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.
West Dover Provincial Park
Difficulty: Difficult (Terrain, Navigation). Facilities: Large parking lot. No garbage cans or other facilities (pack out what you pack in). Signage: None. Features: 5km (2.5hr return trip) or 1.5km (1-hour return trip) directly to a scenic bench. Rugged, narrow, natural
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 Rum Runners Trail
Difficulty: Difficult (distance). Facilities: Parking lots, picnic tables, benches, public beaches & parks. Signage: Minimal, info kiosks at each section's trailhead. Features: 123km route connecting Halifax to Lunenburg. Converted railway with compacted crusher dust base (except paved Chain Of Lakes Trail). Scenic
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.
SS Atlantic Heritage Park
Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Interpretive Center/Museum with refreshments (Open May-October). Lots of benches and picnic tables. Coastal boardwalk. Small sand beach nearby. Signage: Interpretive panels and info throughout. Habitat: Blue-Eyed Grass | Sunburst Lichen | Common Yarrow |
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
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,
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
Point Pleasant Park
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate (distance). Facilities: Bathrooms, parking, benches & picnic areas. Signage: Information kiosks, maps interpretive panels, and trail signage. Features: Off-leash trails. Centuries-old fortifications. Open to cyclists (restrictions on weekends/holidays). Open-air theatre in summer. Categories: #Park, #Dog-Friendly, #Biking,
Peggy’s Cove
Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Parking, Visitor Centre, Benches, Restaurants, Gallery/Museum (Open May-Oct). Signage: Interpretive panels, signage, and maps. Features: Tourism-focused shops & facilities. On-site chartered boat tours. Habitat: Leatherback Turtle | Right Whale | Aplite Granite | More
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
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 |
Crystal Crescent Beach Provincial Park
Difficulty: Difficult (Length/Terrain/Navigation). Facilities: Parking, outhouses. Signage: None. Features: Over 11km of stunningly beautiful, rugged coastal hiking. Unmarked trails, rocky coastal dangers & rapidly changing weather require preparation. Sensitive coastal ecosystem demands you stay on trail & Leave No Trace. Habitat:
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).
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
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
York Redoubt National Historic Site
Difficulty: Easy. Facilities: Parking, washrooms, picnic tables. Signage: Interpretive panels. Features: Great views of the mouth of Halifax Harbour, opposite McNabs Island. 200-year-old fortifications, a key part of Halifax's harbour defence system. Scenic #coastal bluffs and walking trails. Biodiversity: Fiddlehead