Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia

2011-12-12T09:47:00.000-08:00

Hike Nova Scotia invites individuals and groups with an interest in hiking, walking and snowshoeing to the first annual Nova Scotia Hiking & Snowshoeing Summit. This one-day event will take place on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site in Maitland Bridge.

The Summit is a celebration of Nova Scotia 's hiking culture, which includes sharing best practices, stories and networking opportunities. It will help us grow a hiking, walking and snowshoeing culture in the province. Space is limited, so register early to reserve your spot.

Check out the Summit flyer for a draft agenda, registration link, directions and more here: http://tiny.cc/pn05f.

Final Progress Report

2011-11-24T07:49:00.001-08:00

The fall of 2011 has featured some exceptionally fine hiking weather. True, there were two days in October with more than 100mm of rainfall, and another on November 11, but the majority of days were sunny with warm days and nights that were not too cool. As a result, I actually had my busiest month of walking in September, despite the trip to Australia. All three months were active, and by the time I finished my last hike, on November 10, I had hiked more than 700 km, including many of the most challenging terrain.

September's highlights included Cape Smokey, Cape Breton, Capelin Cove, the new Louisbourg Lighthouse Trail and the the Coxheath Wilderness Trail near Sydney. On the mainland, I visited Brier Island for the first time, and other trails in the South Shore and Annapolis Valley, but also trekked through Guysborough County, including a re-visit to a favourite, the old Queensport Road. In total, I covered approximately 315 km of trail.

Despite its two impressive downpours, October was almost as good, and I hiked another 250 km then. The weather could not have been better when I visited Fishing Cove, Skyline, Polletts Cove, and Roberts Mountain. Even more surprising, but very welcome, was the sunshine and comfortable temperatures when I hiked the Cape Chignecto loop on October 26-27. True, the high winds roaring up the Bay of Fundy were daunting (see - or maybe, listen to, my video: Cape Chignecto 3), but it was a tremendous experience.

In early November I tied up loose ends. What this meant was that I still had trails far from Halifax, including Lowland Cove, Money Point, and Wilkie's Sugarloaf, all north of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Again, the weather cooperated with sunshine, although by now there was a little snow on the ground and the nights were cold in my modest tent. I completed my final routes with a trip on Nov. 8-10 in Kejimkujik National Park, where I explored the Liberty Lake Loop and the West River Trail. Sadly, despite the magnificent weather and a full moon, I apparently had the entire backcountry of Kej, more than 300 sq. km., all to myself.

So, I have completed all my hikes. There will be 100 of them featured in the newly revised Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia, 9th edition. The plan is for Volume 1, Cape Breton Island, to be completed for May/June 2012, and for Volume 2, Mainland Nova Scotia, for August/September. When they arrive, you can be confident that I have travelled every trail found in the book, and in the year before that book was published. With luck, not too much will have changed, and you will be able to use the new books with confidence for at least the next five years.

I look forward to hearing your comments!

Posting Videos on You Tube

2011-10-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

While I am hiking I take many pictures, sometimes more than 100 on a particularly scenic trail. And on most trails I also take a short video, usually of between 30 sec. to one minute. I have been fortunate to visit some exceptionally beautiful locations, and for many of the trails I worry it might be the final time I will be able to hike them.

I have decided to post some of my videos - or who knows, maybe eventually all of them - on You Tube. Each video will be titled, "Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia", which will be followed by the trail's name. I am posting these under the name "hikerhaynes".

Not every trail is exciting or especially scenic, so neither are their videos. You might wonder why I have posted some those less dramatic films, but what you see will in every case be a fair representation of what you will encounter along the trail. And sometimes that is just a quiet walk through the forest. But that is ok too. Hope you enjoy whatever you view, and whatever you chose to hike.

Progress Report - August 2011

2011-09-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

August finally saw some sustained sunny weather arrive in Nova Scotia, particularly in the second half of the month. Unfortunately for me, I had a major commitment in Australia - a keynote speaker at their National Trails conference - that required me to spend those final two weeks, and the first week of September, involved in activities other than hiking.

