Lessons We Learned over 18,000 km on the World’s Longest Trail

Reflections and Lessons Learned from Trekking the Trans Canada Trail

 

“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”

William Ernest Henley, Invictus

 

As of the end of this year, we have ventured across Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic.   Not in a metaphorical way - in the literal, blistered-feet, wind-burned-face, gravel-crunching sense, bone-deep exhausted sense of the word.

 

While we clearly have a lot more to share with you, we thought we would get a few short posts out before getting into the rest of the journey. 

 

From coast to coast to coast, we followed the Trans Canada Trail.  Whether you call it the TCT, the Sentier Transcanadien or the Great Trail, it is a route stitched together across 28,000 km of forests, roads, mountains, lakes, and communities. It’s been called the world’s longest recreational trail, though at times, “recreational” felt like a stretch.

We walked it - well, almost 18,000 km of it - anyway.  We walked it to explore the country.  We walked it to promote getting outdoors.  We walked it to inspire others to get involved in Citizen Science.  And we walked it on a #Hike4Birds for bird conservation. 

 

Along the way, we had a lifetime’s worth of amazing experiences, periods defined by unexpected challenges, and received a lot of wisdom and insight.  We have regularly shared what we felt were the most poignant words of wisdom from each province as we have hiked.  Certainly, most of the people we met en route were far wiser than us and we were the grateful beneficiaries of their experiences and truths. 

We have previously shared some of the lessons that we learned in our first 10,000 km on the Trans Canada Trail, and later we talked about our reflections and lessons at the 11,500 km marker on the national pathway.  However, today we are sharing some of the bigger lessons that we learned on our hike between the Atlantic and Pacific and Arctic on the Trans Canada Trail.

 

What follows isn’t a gear list or a top ten must-sees. It’s something harder earned: a reflection on what the trail gave us - and what it asked of us in return. We will also be the first to admit that sometimes the “things you learn” are actually those essential principles we already do all know – perhaps learned from childhood, from our parents or a teacher – but seem to have forgotten and need to be reminded of throughout life.  

 

Here are the main takeaways, reflections, and lessons we learned while walking across the vast landscapes of Canada.

 

30 Lessons Learned from Hiking Canada’s Great Trail

 

1. Canada isn’t made for walkers

 

We learned this the hard way.  Despite the national trail being announced as completed and connected, the fact is that there is no continuous off-road path from coast to coast to coast.  Instead, the TCT is a collection of trails, cycling routes, and rail beds connected – sometimes over long distances – by roadways, connectors and highways.  Amid this, even in cities, sidewalks vanish, and trails unexpectedly end, and at times, signage is nonexistent.  Canada’s infrastructure is built for cars more than travel by foot. We often felt like we were walking through a country that hadn’t considered the possibility someone might try to cross it on foot – even if they were doing so on “a hiking trail”.

 

2. The trail is often a road - and that’s okay.  Even Roads can be part of the Trail.

 

Ok, this one took a long time to come to terms with.  I suspect endless months on the side of the Alaska, Klondike and Dempster Highways drove the point home.

 

We didn’t set out to walk roads and highways, but in various regions such as Nova Scotia, Northern Ontario, and the Prairies, as well as heading north to the Arctic, they became part of the journey. We learned that while gravel roads and 6-lane highways aren't romantic, they’re real. They connect communities. They carry stories. And sometimes, they’re all that’s available.

 

In particular (and again it took us a long time to come to terms with this), road walking is a reality in a nation as large and as young as Canada, especially on a route 28,000 km long.

 

3. Perseverance is built step by step

 

Anyone who sees a picture of us knows that we are not epic hikers and not ultra athletes.   But the fact is, that you don’t start out strong - you become strong both physically and mentally – through distance, storms, and the challenges you face en route.  You get to the end and succeed by continuing on, especially when every part of you wants to quit.  Nothing is achieved in an instant, but it comes from small steps built up over time.

 

4. Technology Can Wait – Connecting and Slowing Down are Important

 

You don’t need to check your phone every 10 minutes. You don’t need to keep up with everything online or see the newest selfie sent out. Sometimes, the moment is more important than the wifi connection.  Being out in nature, connecting with others, and connecting with ourselves is about actually living rather than reacting.  Without the constant need to be online and plugged in we slow down.  Our thoughts become clearer, our decisions are more deliberate, and the world doesn’t seem as frantic anymore.  Do yourself a favour – unplug and log off so you can truly connect.

