges were serious. At other times, they simply made us stop, read a sign for a second time, and wonder what might be waiting around the next corner as we make our way “to the trial”.
 

Not Quite the Signs We Expected

 
Some signs caught our attention simply because they seemed rather out of place on a long-distance recreational trail.
 
In Atlantic Canada, playful signs about lobster crossings were often just as common as “Caution damaged bridge” and “use trail at own risk” signs.  Other signs noting flood conditions were possible, but signs indicating that we were on a recreational trail and should be cautious, or advising us not to cross the 4-lane highway but instead to deviate from the TCT to make our way safely west were more practical in nature. As were local signs posted advising that the route of the TCT passed through hunting areas.

 
In Quebec, we encountered several bright yellow warnings announcing "MAN HUNTING." Although the accompanying French wording and illustration indicated that hunters might be stationed nearby, the English wording was memorable enough to make us (ok just me) stop and consider its possible interpretations.   I mean honestly – is there a forest in Quebec full of men that you can pick and choose from?  One does have to wonder.

      

Elsewhere, a sign announcing "REFUGEES WELCOME" offered a completely different sort of surprise. It was not a trail marker or a warning about the conditions ahead, but a reminder that the pathways of the Trans Canada Trail also pass through communities with their own cultural identities, conversations, and political beliefs.

 
The trail signage in la Belle Province also gave way to interesting seasonal realities.  There once their winter season began - which in 2021 was apparently late November and early December – despite the 15-degree temperatures.  As such, while we walked down rail trails and through community parks on le Sentier Transcanadien, there were countless people bundled up in heavy down and thick jackets – many of whom had sweat pouring off them, but who could not resist critiquing us for being out “in winter”.  Regardless, this attitude extended to the trail maintenance teams who set out literally dozens of signs across trails warning that it was closed due to winter conditions.  As a result, a great deal of our time between Sentier des Cap and Montreal was spent being talked to by local trail staff or reassuring hotel owners that we were fine or could proceed.  Walking into Quebec City was particularly fascinating when we were stopped by a heavily covered older gentleman who kept telling us in French to stop walking.  When we asked why on this 15-degree day that was due to go up to 20 degrees, he began waving around at the green grass and screaming – “Il neige! Il neige! L’hiver s’en vient!” Regardless, the weather remained fine, and we continued to have to navigate the absurd number of ropes and blockades amid “the winter conditions”. 
 
In other areas, we spotted urban graffiti detailing people’s frustrations with governments who seemed unresponsive and institutions that prioritized finances over community health and well-being.

 
Other signs were, of course, more directly associated with the recreational pathway. Along the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail in Ontario, a cheerful yellow sign “warned” of students on the trail and identified the surrounding area as an educational learning zone. It was a welcome reminder that trails are not simply transportation corridors or recreational facilities. They can also provide outdoor classrooms where children and adults discover the landscapes, plants, and wildlife of their communities.
 
These signs rarely presented serious difficulties, and more often than not gave us a moment of amusement en route - but they contributed to the unexpected variety of the journey. One day might involve navigating a forest pathway, while the next could bring us through a school learning area, a farming community, or a landscape with hazards very different from those encountered on conventional hiking trails.
 

When the Trail Is Suddenly Closed

 
Other signs were considerably less entertaining, particularly when they appeared directly along the route we were attempting to follow. Beyond the seasonal closures across Quebec, signs across the rest of the country indicating road closures, damaged bridges, and unexpected detours could give way to substantial complications. A sign announcing that a road is closed might seem straightforward, but it does not necessarily explain whether pedestrians can continue, whether a safe alternative exists, or how far someone must travel to reach the next accessible crossing. Adding to this was the fact that the TCT signage was often attached below such warnings, causing more than a few moments of confusion. 

 
Damaged bridges in particular presented a more serious concern. A warning that a bridge is unsafe cannot be dismissed simply because the designated trail appears to continue on the opposite side. Streams, rivers, and railway corridors may have very few alternative crossings, and reaching the next available bridge can involve a considerable detour – as we discovered in both New Brunswick and British Columbia, where our ultimate detours off the TCT added a considerable number of kilometres to our trek. 