Consequently, my progress in August did not meet my earlier planned goal of 20 routes. In fact, it fell far short of that total, with only 15 hikes being completed, and not all of them being suitable for inclusion in the books. Indeed, after having completed a respectable 306 km of hiking in July, I managed to squeeze in less than 200 km on the trails in August.

The month started reasonably well, with Liscomb River, Port Bickerton, Sampson/Albion Trail, Steeltown Park, and Victoria Park hiked on August 1 and 2. Unfortunately, the Port Bickerton trail has been so poorly maintained that it cannot be used, and I actually had intended to use another hike in Guysborough County, but had been unable to find the start location. And poor weather drove me inside on August 3.

My next excursion was to Cape Breton, along its scenic Atlantic coastline. This was a marvellous selection: Point Michaud Beach, Framboise Beach, and the Gabarus Wilderness Proetection area. These are among some of my favourite coastal routes. But again there were challenges. The route from Marie Joseph Gut to Capelin Cove was blocked both because the crown road has washed away and because a new house has been built directly in front of the most likely approach. And I am afraid that the challenging 40 km from Gabrarus to Belfry Gut, while achingly beautiful, was so rugged that my feel were blistered so badly that I had to abandon any further hikes and return to Halifax to recover - which took most of a week.

The following hikes, on August 13-14, were along the Parrsboro shore at Kenomee Canyon and Wards Falls - no ladder anymore, how disappointing! This was followed by Gaff Point, in Lunenburg County, on August 17, and the month's hiking ended on August 27, just before I left for Australia, when I hiked the 9 Mile River Trail in Hants County.

So my total at the end of August was 77 trails and 925 km hiked (one, 9 Mile River, done twice because of technical problems that required a return). Of those I have hiked, at least 10 probably cannot be used in the book. As a result, with only two months remaining, I probably have 33 useable trails still to hike, and the nights are getting cold in my little tent!

However, I have always thought that Nova Scotia's fall season is its best hiking time of year, even if there might be frost on your tent in the morning. So, with a fairly clean schedule for September, I look forward to making up for a poor August with a busy September.

See you on the trails!

Progress Report - July 2011

2011-08-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

In Nova Scotia, 2011 will not be remembered for its wonderful summer. There has been rain of some description more than half the days since the beginning of May, and perhaps more frustrating, it has been very unpredictable. The weather this summer has been so changeable that forecasts change every day - sometimes hour by hour.

For example, on one expedition I left Halifax after viewing a forecast that predicted five consecutive days of sunshine - or at worst, mixed sun and cloud. Before I reached the Canso Causeway the weather forecasters were hedging their predictions, even for that day. In the end, there was one day of sun, and three days of rain and fog. at the end of the fourth day, with the latest forecast for more thunderstorms that night, I gave up and returned to Halifax. Instead of the 12 routes I had confidently planned to hike, I had completed only 8, and shorter ones at that.

This has made it difficult to plan longer trips, and I must confess to getting very tired after hiking 20-30 km a day then spending two or three nights in a tent in the rain. Nevertheless, I have been out frequently in July, often in cloudy or rainy weather. Not that I object, particularly, to cloudy weather, but I must admit that photographs generally look better when taken in the sunshine.

As I already mentioned, I was able to get out to Cape Breton for a more extended trip. I managed to complete the following routes:

Acadian - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Branch Pond - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Broad Cove
Cape Auguet Eco-Trail
Cape Mabou
Centennial Trail, Port Hawkesbury
Coastal - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Egypt Falls
Franey - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Judique Flyer
Mabou Rivers
Middle Head - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Usige Ban Falls
Warren Lake - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
White Point

In addition, I was also able to hike a few on the mainland:

Blomidon Provincial Park
Channel Lake - Kejimkujik National Park
Crowbar Lake
Gold Mines - Kejimkujik National Park
Hemlock Hardwoods - Kejimkujik National Park
Mersey River - Kejimkujik National Park
Peter Point - Kejimkujik National Park
New Germany Rail Trail
Six Mile Brook

This brings my total, to the end of July, at 57. However, 43 still remain to be done, and it is also uncertain whether I can use all the routes I hiked. Some, such as the Cape Auguet Eco-Trail, were in deadful shape, and can only be trekked by the very experienced - and even then it will be difficult.