 

5. Presence is Essential.  Be present in the moment. 

 

One of my favourite movie quotes is “If you aren’t where you are, you’re nowhere”.  It is a comment that has always resonated with me in life.    Walking day after day trains you to live here in the present and to move beyond living in your mind focused on what is uncontrollable in the future or unchangeable in the past (well, mostly it does). Staying present and being present in the everyday is more and more essential in a world increasingly filled with people living their lives online – constantly being elsewhere and consequently nowhere – rather than being with those in their lives and being where they are.

 

6. The Destination isn’t the point.  The Journey matters far more.

 

Today, too many people want the benefits without the effort, and they want the trophy at the end without dedicating the time.  Yet the fact is that lessons are learned on the way.  Transformation happens between the beginning and the end.  Growth occurs on the climb to the summit, not at the top.   Getting to the end isn’t the point of a hike, and certainly isn’t the point in life.  As Elbert Hubbard once noted, "Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out of it alive." 

 

The most important parts happen on the way, and the essential lessons can only truly be learned through lived experiences.

 

7. The trail gives what you need, not what you want or expect

 

Every trail we have set out onto has begun with us knowing what we were doing and what we wanted from our time in nature.  Yet, in the words of the Rolling Stones

 

“You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometime you'll find

You get what you need”

 

Every path reveals lessons tailored to the moment, to what is essential and to what your deepest questions are. More often than not, the lessons you are taught en route aren’t the answers to the questions you were trying to figure out.  Ultimately, they are the lessons we most needed to learn.   Life is the same; we often don’t get what we want, but we do get what we need – and that is an important thing to recognize and be grateful for.

 

8. Adaptability is as valuable as a plan.  Adaptability is vital to success.

 

The trail rerouted. The weather shifted. A bridge was out. A forest fire destroyed part of the path.  A global pandemic has been declared.  The trail changes constantly – and so must those who hike on or set out onto it.  Whether accepting a detour or enduring changing conditions or dealing with shifting realities.  Schedules fall aside. Rigid expectations are quickly broken. Flexibility is as important as any piece of gear and being willing to adapt your plans is vital to success.

 

9. Discomfort is temporary, but offers Clarity

 

Hunger, thirst, blisters, extreme distances, discomfort and pain strip away what doesn’t matter.  Pretense and excuses disappear.  What’s left is clarity – who you are, what you really need, what you can do, what you can’t do, and what you truly believe deep down.  What remains is often more honest than comfort ever allowed.  In the end, discomfort is temporary, but the insights gained last forever.

 

10.  Mental resilience is Important

 

Strength is helpful, athletic ability can be an asset – but we have found time and again that the mind will quit long before the body gives out.  When that happens, time on the trail becomes a slog, and the hope of achieving your goals collapses.  Mental resilience, not strength, not speed, and not gear gets you through the tough spots – on the trail and in life. 

 

11. Rest is Ok.  Rest is Productive

 

Sean was raised in a family where reading a book or taking time for a walk was viewed as a “waste of time”.  His father would lecture - why sleep 8 hours a day when you could get by with only 5 hours and do something productive with the “extra time”.   So much of this world is a reflection of these types of attitudes that demand that every moment is scheduled, quantified, and “productive.”

 

Yet walking on the TCT revealed that pushing through exhaustion only gets you so far. Recovery matters. Learning to rest without guilt was part of learning to live better.  Stopping at times isn’t weakness – it’s wisdom. 

 

12. Minimalism is freedom – You can live with Less

 

Being on the trail, in nature and beyond the noise of society and the digital realm gave us space to think, reflect, and breathe.  Carrying your life on your back teaches you what you need – and makes you realize that most things in our lives aren’t essential.  Simplicity isn’t just lighter on the trail, it’s also liberating in life. Time in nature is a gift that reminds us of what is truly essential in our lives.

