List of trails in Canada facts for kids

Canada is a huge country, and it's full of amazing trails where you can hike, bike, and explore! These special paths are often called rail trails because many of them used to be old railway lines. Imagine trains chugging along where you can now ride your bike or walk with your friends! These trails are a fantastic way to see Canada's beautiful nature, from coast to coast.

National Trails

Canada has one super-long trail that stretches across the entire country!

Trans Canada Trail

• The Trans Canada Trail is also known as The Great Trail. It's one of the longest networks of multi-use trails in the world! It connects Canada from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and even up to the Arctic Ocean. You can walk, cycle, horseback ride, or even snowmobile on different parts of it.

Provincial Trails

Each province also has its own special trails, perfect for outdoor adventures.

Alberta

• Iron Horse Trail: This trail in Alberta is great for exploring the countryside.

British Columbia

British Columbia is known for its stunning mountains and coasts, and its trails are just as amazing.

• Alexander MacKenzie Heritage Trail
• Centennial Trail
• Columbia & Western Rail Trail
• Great Divide Trail: This trail offers incredible views as it follows the Rocky Mountains.
• Cowichan Valley Trail
• Galloping Goose Regional Trail: A popular trail near Victoria, perfect for a bike ride.
• Interurban Rail Trail
• Kettle Valley Rail Trail: Famous for its old railway bridges and tunnels, offering breathtaking scenery.
• Kludahk Trail
• Lochside Regional Trail: Another great trail for cycling near the coast.
• Okanagan Rail Trail
• Slocan Valley Rail-Trail
• Vancouver Island Spine Trail
• West Coast Trail: A challenging but rewarding hiking trail along the rugged coastline.

New Brunswick

New Brunswick has trails that let you discover its rivers and forests.

• Dobson Trail
• Riverfront Trail: This trail runs along the river in Greater Moncton.
• Sentier NB Trail: A large network of trails across the province.

Newfoundland

• Newfoundland T'Railway: This trail crosses the entire island of Newfoundland, following the path of the old railway. It's a fantastic way to see the island's unique landscapes.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia's trails often offer beautiful ocean views and coastal breezes.

• Atlantic View Trail
• Back Harbour Trail
• Barrington Bay Trail
• Beechville-Lakeside-Timberlea Trail
• Blueberry Run Trail
• Bridgewater Centennial Trail
• Chain of Lakes Multipurpose Trail
• Cobequid Trail
• Crowbar Lake Hiking Trails
• Gaetz Brook Greenway
• Jitney Trail
• Jordan Falls Community Trail
• Judique Flyer Recreational Nature Trail
• Kentville Rail Trail
• Lunenburg Front Harbour Walk
• Musquodoboit Trailway
• Old Guysborough Line
• Oyster Pond Trail
• Salt Marsh Trail
• Shearwater Flyer Trail
• Shelburne Rail Trail
• Ship Railway
• St. Margarets Bay Trail
• Trestle Trail

Ontario

Ontario has many trails, from busy city paths to quiet nature routes.

• Hamilton-Brantford-Cambridge Trails: A network of trails connecting these cities.
• New York Central Recreational Trail: Runs between Embrun and Russell.
• Riverfront Trail: In Windsor, this trail uses parts of old railway lines along the Detroit River.
• West Toronto Railpath: A popular urban trail in Toronto.
• Beltline Trail: An urban trail in Toronto, built on an old railway line.

Popular Ontario Trails

Here are some other cool trails you can find in Ontario:

• Ausable Trail: A hiking trail near Arkona and Thedford.
• Avon Trail: A long hiking trail connecting St. Marys to Conestogo.
• Bruce Trail: One of the longest hiking-only trails in Ontario, stretching over 800 km from Queenston to Tobermory. No bikes allowed on this one!
• Caledon Trailway: A biking trail that even has a new overpass over Highway 10.
• Cambridge-Paris Trail: Great for biking, connecting Galt (in Cambridge) to Paris.
• Cataraqui Trail: A former CP Rail line, now a trail from Newburgh to Smiths Falls.
• Chedoke Radial Trail: Part of the Bruce Trail in Hamilton.
• Chrysler Canada Greenway: A bicycle-friendly trail connecting Windsor to Ruthven.
• Don Mills Trail: A rail trail located in Toronto.
• Elgin Trail: Connects Port Stanley to Talbotville Royal.
• Elora-Cataract Trail: A 47 km trail connecting Elora to Cataract.
• Feeder Canal Trail: Connects to the Welland municipal trail network.
• Friendship Trail: A 24 km trail from Port Colborne to Fort Erie, part of a longer route across Ontario.
• G2G Rail Trail: This 127 km rail trail goes from Goderich to Guelph. It's made up of three main sections: the Kissing Bridge Trailway, the Perth Harvest Pathway, and the Lake Huron Route. It's great for hiking, cycling, and even cross-country skiing!
• Ganaraska Hiking Trail: A long hiking trail with several sections, including ones near Port Hope, Midland, and Wasaga Beach.
• Georgian Bluffs Trail: A bicycle-friendly trail near Park Head.
• Georgian Trail: Connects Meaford to Collingwood, great for biking.
• Goderich-Auburn Trail: A bicycle-friendly trail between Goderich and Auburn.
• Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway: An urban bike trail in Brantford.
• Grand Valley Trail: A very long hiking trail (over 275 km) with some biking sections, connecting many towns like Dunnville, Brantford, and Elora.
• Grey County CP Rail Trail: A former CP Rail line, now a bicycle-friendly trail from Owen Sound to Dundalk.
• Haliburton County Rail Trail: A 35 km cycling trail that was once a CP rail line.
• Hamilton-Brantford Rail Trail: The longest trail in the Cambridge-Brantford-Hamilton network, at 32 km.
• Howard Watson Trail: A bicycle-friendly trail near Sarnia.
• Humber Valley Trail: A hiking trail connecting to the Bruce Trail.
• Iron Horse Trail: An urban rail trail connecting Kitchener and Waterloo.
• Kissing Bridge Trailway: This 44 km trail is part of the G2G Rail Trail. It's mostly flat and made of stone chips, perfect for hiking, running, cycling, and even snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in winter.
• K&P Rail Trail: A 40 km bike trail that can be quite remote, with nearby swamps.
• La Cloche Silhouette Trail: A challenging hiking trail with steep climbs in Killarney Provincial Park.
• Lang-Hastings Trail: A 33 km multi-use trail that is part of the Trans-Canada Trail, mostly flat with a crushed limestone surface.
• Lynn Valley Trail: A bicycle-friendly trail connecting Simcoe to Port Dover.
• Maitland Trail: A hiking trail between Goderich and Auburn.
• Merritt Trail: This 45 km trail closely follows the Welland Canal Trail.
• Niagara Recreational Trail: A 56 km biking trail in the Niagara region.
• North Simcoe Railtrail: A multi-use trail for hiking, cycling, snowmobiling, and more.
• Rideau Trail: A long hiking trail (387 km) that sometimes overlaps with other trails like the K&P Rail Trail and the Trans Canada Trail.
• Saugeen Rail Trail: A bicycle-friendly trail that was once a CN Rail line, connecting Southampton and Port Elgin.
• SC Johnson Trail: An 18 km cycling trail that's part of the Hamilton-Brantford-Cambridge Trails.
• Seguin Trail: A 61 km trail that used to be part of the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway.
• Spurline Trail: An urban rail trail in Kitchener and Waterloo, running alongside a freight train line.
• Thornton-Cookstown Trail: A bicycle-friendly trail.
• Thames Valley Trail: A hiking trail connecting different areas, including London's bike trail network.
• The Crack: A 7.5 km hiking trail in Killarney Provincial Park, famous for its amazing views from the top.
• Upper Canada Heritage Trail: A 10.6 km trail near Niagara-on-the-Lake, which used to be a passenger railway line.
• Victoria Rail Trail: A long biking trail (85 km) that connects with the Haliburton County Rail Trail.
• Wainfleet Rail Trail: A 13 km biking trail that was once a CN Rail spur.
• Walter Bean Grand River Trail: This 76 km trail runs alongside the Grand River, connecting Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge. It's also part of the Trans Canada Trail.
• Waterfront Trail: One of the longest trails in Ontario, stretching over 1300 km along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
• Welland Canal Trail: This 60 km trail travels along the Welland Canal, connecting St. Catharines to Port Colborne.

Prince Edward Island

• Confederation Trail: This trail covers almost the entire length of Prince Edward Island, following old railway lines. It's a fantastic way to see the island's gentle hills and coastal views.

Quebec

Quebec has a fantastic network of trails called Route Verte (The Green Route), which is one of the largest cycling networks in North America!

Route Verte Trails

• La Cantonière
• Cycloparc PPJ
• L'Estriade
• Montérégiade
• Parc linéaire de la MRC de Lotbinière
• Parc linéaire des Bois-Francs
• Parc linéaire Le Grand Tronc
• Sentier Massawippi
• La Vagabonde
• Ligne du Mocassin
• Parc linéaire des Basse-Laurentides
• Parc Linéaire Le P'tit Train du Nord: A very popular trail, known for its beautiful scenery.
• Parc linéaire Rouyn-Noranda–Taschereau
• La Campagnarde
• Corridor des Cheminots
• Piste Jarcques-Cartier/Portneuf
• Parc linéaire interprovincial Petit-Témis

Regional Trails in Quebec

• Corridor Aérobique
• Corridors Verts d'Asbestos
• Parc linéaire de la Vallée de la Gatineau
• Route des Champs
• Sentier Nature Tomifobia