However, I still have three months to complete the trails. Stay tuned for future updates, and wish me luck - wish us all luck - with the weather.

Wildlife Encounters

2011-07-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Nova Scotia's forests are home to a number of wild animals, I have had the opportunity to observe several of them this summer. Most wildlife encounters are benign, and a delight to have happen. Others, of course, potentially may not be as harmless.

Everyone worries about meeting a bear. And although it is true that a bear has more potential to injure a hiker than any other animal in the forest, attacks by bears in Nova Scotia are extremely rare. I have had two close encounters this summer, both in June, including being the closest I ever have to an uncaged bear: less than 30m. I am pleased to say that in both cases, the bear either ignored me completely, or dashed away down the path and into the deeper brush.

An animal that many hope to see, but fewer regard as dangerous, in the moose. Most people are aware of the hazard moose present on narrow roads late at night. In July, a resident of Inverness died as a result of hitting a moose on the main highway. However, fewer know that male moose can be aggressive, and there are some times of the year when they might even follow or harass a hiker. As summer gives way to fall, and moose go into rut, be aware that their temperaments change and give them a wide berth. I have seen only one moose so far this summer, deep in the Cape Breton Highlands on the Branch Pod Trail.

I have heard coyotes frequently this year, usually late at night when I am trying to sleep. One, near Kejimkujik National Park, insisted on howling and barking for hours within a hundred meters of my tent. Other than causing me to lose sleep, however, I have had no problem with coyotes once again this year. On just about every wilderness trail, of course, their scat and paw prints can be seen.

The winner, this year to date, for aggressive behaviour on the part of a wild animal goes to ... the ruffed grouse! Two times in one day on the North Granite Ridge Trail I came close to a mother grouse and her new chicks. The result, a chorus of tiny peeps and a scattering of tiny pale yellow chicks on the path, followed by an explosion of feathers and squawking as the mother dashed out to place herself between me and her brood. Both mother grouse puffed themselves up as large as possible, flaring their tails and spreading their wings, and alternately charged me then retreated in a direction away (more or less) from where their chicks ran.

So there it is, a bear that ran from me, a moose that stared at me, a coyote that spoiled my sleep, and a grouse that charged me. I think there are two lessons to learn. One is that the behaviour of wild animals is unpredictable; the bear, a large male, immediately ran, but the moose stood there and watched me intently. You never can be certain what will happen. The second is that you should be extremely cautious around a mother and her young. It may seem humorous that a small grouse attacked a large human, but imagine what might have happened, if, instead, I had surprised a mother coyote or bear. Maybe it also would have rushed, and I might have had a somewhat different experience.

Enjoy the woods; do not stop using them because you might meet wildlife. But be aware of the risks, and educate yourself on what is wise behaviour when you do sight an animal.

Fieldwork Progress Report - June 2011

2011-07-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

When the weather was poor in May, rain and fog, I was not too concerned. Stretches of unsettled weather are common in Nova Scotia. So I grimaced, joked, and complained, like everyone else, but I did not worry. Then June arrived, and for the first three weeks the rainy and cold weather continued. In fact, if anything it seemed worse. By June 18, when I had to leave the province and return to Ottawa for a week, I had gone past worry and some days was approaching panic.

So instead of the 15 routes that I planned to review, I managed fewer. The complete list of trails I hiked in June is:

Ghost Beach - new trail, Inverness County
Lewis Mountain, Inverness County
St. Peter's, Richmond County
Whycocomagh Provincial Park, Inverness County - contains a new, challenging section, the "Scout Trail"
Aspotogan Trail, Lunenburg County - might not use in the book
BelleIsle Marsh, Annapolis County - had not intended to use, but might instead of what I had planned
Chester Connector, Lunenburg County - may use instead of Aspotogan Trail
Delaps Cove, Annapolis County
Gaspereau River, Kings County
Nictaux Lake, Annapolis County - called it Nictaux Falls in the previous book, but that is the name of the community, and since you actually do not go to the falls I think it better to give a less-misleading name.
North Granite Ridge, HRM
Roxbury, Annapolis County
Sentier Piau, Digby County - may not use

I was also disappointed to discover that a number of existing trails are in very poor condition, usually in terms of infrastructure damage that has not been able to be repaired. Ghost Beach, Whycocomagh, Sentier Piau, Delaps Cove, and Roxbury have all suffered, and are in poorer shape now than they were in 2001 - and I was not even able to find the Acaciaville Trail near Digby. All in all, June was not a successful month for this project, either in terms of quantity or quality.

It was not all gloom and doom. Gaspereau River was a lovely walk, and the Nictaux Lake trail is in far better condition today than when I walked it a decade ago. The St. Peter's Trail is in great shape, and the Chester Connector is a new addition to the provincial network. So although some of the trails were a definite disappointment, others were a pleasure to visit.

Here's hoping July will have better weather!

Fieldwork Progress Report - May 2011

2011-06-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

With May 31, I have completed my first month of hiking in Nova Scotia to rework Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia. Those living here know that the weather in May was not particularly cooperative. Halifax, in fact, "enjoyed" more than 34 consecutive days with some amount of rain. More than 147mm fell, and even when there was no rain, there appeared to be a shroud of fog hanging over most of the province. What that did to most trails you can well imagine.

Nevertheless, I tried to get out fairly often, even if I did not venture too far from Halifax. My plan, when I was deciding how I would undertake this mammoth task, was to head out to one region of the province, camping overnight, and spending 4-5 days hiking before I returned to my base of operations (and a comfortable bed). The weather changed that somewhat, so I did not spend more than one evening camping before the rain drove me back indoors.

I call it a "mammoth" task, because I am attempting to redo the fieldwork required not merely to write an updated edition of Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia, but also to update the out-of-print Hiking Trails of Cape Breton. That means that this summer and fall I need to hike, at a conservative estimate, at least 100 separate walking routes and as much as 1500km; more than that if for some reason I am not able to use some of the routes I hike and have to substitute them with some others. And it takes time to hike 1500km.

I arrived in the province on May 5. My first hike was on May 7, followed by another on May 8, one on the 12th, and three more on the 13th. I continued in this pattern, one or two days of hiking followed by two or three days of resting (I am getting older, after all.) My most ambitious series was May 26/27, when I hiked six routes of nearly 60km - including High Head, at the top of the Wentworth Ski Hill.

The complete list of trails I hiked in May is:

French Village-Lewis Lake [Halifax-Guysborough]
The Bluff Trail - Bluff Loop [Hfx-Guys.]
Chain of Lakes [Hfx-Guys.]
Uniacke Estate [Annapolis Valley]
Cape Split [Annapolis Valley]
Wolfville Dikes [Annapolis Valley]
Fairmont Ridge [Northumberland Shore]
Cape George [Northumberland Shore]
Gully Lake [Northumberland Shore]
High Head [Northumberland Shore]
Tidnish Docks [Northumberland Shore]
Rogart Mountain [Northumberland Shore]
Wallace Bay [Northumberland Shore]
Munroe's Island [Northumberland Shore]
Amherst Point [Glooscap Trail]
Cobequid Trail [Glooscap Trail]
Devil's Bend [Glooscap Trail]
Thomas Cove [Glooscap Trail]
Debert Mi'kmawey [Glooscap Trail]
9 Mile River [Glooscap Trail]

A number of these: Rogart Mountain, Gully Lake, Debert Mi'kmaway, and 9 Mile River, are new trails opened since the 8th edition was published in 2002. And for several others, such as Cape George, Cobequid Trail, and High Head, I have selected a different or substantially modified route from what was profiled in the previous book. Cape Split and Wolfville Dikes were routes that existed in 2002, but I decided not to mention at that time.

I will be back on the trails in June. My objective is to complete 15 more routes, fewer than in May because I need to spend a week in Ottawa. I plan to visit trails in the HRM, and Pictou, Guysborough, Lunenburg, Richmond, and Inverness counties. I will add updates on the blog at the end of each month. Remember, if you have any ideas or suggestions for a trail that should be added to one of the books, let me know. I still have a few gaps to fill.

And maybe I will meet you on the trail.

Field-work has begun

2011-05-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

Despite a May that has nearly set records for rain and lack of sunshine, I have been making my first, tentative steps toward hiking the trails of Nova Scotia. Indeed, there has been so much rain that I have not yet put together more than two days of back-to-back walking. Call it the the "Spring blahs".

However, I have at least 100 trails to hike over the next several months - more if I decide that some routes cannot be included. But I have not done nothing this month. As of this morning, which is cloudy again, I should point out, I have completed nine routes that I am certain will be in the new edition. (That only leaves 91; the end is in sight!)

Probably more interesting for those looking forward to the new edition, seven of the nine I have hiked will be new to Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia. One of these, in Gully Lake, is so new that the bridge over Juniper Creek was not only unfinished when I hiked the trail, it had only been built that morning!

So, there it is. I will be hiking quite a bit this summer and fall. I will try to provide regular updates. And I am looking for your input. Have a favourite trail that you believe should be considered? Make a comment on this blog and let me know. Have you used Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia recently and been unimpressed by the trail you choose? Tell me, so I can decide whether to keep it in the 9th edition.

And when you are out on the trail this summer, if you see some tired-looking middle-aged (ok, late middle-aged) man stumbling past with hands full of gear: camera, GPS, cell phone, and voice recorder, say "hello" and perhaps add an encouraging word. That just might be me, and if it is I probably still have lots more trails to complete.

Have fun this summer!

Hike Nova Scotia Annual Meeting & Hike: May 15

2011-05-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Hike NS Annual General Meeting will be held at the Shearwater Aviation Museum in Dartmouth on Sunday, May 15.

A guided hike will be held beforehand at 10 am on the nearby Shearwater Flyer Trail, at noon a free lunch will be provided for those who RSVP (info@hikenovascotia.ca) and at 1 pm the AGM will begin.

Find details and directions here: Hike NS AGM Flyer

I will see you there.

Work on 9th edition begins in 2011

2010-12-17T05:55:00.000-08:00

The 8th edition of Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia was produced in 2002, and has been tremendously successful, with more than 15,000 copies having been purchased. However, the time has now come for it to be updated.

Beginning in May 2011, I will be conducting the fieldwork necessary to write updated route profiles for the book. I expect to be finished fieldwork by the end of September, and the first draft might be available to the publisher as soon as December 31. If I am able to meet this timetable, then the 9th edtion of Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia could be in bookstores as soon as April or May 2012.

At this point, nothing has been firmly established, and no trail is guarenteed a place. If you have a favourite trail that you think should be included in the next edition, please let me know. In addition, if there is a route in the book now that you think should be removed, I would like to hear that as well.

To add to the challenge, Hiking Trails of Cape Breton has gone out of print, and a replacement needs to be considered. This book was far less successful, with barely 5,000 copies printed. Should it be updated? Should it be folded back into Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia, where it was in editions one through seven? Or should it be rewritten under the same title? Please comment. I need to decide before I start my fieldwork.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

The Bluff Trail - Hiker's Dream

2010-09-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Residents of Halifax may not know it, but a trek into of one of Nova Scotia's most extensive wilderness hiking trails is only a Metro Transit ride away. The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail, featuring more than 30km of footpaths reaching deep into the interior of the St. Margarets Bay peninsula, can be accessed from the Route 21 stop on Forestglen Drive at its intersection with Fraser Road. Simply follow the Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Trail, in the direction of Hubbards, for about 1.5km, and you will reach The Bluff Trail's trailhead.

Organized as a series of four interconnected loops, The Bluff Trail provides routes of whatever distance is desired. The shorest, the Pot Lake Loop, is approximately 9km. The Indian Hill Loop requires almost double the walking.

Most of The Bluff Trail runs through ecologically sensitive barrens, with the path being quite narrow and winding as it negotiates the complicated contours of the rugged landscape. It is critical that hikers stay on the path, given the sensitivity of the area, and the trail has been carefully routed to avoid wet areas and especially vulnerable places. Walkers are expected to pack out what they carry in, to help preserve the pristine appearance of the district.

