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.
The Dynamite Trail
Difficulty: Moderate (Distance/Inclines) Elevation profile. Facilities: Parking & benches. Signage: Map kiosks, kilometer markers & basic info. Features: 11km (one way) section of the Rum Runners Trail which extends from Halifax to Luneburg (123km). Scenic Railway bridges with lofty
The Shearwater Flyer Trail
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (Distance). Facilities: Parking. Signage: Map at trailhead, interpretive panels & trail distance markers. Features: 8.5km (30 minutes by bike, one way). Connects Shearwater to Bissett Road & the popular Salt Marsh Trail. Well maintained, flat,
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
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 Atlantic View Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (Distance). Facilities: Parking, picnic areas, beach, benches, and toilets. Signage: Minimal. Features: Less than 10km (~1hr by bike) one way. Access to Lawrencetown Beach. Scenic coastal, rails-to-trails. Part of an extensive route from Shearwater to Musquodoboit. Biodiversity:
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,
The St. Mary’s River – A Paddling Guide
GPS Files | How-To Guide. Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult. Facilities: Some adjacent private campgrounds. Signage: Minimal, at East & Main Branches. Features: 3 converging branches; Main (14km), West (36km), and East (17km). Live water level reporting to help plan your trip. Biodiversity: Atlantic
Musquodoboit River Paddling Guide
Difficulty: Easy - Difficult (distance). Facilities & Services: 2 Provincial Parks with waterway access, picnic areas & toilets. Signage: Information kiosks at waterway parks. No signage otherwise. Features: An easy route with few, if any, technically difficult sections. Un-serviced, leave-no-trace
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.
Shubie Park
Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Visitor's center, boat rentals, canteen, campground, benches, bathrooms. Signage: Interpretive panels and trail signage throughout. Features: Fully equipped campground. Paddling destination with on-site rentals. Off-leash dog area. Categories: #Bird-Watching, #Camping, #Dog-Friendly, #Off-Leash, #Historic-Site, #Paddling, #Park, #Paved, #Picnic, #Playground, #Wheelchair-Accessible,
The Salt Marsh Trail
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (distance). View the elevation profile here. Facilities: Parking, Toilets, Benches, Dog Bags, Garbage Cans. Signage: Information kiosks at trailheads, interpretive panels, and other signage. Categories: #Biking, #Bird-Watching, #Bridge, #Coastal, #Picnic, #Rails-To-Trails, #Wetlands. Salt Marsh Trail Guide
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:
McIntosh Run Community Trail
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (length). Facilities: Dedicated parking lot off of Herring Cove Rd. Signage: Map at trailhead. Features: Less than 2-hour return trip. Various access points to the water throughout. Wetland area, ideal for urban bird-watching Habitat: Beaver
Mainland North Trail
Difficulty: Easy (some hills) Facilities: Parking, benches, garbage cans. Signage: Trail signs at most major intersections with distance info (in KM's). Features: 4km linear, multi-use trail. Compacted crusher dust surface. Direct & nearby access to many different parks, playgrounds, trails
Halifax Mainland Common Park
Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Parking, toilet, covered picnic tables & water-dispensing rain barrels. Signage: Info panels & maps. Features: Off-leash dog trails & fields. 1km loop trail with bog lookoff (great for birdwatching). 1km of unmaintained nature trails. Connects to
MacCormacks Beach Provincial Park
Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Parking, shops, visitor's centre, covered picnic tables, benches & public washroom. Signage: Interpretive panel about Devil's Island & other basic info. Features: 1.2km boardwalk loop with beach access points. A vibrant waterfront with unique shops & restaurants. Popular launch
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
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
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
Hemlock Ravine Park
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (hills). Elevation profile. Infrastructure: Parking lot, garbage cans, benches, wide trails with crusherdust base. Signage: Trail signage throughout (little-to-none on Ravine Trail), maps at entrances & key intersections. Features: #Bird-Watching, #Biking, #Bus-Access, #Dog-Friendly, #Family-Friendly, #Historic-Site, #Loop, #Off-Leash,
Sir Sandford Fleming Park
Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Parking, Bathrooms, Playground, Picnic Areas, Public Wharf & Boat Launch. Signage: Excellent - Interpretive panels and other posted info. Features: Popular Northwest Arm waterfront destination. Great views from (and of) the Memorial Tower (Open May-Nov. 9am-3pm daily). A family-friendly picnic park with plenty to
Cole Harbour Heritage Park
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (distance, hills). Facilities: Parking lot, toilets, benches & lost & found. Signage: Map at the front kiosk. Well-signed trails with marked distances. Features: 400 acres with 7 looped, accessible trails. Wide-open spaces with scenic views. Heritage
Cape Split Provincial Park
Difficulty: Difficult (distance, periodic 4-5° sloping incline/declines). Facilities: Parking lot, toilets. Signage: Trail markers & info kiosk at the trailhead, well marked and signed throughout. Features: 13.5km (4-5 hour return trip) of forested trails with spectacular coastal views. New "Scots Bay
Belchers Marsh Park
Difficulty: Easy. Setting: Urban marsh, pond, gravel paths. Facilities: Benches, garbage cans, dog bag dispensers. Signage: Educational info panels, maps, and signs. Features: An easy, #Accessible trail for all. Great look-off in the middle of the marsh, an ideal spot for birdwatching.