- 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 hiking trail consists of 2 intertwined loops of 1.6km each. The trail is solely for hiking, so bikes are not allowed. Taking a left at the trailhead will bring you through a dense forest comprised of many beech trees and a diverse array of flora and fauna. Halfway through the loop, you will walk along a large boardwalk that leads to a marshy area which is the former shoreline of Grafton Lake. The marshy habitat is home to all kinds of birds, amphibians, and plants. The marsh looks like a colourful painting full of cattails, lupine and goldenrod weaved throughout the tall grass and ferns.
Continuing on towards the second loop, you’ll encounter some large majestic hemlock and white pine trees. Towards the end of the second loop is a trail that is also used as portage access to another very scenic marshy area adjacent to a large brook leading from Grafton Lake. It’s a very serene area full of the sounds of frogs, birds, and crickets.
The trail is easy to follow throughout but can be somewhat easy to get turned around where the trails are interconnected. As with any hiking trail but especially in this area of the park, you’ll want to bring insect repellent and be careful of ticks by avoiding walking through tall grass and brushy areas. Be sure to check yourself thoroughly afterward.
For more Keji hiking trails and my detailed full map of the park, visit my Kejimkujik National Park page.