Come Walk With Us on the Trans Canada Trail (TCT)

Trans Canada Trail Hiking Guide and Information Atlantic to Pacific Canadian Hiking Guide and Blog Tips and Advice for Trekking Across Canada Welcome to the Come Walk With Us Trans Canada Trail hiking blog! Over the span of 556 days over the span of four years, we hiked 14,000 km from Cape Spear, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia on the world's longest recreational pathway. In this travel and adventure blog, we share photos and stories from our long-distance walk across Canada on the Trans Canada Trail (formerly the Great Trail), as well as gear reviews, trail information, and advice for planning your own thru-hikes. Epic landscapes, stunning wildlife, fascinating histories, daunting challenges, and countless acts of random kindness were all part of our journey across Canada. We hope you enjoy it! NEWFOUNDLAND Our #Hike4Birds across Canada on the 28,000 km long Trans Canada Trail began at Cape Spear, Newfoundland on June 1, 2019. Atlantic Puffins, whales...

British Columbia is home to over 1,700 km of the Trans Canada Trail (formerly the Great Trail).  Autumn 2022 was fast approaching as we crossed the border into the tenth province of our cross-Canada #Hike4Birds, hoping to reach the Pacific Ocean before winter arrived.  From the spectacular mountain scenery and coal mines on the Elk Valley Trail, we passed into the dry grassy landscape of the Rocky Mountain Trench.  Soon after we followed the wooden trestle bridges of Myra Canyon on the famous Kettle Valley Rail Trail and braved the spooky tunnels of the Columbia and Western Rail Trail. As winter closed in we followed the mighty Fraser River to downtown Vancouver, and the shores of the Pacific Ocean. A short ferry ride took us to Vancouver Island, where we wandered among the giants of the coastal rainforest on the peaceful Cowichan Valley Trail , and followed the Galloping Goose Trail into Victoria, BC.   On November 22, 2024 , four years and 14,000 km after le...

Alberta's portion of the Trans Canada Trail (formerly the Great Trail) is over 3,000 km long, offering hikers and cyclists a chance to explore the province from east to west, or to head north from Fort Saskatchewan toward Tuktoyaktuk, NT.  It took Come Walk With Us two months to walk, photograph, bird, and blog the rail trails, pathways, and range roads of the east-west portion of the route.  We began by heading west through beautiful rolling ranch country on Alberta's Iron Horse Trail.  After exploring the forested urban trails of Edmonton we continued to the cultural center of Calgary, Alberta.  Eventually, open prairies gave way to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where we marveled at the spectacular scenery along the popular Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail between Canmore to Banff.  Finally, we headed south on the stunning and remote High Rockies Trail to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and the BC border. "The mountains are calling and I must go."  ...

In November 2019 we reached Quebec, continuing our #Hike4Birds across Canada on the Sentier TransCanadien in Quebec.  We began by following the Petit Temis to the shores of the St. Lawrence River, where freezing temperatures concluded our first season on the Trans Canada Trail.  Due to the pandemic we didn't revisit Quebec until fall 2021, when we walked from Baie-Saint-Paul to Montreal, witnessing fall migration at Cap Tourmente and autumn colours on the Sentier des Cap de Charlevoix. The Route Verte and other excellent cycling routes took us through southern Quebec to Montreal, where we stopped to enjoy the culture and delicious cuisine.  Finally, in spring 2022 we made the final push, tackling the Petit Train du Nord and exploring Gatineau Park on the borders of Ontario.   This blog documents our #Hike4Birds on the Sentier TransCanadien in Quebec. We invite you to Come Walk With Us by exploring our daily blog entries, where we share photographs and storie...

Fall was in the air when we reached the fourth province of our #Hike4Birds across Canada on the 28,000 km long Trans Canada Trail  - New Brunswick.  We hiked the Marshes Trail from the Cape Jourimain Nature Center to Sackville, before trekking north to Moncton and then following the Dobson Trail and the world-famous Fundy Footpath through the forested Fundy Biosphere Reserve.  Walking on the ocean floor with goats, sleeping in a haunted jail cell, exploring covered bridges, and watching migratory shorebirds on the Bay of Fundy mud flats were highlights we experienced on the rail trails, footpaths, and cycling routes of New Brunswick, Canada.  Finally, as the days grew shorter we crossed the territory of the Wolastoqiyik, walking northward along the banks of the beautiful St. John River to Edmunston and the border with Quebec. "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."                ...

The Trans Canada Trail in Prince Edward Island follows the 435 km Confederation Trail .  Popular with cyclists, this network of pathways extends from Tip-to-Tip in Canada's smallest province.  This immaculately maintained rail trail features information plaques, distance signage, rest stops and trail shelters along the way.  In fall 2019, just as the fall foliage began to turn, we spent 11 days walking from the Wood Islands Lighthouse to the Confederation bridge.  Highlights of our #Hike4Birds on Prince Edward Island included hiking part of The Island Walk , exploring red sandy beaches and historic lighthouses, relaxing in pastoral landscapes, and experiencing the friendly maritime culture of Charlottetown along the way. "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.”     ...

Our #Hike4Birds across Nova Scotia on the Trans Canada Trail (formerly the Great Trail) began on Cape Breton Island, NS. There we explored the Bras d'Or Lake Biosphere Reserve region and visited active fishing harbours and pristine beaches along the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail . On mainland Nova Scotia we spotted white-tailed deer and Horned Owls on the Guysborough Nature Trail, and learned about Acadian and Scottish history in some of the oldest settlements in the New World. The Musquodoboit Trailway and Salt Marsh Trails were a highlight on the way to Halifax, as well as shorebird viewing on the Bay of Fundy. "The sun was setting in the west The birds were singing on every tree All nature seemed inclined to rest But still there was no rest for me"                                                   Stompin' Tom Connors This blog docum...