13. Slow Travel reveals what Speed Obscures

 

On foot, you don’t just see a place, you are in it, you feel its wind, hear its birds, and meet the people who live behind the scenery that you might rush past in a car or never meet in an airplane.  When you walk every step, you don’t just pass through places; you experience the subtle cultures, small moments in nature, and shifts across the nation.  Travelling slower gives way to a great deal that is often overlooked and undervalued.

 

14. Beauty hides in the ordinary, the unexpected, and overlooked.  Take time to see it.

 

It seems self-evident that something as large as the Rocky Mountains are accepted as beautiful – they are huge and incomparable.  Yet so much in Canada is beautiful; we all just need to slow down enough to see it.  Take, for example, the Prairies, which are often viewed as empty and a flyover area.  But the prairies aren’t empty – they are expansive, wondrous and underappreciated.  They served as perhaps the greatest example of something that is underrated in Canada and our lives that more people should take the time to explore.

 

15. Nature doesn’t work on your Schedule, and Nature Restores Perspective

 

You can’t make whales appear, elk pose, or storms hold off. Nature cannot be scheduled, and it can (and often does) slow you down.  You have to meet it on its terms.  It widens your view. It humbles you. The natural world invites …or perhaps insists upon your learning patience and humility.  To step onto a trail is to accept walking by its rhythm, not your own schedule.

 

Everything unfolds at its own pace and often cannot be rushed.  The same applies to communities and the people you meet. Patience is part of the pact when you set out across a region or a country.   

 

16.  Nature is a Wonderful Teacher

 

Rain humbles, sun restores, winds cool.  The persistence of trees to continue to grow.  The strength of rivers that slowly transform the land and continue on.  The lessons available in nature are amazing.

 

All things in nature are connected, working in conjunction through a subtle cooperation.  Each part of the natural world as a role to play in the continuation of the whole.  Life thrives through connection and cooperation, not conflict. That in itself is a key lesson and just the first of many that nature can teach us.

 

17. Challenges Exist, but Kindness is Everywhere, and People are Generous. 

 

A stranger’s offer of water. A farmer unlocking a church. Someone is letting you camp in their backyard.  A friendly nod from a passing driver. On the longest trail, human goodness shows up in unexpected ways. You learn to trust kindness - trail angels, trail builders, and complete strangers. This trail taught us that community still exists, even in places you never heard of before walking into them.  People have a phenomenal capacity for generosity and greatness. The news would tell you differently but people are kind and caring.

 

18. Recognize the Blessings that are offered and are all around you.  Be Grateful.

 

Things can be tough at times in life, yet we are all often handed more help than we realize and are willing to acknowledge.  On the trail, we became grateful for water taps, dry socks, the food we could find, a cooling breeze on a hot day, and the sound of birds – just to name a few things.   The smaller the blessing, the more profound the thanks.  Always strive to recognize the blessings around you, the kindness of others, and see what is going well – if only because it can always be worse.  Above all be grateful. 

 

19. Everything Is Temporary

 

Rain ends. Winds calm.  Temperatures change.  Trails get better.  Yesterday’s pain, mistakes, or detours didn’t define us. Every sunrise offered a fresh start.  And moments of joy arrive unexpectedly. Everything is temporary and will pass – no challenge faced is forever.  A great lesson for life, with all the complexities and frustrations it can throw at you.  Always remember: This too shall pass.

 

20. Roadblocks aren’t failures, and Progress is rarely Linear

 

They’re part of the story. Detours, delays, breakdowns - they changed our route, and our experiences, not our resolve.  Furthermore, some days (especially on the TCT) you go backward, or in the opposite direction, or barely move at all. The journey across Canada isn’t straight - and neither is personal growth.  Progress rarely takes place in a straightforward way.

 

21. Don’t imitate others, forge your Own Path

 

In an age defined by algorithms and trends amplified by social media, it is easy to see why so many people do the same thing, dress the same and act the same.   But comparison is poison – everyone’s pace, pack weight and purpose are different.  Success is achieved by finding happiness in what you enjoy doing.  achievement and happiness do not arise from doing what others want, doing what others do, or copying trends.  Follow your own path, Hike your own Hike.

 

22. Go for It! Life is too Short Not To Try.

 

There will always be a reason not to follow your dreams, not to try something new, not to keep going.  In an age of cynicism and criticism, there will always be others with critiques and supposed reasons to stop you from setting out towards your own goals and happiness.  The daily news seems to show the world as a place that is stumbling from crisis to crisis, from crime to crime, and as a place that should be feared.  This is not the case. 