 
We encountered another sort of interruption in both Sackville, NB and Winnipeg, Manitoba, where in each case a trail sign announced that the pathway ended and resumed on the opposite side of a highway. These signs were informative, but they also illustrated the reality that a continuous recreational network does not necessarily provide a continuous, safe, and protected pedestrian corridor.  Ultimately, the grass in both locations was heavily worn, and it was clear that a lot of regional cyclists and people walking simply strolled across the busy roadway.  In Sackville, we detoured to the nearby bridge – in Winnipeg we followed the lead of local residents and ran across – which is something I would not advise for anyone else. 
 
Similar interruptions to the TCT were marked across Saskatchewan and Alberta – where weather conditions could make a road impassable or the marked trail was also signed as “no walking allowed”.
 

Similarly confusing areas included signs put up by residents dissuading the use of the trail or claiming to own the land, which you could pay to access.  In one stretch in Manitoba we found a long section of the Trans Canada Trail had been plowed under into someone’s field while the road connecting to it had an electric fence and a phone number posted to call and negotiate access.  Needless to say – given the requested "fees" – we added kilometres to our day once more and walked around the affected area.
 
Many of these types of signs – funny and practical as well as the circumstances that surrounded them reiterated the need to know not only where the designated route went, but where nearby roads, communities, and alternative access points might provide a practical way forward.
 

When One Sign Says Go, and Another Says Stop

 
Perhaps the most perplexing signs we encountered were those that appeared to contradict the Trans Canada Trail markers themselves. On several occasions, a familiar TCT logo or directional arrow indicated that we should continue along a particular pathway, only to spot another sign informing us that pedestrians were prohibited (posted right beside or below the TCT logo), a road was closed, or access was restricted. At other times, the route appeared to continue through areas affected by damaged bridges, construction activities, or temporary closures.

 
For someone following a local trail on an afternoon walk, these situations might simply mean turning around and returning to the trailhead. For a long-distance walker carrying a backpack, however, the consequences were often considerably more complicated. A closed bridge may require travelling many additional kilometres to reach another crossing, while a restricted road can interrupt the only practical connection between two sections of the national pathway. The point being that the presence of a TCT sign does not override local regulations, property restrictions, or safety warnings, and the fact that a route appears on a map does not necessarily mean that it remains accessible coast to coast to coast.

 

These encounters were sometimes frustrating, occasionally absurd, and always reminders that the Trans Canada Trail exists within a much larger network of public roads, private properties, working landscapes, and locally managed recreational corridors. Knowing when to stop, reconsider the route, and find a safe and permitted alternative was often more important than simply following the next arrow.
 

Conflicting Signage: Which Way Is the Trans Canada Trail?

 
Of course not all signs involved closures or warnings or local humour. Sometimes the directional markers themselves presented a puzzle. Along the Trans Canada Trail, we photographed signs pointing left and right, east and west, or toward opposite sides of the same intersection. Some were positioned so close together that their intended directions were difficult to distinguish, while others reflected the fact that the national pathway could be approached from more than one direction or connected with several regional trails.

 
Of course, arrows pointing in opposite directions are not necessarily incorrect. The Trans Canada Trail is a network rather than a single one-way hiking route, and markers may identify travel in both directions, alternative connections, or the meeting point of several pathways. However, for someone attempting to travel continuously across a province, knowing which direction to follow was not always immediately obvious. A sign identifying the trail was useful, but it did not necessarily identify the particular route we needed to take – especially when old trail alignments and sections remain signed across the country.
 
Ultimately, in these cases we learned that the safest approach was to know what the local trail section was, where it went, carry GPX tracks and information, and be aware of the regional geography.  Occasionally, the contradictory arrows provided a moment of amusement. At other times, especially when we were tired or approaching the end of a long walking day, they could be remarkably frustrating.

 
Nevertheless, these signs offered another reminder of the distinctive character of the Trans Canada Trail. Its many regional pathways, branches, and connections cannot always be reduced to a single arrow pointing toward the opposite side of Canada. Sometimes the appropriate question was not simply which way the sign pointed, but which part of the national network we were actually trying to follow.
 

Trail Sign Advice and Warnings

 
Beyond the contradictory arrows and confusing trail markers, we encountered a remarkable number of signs that seemed determined to discourage us from continuing in our chosen direction. There were countless ONE WAY signs, TRAIL ENDS notices, warnings that the trail continued along a highway or the shoulder of a roadway, and reminders to walk facing oncoming traffic. 

Across rural Canada, signs advised that roads were only maintained during the summer, closed when wet, or temporarily inaccessible during harvest. Perhaps most memorable were the seemingly endless WRONG WAY signs.

