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

Trans Canada Trail Hiking Guide and Information Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic 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 six years, we hiked 18,000 km from Cape Spear, Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia, to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, 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, provincial itineraries, cycling considerations, and advice for planning your own thru-hikes and long-distance journeys on the TCT. 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! PLANNING AND PREPARING TO HIKE THE GREAT TRAIL Before setting out...

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, 2022, 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 marvelled at the spectacular scenery along the popular Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail between Canmore and 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 Caps 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 border with 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 s...