 

Trust that if you follow your passions and interests, there will be a way and there will be people who support you along the way.  If you have a dream – stop focusing on the reasons not to and start recognizing all the reasons to go for it!  Step out the door and see the world for yourself.

 

23. You are more Capable than You Think (or others will let you believe)

 

We did things we never thought possible - because there was no other choice.  Time and again, we had no option to walk away from a situation we were stuck in.  No excuses could be made, we simply had to push on.  In the end, our feet carried us forward, our bodies carried us through, and we did it.  You figure things out when there are no other options.  Self-reliance isn’t just survival – it's empowerment.   No matter the challenges you face, remember you are smarter, stronger, and more capable than you realize.

 

24. You Choose Your Attitude – Your Mind and Perspective are as important as your Feet.

 

Mental fatigue, fear, and self-doubt were more exhausting than hills or headwinds. Every day on the trail offers a choice: bitterness or gratitude, complaint or curiosity. Those choices shape the experience. Mental endurance - dealing with isolation, doubt, fear  - is just as critical as your pack weight or progress on the route ahead.   You might not be able to control the circumstances you are in, but you can shape your attitude and how you respond to them in life – and that makes all the difference.

 

25. Vision is Important, but events are shaped by those who participate

 

It is essential to have a long-term vision in our lives, in our families and in our communities.  But change occurs, and events are shaped as a result of those who show up and participate.  These days we all have a responsibility to not just criticize online or complain, but to get up and get involved.  Dedicated involvement and participation matter more than most realize and can change the world.   One voice and one act can still change the world for the better.

 

26. You Are Part of a Bigger Story. We are all Connected

 

With ever-tightening online echo chambers and isolation in our homes and on our phones, it is easy to feel alone.  To feel as though you are simply a single person who can have no impact or importance, but this is absolutely not true.   It took crossing Canada on foot along the Trans Canada Trail to fully realize just how interconnected we all are to one another.  We are each part of a bigger story and have an important role to play.

 

27. Canada, Nature, the Outdoors, and the Trans Canada Trail are for everyone

 

We are all connected - to the land, to others, to our communities to those who have come before and those still to come.  The country, nature, the outdoors, and the Trans Canada Trail don’t belong to any one person.  Nature and the outdoors are for everyone.  This is an essential truth: never believe you don’t belong in nature or the outdoors or in Canada.

 

28. Most people will never understand the big things you do.

 

Whether you have a unique hobby, have a particular interest or set out to do something large, the fact is that most people will never understand.  And that’s okay.   Take what you are passionate about, strive to inspire others with it, and make the lives of those around you better than they were before hand.  Most people will not understand, and you likely can’t explain – but if you do something good, then good arises from it. 

 

29. We’ll never be the same after the Trail

 

The Trans Canada Trail didn’t change us all at once. It changed us slowly and completely. We arrived at the end different than we began.  Life is like that – step out of your comfort zone, step out into the world, get involved in your community – and you will never be the same. 

 

30. A simple walk or hike can change your life

 

It sounds silly and far too simple. It is. But it’s also the most important and perhaps most radical lesson we learned.  After walking this far, for this long, through so many varied landscapes, we are different.  A simply walk or hike can change your life and your perspective.

 

What Will You Learn on Your Own Journey?

 

The honest answer is – who knows….but we do know that your perspective of the world and others in it will change.

 

“This Trail gives Enlightenment through Suffering…”

Sean Morton, TCT in the Rocky Mountains of Northern BC

 

The Trans Canada Trail isn’t perfect. It’s rugged, fragmented, at times frustrating. But it gave us a rare and precious gift: time to think, to struggle, to feel, to grow.

 

It also gave us time to share Canada’s landscapes, communities, and wildlife with you. To bear witness to its vastness and diversity. To tell stories that might otherwise be forgotten. To photograph its hidden beauty and to both write and share the experience.

 

Maybe that’s what trails are meant to do. We don’t walk for the finish line.  We walk to learn how to live and to be better people - and to invite others to “come walk with us”.

 

See you on the Trail!