Which, after so long walking across Canada, encountering yet another sign announcing that we were heading in the wrong direction often began to feel less like a traffic instruction and more like unsolicited commentary on our decision to spend years walking across the country.

 
Equally memorable, although considerably less amusing, were the number of signs that had been riddled with bullet holes. We photographed these in several regions, and while the signs themselves were presumably the intended targets, seeing repeated evidence of firearms being discharged along roads and pathways where we were travelling on foot was hardly reassuring. After a while, we found ourselves considering not only the hazards described by the signs, but also the possibility of encountering someone using them for target practice. It was another unexpected concern along a national recreational pathway.
 

Working Landscapes and Unexpected Hazards

 
One of the most interesting and at times unnerving aspects of walking the Trans Canada Trail is that it travels through landscapes serving many different purposes.  In Northern Ontario, signs warned of active logging operations, hazardous facilities, and even remote-controlled locomotives. These, of course, are not the sorts of notices that usually feature prominently in photographs promoting recreational trails, yet they reflect the industrial and commercial activities occurring in many parts of the country and regions that the TCT traverses. 

 
A trail that passes through a working forest may temporarily share its surroundings with logging trucks, heavy machinery, and active timber harvesting operations. Similarly, pathways near railway facilities or industrial sites may be subject to access restrictions and hazards that require particular attention. In many cases, signs warned of what potential dangers existed as we moved westward. 

 
Such signs and situations also reinforce the importance of understanding local conditions that you are trekking through. A route shown on a map may still be affected by temporary operations, seasonal restrictions, or safety concerns that are difficult to anticipate from a distance or on an online map.  As such, the appropriate response is not to assume that every warning represents an insurmountable obstacle, nor to dismiss it because the signed route of the national trail happens to pass through the area. It is to determine what the notice means for the intended journey and, when necessary, identify a safe and permitted alternative.
 

Wildlife Warnings: From Bears to Rattlesnakes

 
Wildlife, unsurprisingly, formed another memorable category of trail signs along the way. Especially since travelling across Canada means entering habitats occupied by an extraordinary variety of animals. Depending upon the region, signs warned us about bears, coyotes, and snakes, as well as the need to protect nesting birds and other sensitive wildlife.

 
At the same time, other notices remind visitors not to feed animals, while yet others identify specific hazards associated with the surrounding landscape.
 
In Ontario, signs warned that bears could be dangerous and asked visitors not to feed them. Farther west, an official Trans Canada Trail sign appeared above a striking illustration warning that rattlesnakes lived in the area.

 
While in other areas, notices about chickens, turtles, cattle, coyotes, deer, moose, elk, and bears on the trail - as well as dangerous trees (one of my favourites) were almost common.  With that said, despite often being unexpected or funny, these notices should not be interpreted as evidence that encountering wildlife inevitably involves danger or that there are no risks.  

In most circumstances, the purpose of such signs was clearly to encourage responsible behaviour, protect animals from harmful human interactions, and help visitors understand the environment they are entering.  The great variety of wildlife warnings encountered along the TCT is another reminder that travelling across Canada means repeatedly entering new ecological regions, each with its own species, seasonal patterns, and potential hazards.
 

Mountains, Avalanches, and Other Serious Warnings

 
Beyond these unique postings, as the TCT approaches the Rocky Mountains and other mountainous landscapes, signs begin to reflect a very different set of concerns.  Warnings about steep slopes, unstable terrain, avalanche hazards, and difficult weather conditions can become increasingly relevant. These notices are particularly important because mountain environments can change dramatically according to season, elevation, and recent weather.

 
In Alberta, at several points we photographed warnings concerning avalanche control operations and the possibility of encountering unexploded explosive devices. To be honest, it is difficult to imagine a more unexpected notice along a recreational trail – at the very least, you certainly look twice while choosing a camping spot each evening.   Similarly in BC, other signs noted where landslides were a possibility – warning travellers to exercise caution.

 
Though I might joke about spotting these types of signs, their warnings do have a serious purpose.  Avalanche control activities are undertaken to reduce risks associated with unstable snow, and any unexploded devices or suspicious objects must be left untouched and reported to the appropriate authorities.  

Such notices also emphasize why long-distance walking requires more preparation than simply following a marked pathway. Conditions that might be relatively manageable during one season can become dangerous or impassable at another time of year.  Weather forecasts, seasonal access restrictions, local safety information, and an understanding of the surrounding terrain all matter. In some environments, specialized knowledge and equipment may be necessary, while postponing or avoiding a particular section may be the most responsible decision. 
 

