Johnson River Falls
Difficulty: Moderate (rugged, muddy terrain). View elevation profile. Facilities: Parking. Signage: Trail map at the trailhead. Interpretive panels on local natural features. Features: 4.2km (1hr) up & back. 10ft high waterfall & scenic river gorge. Biodiversity: Tamarack Trees, Pickerel Frog, Snowshoe Hare, Eastern White
Lake William Trail
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (Hills). View elevation profile. Facilities: Parking. Signage: Trail map at the trailhead. Interpretive panels on local natural features. Features: 5km loose gravel trail. Scenic pedestrian bridge. Hilly terrain, winding through wetlands & alongside Lake William. Still under construction with
Martinique Beach Provincial Park
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (Distance). Facilities: Parking, bathrooms, large picnic areas, on-site surf rentals & lessons. Signage: Minimal. Features: The province's longest sand beach (5km). Lifeguard supervised (July & August). Biodiversity: Bar Clam | Red Fox | Piping Plovers | More
Clam Harbour Beach Provincial Park
Difficulty: Moderate (terrain). View: hiking stats & elevation profile. Facilities: Parking, washrooms, change rooms, large picnic areas, on-site surf rentals & lessons. Signage: Minimal, adequate, sparse signage along the coastal hiking trail. Features: 1.5km sand beach, supervised on weekends (July 1-
McNabs Island Provincial Park
Difficulty: Easy - Difficult (Distance). Elevation profile. Facilities: Covered picnic area, toilets, and benches throughout. Signage: Info kiosk, signposts with maps and distances marked at every key juncture. Features: 400 hectares of wilderness with over 20km of hiking trails.
Pennant River Conservation Lands
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate (Terrain, Navigation). Facilities: (Minimal) Parking. Signage: None. Features: 3.2km, 1hr return trip to "Grand Lake Run". Rugged, narrow, un-marked trails. Popular swimming hole with plenty of scenic access points. Biodiversity: Gaspereau | American Mink | Bunchberry |
Castle Rock Trail
Difficulty: Moderate (Distance, terrain, elevation). Elevation profile. Facilities: Parking, garbage cans, picnic table & bike lock rack. Signage: Excellent. Maps, info & markings throughout. Features: 9.3km (~3hr) return trip on foot, including 6km along bicycle-friendly rails-to-trails. Easy to navigate with 3
Jack Lake Trail
Difficulty: Moderate (terrain). Facilities: None. Signage: None. Features: 3.5km (1hr) return trip to Jack Lake. Easy to navigate along an old logging road. Rugged, wet, muddy terrain dotted with rocky features & old-growth trees. Biodiversity: Barred Owl | Pitcher
Nine Mile River Trails
Difficulty: Easy - Difficult (Distance). Elevation profile. Facilities: Parking, benches. Signage: Excellent. Features: Up to 10km (~3-4hrs), with options as short as 1km. Easy to navigate with excellent signage & trail construction. Remote wilderness with unreliable cell phone coverage. Tags: #Backcountry,
Gaff Point Hiking Trail
Difficulty: Moderate (distance & rugged terrain). 7.5km (~2.5hrs). Relatively flat elevation profile. Facilities: Parking, benches, and toilets. Signage: Minimal, adequate trail signage with an info panel at the trailhead. Features: One of the province's best beaches followed by a looped coastal
The Aspotogan Trail
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (distance). Facilities: Parking, picnic tables, benches. Signage: Minimal, info kiosks at trailheads. Features: Multi-Use #Rails-To-Trails with compacted crusher dust base. A 13km section of the 123km Rum Runners Trail that connects Halifax to Lunenburg. Access to Noonan Lake,
Victoria Park
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (distance, hills). Facilities: Parking, canteen, pool, restrooms, bandstand, picnic areas, playground. Signage: Interpretive panels, maps, and trail markings throughout. Features: Over 1000 acres to explore. Family-friendly destination with public pool (closed for upgrades), splash pad &
Uniacke Estate Museum Park
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (distance). Facilities: Parking, toilets, picnic tables, tea room, estate museum. Signage: Interpretive panels and trail markings. Features: 930 hectares with 7 hiking trails. Estate Museum open daily until 5pm June 1-Oct. 5 (admission under $5). Park
Taylor Head Provincial Park
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult (Terrain/Distance). Facilities: Parking, outhouses, covered picnic areas, and benches. Signage: Information kiosks, interpretive panels, map, and trail markers throughout. Features: Over 20km of coastline with 15km of hiking trails. Day-Use park with days worth of adventures.
Sandy Lake Park
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (distance/navigation). Facilities: Parking Lot, Beach, Change rooms/Bathrooms, picnic area, and beach volleyball court. Signage: Minimal. Features: Supervised beach. Change room & bathroom facilities. Popular dog-friendly park with off-leash trails (see rules below). Biodiversity: Sackville River Watershed | American
St. Margarets Bay Trail
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult (distance). Facilities: Access to parking, parks, and beaches. Signage: Map and info at trailheads, minimal signage. Features: 32km stretch of the 123km Rum Runners Trail. Access to public parks and beaches along the route. Categories: #Beach, #Biking,
The Purcells Cove Backlands
Difficulty: Difficult (Navigation/Terrain/Hills/Distance). Facilities: None. Signage: Only via McIntosh Run Trails & Shaw Wilderness Park, other trails unmarked. Features: 1350 hectares of highly unique landscapes and ecosystems. A top-notch mountain biking and hiking location without leaving the city. Categories:
Polly’s Cove Hiking Trails
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult (Terrain/Navigation). Click to view the elevation profiles for the Basin Trail & Loop Trail. Facilities: Minimal parking. Signage: None. Categories: #Coastal, #Bird-Watching, #Hiking, #Lookoff. Polly's Cove Guide Polly's Cove will encompass you with memorably striking scenery
Pockwock Falls
Difficulty: Moderate (Rugged Terrain/Unmarked Trails). Facilities: None. Signage: None. Features: Part of a 1900 hectare wilderness area. A short 3km (~1hr) return trip to a scenic waterfall. Requires caution; live hunting traps and snares are sometimes in the area.
McIntosh Run Singletrack Trails
Difficulty: Easy - Difficult (Terrain, Distance). Facilities: None. Signage: Marked with signposts throughout with maps at trailheads and on select signposts. Features: 15km of trails, stretching from Spryfield to Herring Cove. Designed by, and for mountain bikers, with hikers equally
McDonald Sports Park
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate (Length, hills). Facilities: Picnic Areas, Portable Toilets, Parking. Signage: Maps & signage throughout. Features: 6km of maintained trails for hiking, biking & groomed cross-country skiing. Tags: #Biking #Dog-Friendly #Mountain-Biking #Park #Picnic #Skiing #Snowshoeing McDonald Sports Park - Something
Long Lake Provincial Park
Difficulty: Easy - Difficult (distance/terrain/navigation). Facilities: Parking, toilet, bike racks, paddling launch & equipment rentals. Signage: Minimal. Mostly along the Lakeview Trail. Features: 5km semi-looped Lakeview Trail with wide, compacted crusher dust base. Over 2000 hectares of wilderness with a few unmarked
Mill Falls & Beech Grove Trail
Difficulty: Moderate (distance) Setting: Riverside, Waterfalls, Old-Growth Forest. Facilities: Parking, Picnic Shelter, Benches, Outhouse. Features: 1.3km (linear) Mill Falls trail connected to Beech Grove trail (2km loop) via a bridge with scenic views of the Mersey River. Biodiversity: Drumlin |
Hemlocks and Hardwoods Hiking Trail – Kejimkujik National Park
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (distance). Facilities: Parking, bike racks, outhouse. Signage: Interpretive signage throughout. Features: 5km loop trail (allow 2 hours). Boardwalk for over half of the trail makes for easy walking with very few ups and downs. Hemlock
Keji Hiking Trails – Grafton Woods
Difficulty: Easy. Setting: Diverse forest and wetlands. Facilities: Parking, bike rack. Signage: Minimal. Features: Two 1.6km loops. Dense Hemlock & Pine Forest. Lush #wetland views. Biodiversity: Eastern Hemlock | Bulrush | White Pine Categories: #Hiking-Short #Bird-Watching #Kejimkujik #Lake #Wetlands Grafton Woods Trail Grafton woods
Kejimkujik National Park
Difficulty: Easy - Difficult (destination dependent). Facilities: Parking, canoe rental, washrooms, food, campsites, showers, supervised beach, sky observatory, visitor center. Signage: Excellent signage, trail markers & information panels throughout. Features: Nova Scotia's top camping destination. Accommodates adventures large and small. On-site
Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes: Kearney Lake Trails
Difficulty: Difficult (Terrain/Navigation). Facilities: None. Signage: Minimal markings & signage. Periodically posted trail maps. Features: Part of the extensive Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area. Rugged, unmarked #Backcountry trail system for experienced hikers. Trails encompass Charlies, Fox, Ash & Hobsons
Hobsons Lake Trail, Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult (Terrain/Navigation). Facilities: None. Signage: Unmarked trails with occasional signage and maps (sparse). Features: 3-hour roundtrip loop or 40min up-and-back to Hobson's Lake. Scenic cascade waterfall along Hobson Brook. Part of the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness, and
High Head Hiking Trail
Difficulty: Moderate (Terrain/Distance). Facilities: None. Signage: Interpretive panels at the trailhead. Features: 30 minutes from downtown Halifax. Iconic Nova Scotia coastal hiking. Spectacular sunsets. Sensitive nature reserve (tread lightly). Tags: #Bird-Watching, #Coastal, #Nature-Reserve, #Hiking, #Peninsula. High Head Hiking Trail If you’ve ever
Herring Cove Provincial Park
Difficulty: Moderate (rugged, rocky & wet terrain). Up to 2km (~1hr) return trip. Facilities: Parking, Benches, Paved Lookoff area. Signage: None Features: Scenic parking area with a rugged, unmarked coastline trail. Expansive ocean views throughout. A great place to watch shipping traffic
Duncan’s Cove Nature Reserve
Difficulty: Moderate (Terrain, Distance). Facilities: None. Signage: None. Features: One of Halifax's most scenic coastal hikes. Part of a sensitive nature reserve (tread lightly). Up to 8km return trip (3-4hrs). Categories: #Coastal, #Lookoff, #Hiking, #NatureReserve, #Bird-Watching. GPS Map Files |
Shaw Wilderness Park
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult (Navigation, Terrain, Distance). Facilities: Parking. Signage: Trail markers for main trail, little signage. Features: Ecologically diverse landscape. 153 hectares of urban wilderness with access to 2 lakes. Unique vistas of downtown Halifax. Borders the MacIntosh Run Singletrack
Chebucto Head
Difficulty: Moderate (rugged terrain) Setting: Coastal barrens, lighthouse, nature reserve. Facilities: None. Signage: None. Features: Iconic Nova Scotia coastal beauty with lighthouse and foghorn navigation aids for ships entering Halifax Harbour. Access road now closed (must park before, but not block, the gate).
The Bluff Wilderness Trail
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult (Distance/Terrain). 4 stacked loops (~4 hours each). Facilities: Parking, bike rack, and garbage cans at the trailhead. Signage: Info kiosk at the trailhead, periodic maps, and trail markings throughout. Categories: #Backcountry, #Full-Day, #Lake, #Lookoff, #Nature-Reserve, #Old-Growth, #Paddling,
Blomidon Provincial Park
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult (hills, rugged terrain, distance). Facilities: Parking, camping, washrooms. Signage: Adequate signage throughout. Features: Over 10km of hiking trails with views of the Minas Basin. Home to some of the world's highest tides. Fully equipped provincial park campground (click
Bayers Lake Mystery Walls
Difficulty: Moderate (5-sided structure) to Difficult (the rest) due to terrain. Trail elevation profile. Facilities: None. Signage: No trail markings or signage. Features: Protected by the Nova Scotia Special Places Act. Near the Chain Of Lakes Trail. Tucked in an unassuming
The BLT Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (distance). Facilities: Parking. Nearby bicycle & paddling rentals at Lunar Adventures. Signage: Distance markers, periodically posted maps, info panels & info kiosk at the trailhead. Features: A 13km section of the 123km Rum Runners Trail.
Admiral Cove Park
Difficulty: Moderate (Terrain/Navigation). Facilities: None. Signage: Minimal signage, unmarked trails. Features: 29-hectare urban wilderness park. 2km, 1hr return trip. Beautiful views of the Bedford Basin. Biodiversity: Old-Growth Forest | Osprey | White Pine | More
Terence Bay Wilderness Area – Sorrow’s End
Difficulty: Moderate - Difficult (terrain). Facilities: None. Signage: None. Features: 4 500-hectare protected wilderness area. Rock formations popular with rock climbers. Wet, rugged, difficult coastal barrens terrain. Biodiversity: Jack Pine | Crowberry | Bog Wetlands | More
Indian Lake Trail
Maps & Resources - How To. Difficulty: Moderate (Terrain/Hills). Facilities: None. Signage: None. Biodiversity: River Otter | Lake Trout | American Robin Categories: #Lake #Mountain-Biking Not Marked or Maintained. Linear ATV trail. Good for off-road biking and fishing. Access To Big Indian Lake. Off of Prospect Road, just