In order to complete the two furthest sections, The Bluff Loop and Hay Marsh Loop, more than one day may be required. As the trails are located on Crown Land, but not designated as park land, camping is permitted. However, the Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization (WRWEO), an environmental group dedicated to preserving and enhancing environmental values, who developed the trail system, discourage camping because few people know how to how to camp without partly damaging the area in which they camp.

If you think you might want to stay overnight along the fragile and sensitive Bluff Trail, WRWEO - and I - encourage you to become familiar with, and practice Leave No Trace principles whenever and wherever you camp.

The purpose behind the construction of The Bluff Trail is to allow the Woodens River community and the public generally to become aware of the extraordinary natural assets of this area. Those who love the wilderness believe that awareness is the first step in protection, and that this awareness will help preserve the area from expanding and encroaching urban development.

The Pot Lake Loop, the first of the four stacked loops, is profiled in Trails of Halifax Regional Municipality. For more information about The Bluff Trail, see WRWEO. I encourage everyone to explore this this wonderful trail, superb wilderness hiking at your doorstep (or at least, at a nearby bus stop.)

New Trail - Rogart Mountain

2010-07-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

Experienced hikers are always looking for new places to stretch their legs. In Nova Scotia that is becoming easier to do, in part because of the explosion of trail development that has occured over the past decade.

And few places in the province are showing more activity than in northern highlands: Antigonish, Colchester, Cumberland, and Pictou counties. This activity stems largely from interest in building the Cape to Cape Trail, a 400 kilometer footpath, extending from Cape Chignecto in Cumberland County to Cape George in Antigonish County.

Several new trail developments are underway, but one that opened recently is the 6.2 km Rogart Mountain Trail in Earltown, Colchester County. This charming little loop takes you onto the thickly wooded hills of the Cobequid Mountains close to the highest elevation on the mainland, Nuttby Mountain, 360m (1181 ft).

Rogart Mountain is a pleasant, though occasionally challenging, walk up and down the hillside that follows - for some portion of the trail, at least - two small brooks, Leattie and New Portugal. The highlight is the peak of Rogart itself, 1125 ft. high.

Scattered throughout this walk is an interpretive signage program, featuring 17 different stops. These include interesting stories both about the natural world and the cultural history of this now-remote corner of the province. Signage exists on the trail, and a text brochure may be downloaded from a Website.

As an added bonus, the Rogart Mountain trail begins and ends at Sugar Moon Farm, a working sugar maple farm and woodlot. (I admit a certain fondness for hikes where I can relax after I have finished and eat a hearty and tasty meal.)

This trail is built and managed by volunteers under the umbrella of the Cobequid Ecotrail Society. The Rogart Mtn. Loop is the first loop built in Colchester Co and happens to begin and end at Sugar Moon Farm parking lot. The trail will be part of the Cape to Cape Trail from Cape George, Antigonish County to Cape Chignecto, Cumberland County.

One aspect I particularly enjoyed, when I walked the loop in June 2009, was the lush flora of the area. The slopes of Rogart Mountain are thickly wooded, particularly with maple. There are also many varieties of flowering plants, and I was especially pleased to spot a Painted Trillium, the first I had seen in Nova Scotia.

The Rogart Mountain Trail is open year-round, and I am looking forward to snowshoeing this path at the first opportunity.

For more information, check out Cape to Cape Trail.

2010-06-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia is a book written by Michael Haynes and published by Goose Lane Editions in May 2002. It profiles 50 walking routes located within the boundaries of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada, primarily on the mainland. A few options on Cape Breton are provided, but those interested in hiking in this part of the province will find many more choices in the book Hiking Trails of Cape Breton.

The purpose of this blog is to provide a forum to make updates and corrections to the published route descriptions, and to provide additional information that could not be included in the print edition.

Readers of Hiking Trails of Nova Scotia are encouraged to add comments to this blog if they notice something has changed from the information listed in the route description, or even if they simply wish to relate their own experiences on these trails.

Suggestions for other routes to consider for future editions are greatly appreciated.