Floods, Fires, and a Changing Landscape

 
As these types of signs repeatedly pointed out to us, not all hazards are permanent features of the trailway itself or even of a particular region.  Signs warning about flooding, forest fires, washouts, unstable infrastructure, and environmental restoration illustrate how changing conditions can affect recreational paths. The result is that a trail that was accessible earlier in one season may become impassable following heavy rainfall. A bridge may be damaged by flooding, while a forest fire can lead to extensive closures or the loss of infrastructure. Even after the immediate danger has passed, repairs and restoration may take considerable time – during which period the trail can be segmented or closed.

 
In British Columbia, we encountered signs explaining that certain former roads had been deactivated (a term I had never heard related to a roadway before) to support ecosystem restoration and wildlife habitat recovery.

 
For long-distance walkers, these situations can necessitate changes to carefully developed plans. Having access to updated trail information, understanding the local geography, and remaining flexible about the route and schedule are all important.  The same applies to regions subject to tsunami warnings, wildfire conditions, or seasonal environmental hazards. Although such dangers may be relatively uncommon at a particular location, signs identifying them should be understood within the broader context of local emergency planning and safety.
 

Pavilions, Plaques, and the People Behind the Trail

 
Of course, not all the signs we encountered along the Trans Canada Trail warned us about dangers, directed us toward distant communities, or left us wondering what on earth we were supposed to do next. Some of the most memorable were those recognizing the contributions of people who had helped create, maintain, and support the pathways we were following. From small plaques attached to memorial benches to notices thanking local farmers for allowing public access across their land, these signs reminded us how much of the national trail network depended upon the generosity, dedication, and goodwill of individuals and communities across Canada.

 
Among the more unexpected discoveries were the Trans Canada Trail pavilions, which we had known very little about before setting out. Initially, we were drawn to them because, as long-distance hikers, they felt temporarily like our own spaces along the route. We could stop, put down our backpacks, explore the plaques, and spend a little time in a place dedicated to the trail we were walking. However, they soon became important to us for another reason. Not long after beginning our journey, we started receiving dozens of requests from people who had donated to the Trans Canada Trail, or whose families had supported its development, asking whether we might photograph the plaques bearing their names if we happened to pass them.

 
It was a wonderful request, and one we were delighted to help with whenever we could. The initiative that allowed Canadians to sponsor kilometres of the national trail had given people across the country a personal connection to its development. Along the way, we also met individuals who proudly brought out their certificates to show us that they had contributed. As a result, at these pavilions, which are spread across the country, we often found ourselves searching through names, photographing particular plaques, and occasionally sending a picture to someone hundreds or thousands of kilometres away. What began as another place to stop along the trail became an opportunity to connect with the people and families whose contributions had helped make our journey possible.

 
Elsewhere, trail signs thanked farmers for permitting access, volunteers for maintaining pathways, and local communities for helping establish the trail. These acknowledgements were easy to overlook among the thousands of directional arrows, warnings, and notices we passed, but they were no less important. One sign in particular reminded visitors that "The Use of this Trail is a Privilege not a Right." After years of following routes across private property, working landscapes, community pathways, and remote areas, we could certainly appreciate the sentiment. Access to these places depended not only upon the existence of a national trail network, but also upon the willingness of landowners, volunteers, communities, and trail organizations to make it possible and to keep it available.

 
For all the humour, confusion, frustration, and occasional alarm inspired by the signs we encountered, we would not want to overlook those that simply said thank you. They acknowledged the countless people whose work and generosity had helped connect communities from coast to coast to coast. And for us, some of the most rewarding moments were spent standing in front of a pavilion, searching for a particular name, and knowing that a photograph could bring a small part of the journey back to someone who had helped make it possible.

Of course, these are only a small selection of the strange, improbable, amusing, and occasionally bewildering signs we encountered during six years of walking across Canada. We photographed hundreds more along the way, each with its own story or unanswered question, and we hope to share more of these unexpected discoveries in future entries. After all, you never quite know what you'll find around the next bend in the trail. 

See you on the trail!

For more about our #Hike4Birds across Canada, including our original daily hiking journals, provincial trail collections, wildlife observations, planning resources, and reflections, we invite you to explore our Trans Canada Trail national hiking overview, following our journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean.