Canada is a country built for big hikes. From the storm-battered coastlines of Newfoundland to the alpine ridges of the Canadian Rockies and the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest, there are trails that can make a weekend or week-long adventure feel more like a wilderness experience. But which hikes should earn a place in the Canadian hiking bucket list of the outdoorsy set? Here are 10 classics from coast to coast that make the grade.
West Coast Trail
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
If there is one hike on the bucket list of outdoors-loving Canadians, it is the West Coast Trail. If your vibe is all about challenging hikes through old-growth rainforests and along secluded beaches, up ladders crafted from found timber, over rickety suspension bridges, across tidal crossings and past the occasional seal, this is the trail for you. Most hikers complete this epic 75-kilometre route, originally built as a lifesaving route for shipwreck survivors, in five to seven days, camping along the way in designated sites. The trail requires advance reservations through Parks Canada, and book early because this hike is world famous and packed every year. •
Photo: Tourism Vancouver Island / Ben Giesbrecht
Skyline Trail
Jasper National Park
The Canadian Rockies are probably the most stunning landscape, well… anywhere. So, we need at least two gems to add to our bucket list. And few hikes capture that incredible top-of-the-world alpine feeling quite like Jasper’s Skyline Trail. There is something for everyone on this 44-kilometre route, which is mostly above the tree line, offering epic views of the Rockies in every direction. The highlight is the Notch, where hikers climb above 2,500 metres and follow a high alpine ridge surrounded by endless peaks. Most people complete the trail in two to four days, camping at backcountry sites along the route. The best hiking window is late July through September when snow has melted, but even in summer, weather can be a little unpredictable.
Photo: Alberta Leigh McAdam
Sunshine Coast Trail
British Columbia
The Sunshine Coast Trail is a gem that is one of the most popular and unique hikes in the country. What makes this route so fantastic is the 14 huts along the way, making it the longest hut-to-hut hiking trail in the country. Hikers can spend nearly two weeks travelling through everything from coastal rainforests to mountain ridges and alpine lakes without needing to carry a tent. That is some hard-to-beat seclusion. The full route requires some planning and resupply stops, and shorter sections are also perfect for weekend adventures.
Photo: Destination BC/Andrew Strain
Berg Lake Trail
Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia
No list of Canadian bucket list hikes is complete without a classic from the Canadian Rockies. The Berg Lake Trail is one of the country’s most iconic mountain hikes. Here, hikers travel through some of Mount Robson Provincial Park’s most spectacular scenery towards the towering north face of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Rockies. The 23-kilometre route winds through forests, past waterfalls and across suspension bridges before reaching the stunning turquoise waters of Berg Lake. While the trail is often completed as a multi-day backpacking trip, day hikers can also explore sections of the route. This is a steep one with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain, but the scenery rewards the effort: glaciers, alpine meadows and some of the best mountain views in Western Canada.
Photo: Destination BC / Megan McLellan
Bruce Trail
Ontario
Sometimes the best adventures are hidden in plain sight. Case in point, the incredible Bruce Trail, which runs 900 kilometres from Queenston Heights near Niagara Falls to Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula. It is within spitting distance of the province’s largest cities, but once on the trail, you’d never know it. The Bruce is a trail of contrasts: hikers can grab a coffee in a Niagara Escarpment town in the morning, then spend the afternoon scrambling along a cliff edge with only chickadees and wind for company. It is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, following the gnarly spine of the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The trail showcases some of Ontario’s gorgeous landscapes, including limestone cliffs, waterfalls, caves and forests. While dedicated hikers complete the entire route in a month or more and some ultrarunners tackle it over the course of a day or two, most people explore it through shorter sections and weekend hikes.
Photo: Destination Ontario
La Cloche Silhouette Trail
Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario
Imagine being hunkered down at a dreamy lakeside campsite, with crystal-clear water gently lapping the shore, the eerily white La Cloche Mountains as a backdrop and wolves howling in the distance. That’s Killarney Park in a nutshell and the best way to see it is on the La Cloche Silhouette Trail, a 78-kilometre loop around the park. The park is known for its crystal-clear lakes, white rock ridges and dreamy forests, but this hike is legit with plenty of elevation gain and rocky scrambles to keep things interesting. Most hikers complete the loop in seven to 10 days, though shorter sections are possible. Ontario Parks reservations are required, and hikers should be prepared for rugged terrain, limited water sources and challenging climbs.
Photo: Destination Ontario
International Appalachian Trail
Quebec Section, Gaspésie
Looking for a true wilderness experience in Eastern Canada, and one you’ve probably never heard of? It doesn’t get any wilder or more challenging than the Quebec section of the International Appalachian Trail. The 650-kilometre Quebec portion travels through the forests and valleys of the Gaspésie region and the stunning Chic-Choc Mountains, including sections of Gaspésie National Park. While few hikers complete the entire route in one journey, there are a ton of options for shorter and very sweet backpacking adventures. The route features incredibly remote campsites in the wildest regions of Quebec, mountain summits and that famous Appalachian landscape that stretches thousands of kilometres. Late summer and early fall provide some of the best conditions.
Photo: Gaspésie © GouvQc Pierre Carbonneau
Fundy Footpath
New Brunswick
Imagine being hunkered down at a dreamy lakeside campsite, with crystal-clear water gently lapping the shore, the eerily white La Cloche Mountains as a backdrop and wolves howling in the distance. That’s Killarney Park in a nutshell and the best way to see it is on the La Cloche Silhouette Trail, a 78-kilometre loop around the park. The park is known for its crystal-clear lakes, white rock ridges and dreamy forests, but this hike is legit with plenty of elevation gain and rocky scrambles to keep things interesting. Most hikers complete the loop in seven to 10 days, though shorter sections are possible. Ontario Parks reservations are required, and hikers should be prepared for rugged terrain, limited water sources and challenging climbs.
Photo: Tourism New Brunswick
Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail
Nova Scotia
If dramatic hiking is what we’re after, there are few places that offer more heart-pounding pathways than the Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail. The power of Atlantic Canada is on full display while tromping this 53-kilometre loop along the Bay of Fundy. The hike delivers one of Atlantic Canada’s most dramatic wilderness experiences. Expect to find towering sea cliffs, secluded beaches and dense forested valleys that were lovingly carved by some of the world’s highest tides.
Most hikers spend three to four days camping along the route, although shorter
day hikes are available. Word to the wise: try late spring through fall when the weather is far more predictable and conditions are optimal.
Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia
East Coast Trail
Newfoundland
If the West Coast Trail represents the country’s wild Pacific side, the East Coast Trail delivers that same sense of awe and adventure from the opposite coast. This spectacular trail showcases Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula with incredible coastal hiking. The East Coast Trail is made up of 25 individual wilderness paths that offer hikers everything from short day jaunts to multi-day backpacking extravaganzas. The trail is at its best along the dramatic cliffs that loom high above the North Atlantic, passing sea stacks, historic fishing communities, lighthouses and waterfalls. Don’t miss the Spout Path, where a natural ocean geyser shoots forth from a rocky coastline. Most hikers choose individual sections rather than completing the entire route, with trailheads accessible by car from St. John’s.
Photo: Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism/Alex Buisse
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