The Trans Canada Trail is a cross-
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
to the
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...
to the
Arctic
The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...
oceans. The trail extends over ; it is now the longest recreational, multi-use trail network in the world. The idea for the trail began in 1992, shortly after the Canada 125 celebrations. Since then it has been supported by donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and all levels of government.
Trans Canada Trail (TCT) is the name of the non-profit group that raises funds for the continued development of the trail. However, the trail is owned and operated at the local level.
On August 26, 2017, TCT celebrated the connection of the trail with numerous events held throughout Canada. TCT has said it now plans to make the trail more accessible, replace interim roadways with off-road greenways, add new spurs and loops to the trail, and fund emergency repairs when needed.
Between September 2016 and June 2021, the TCT was known as the Great Trail. In 2021, the name was changed back to the Trans Canada Trail.
Origin of trail idea
The creation of the trail was born of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992. It has its counterparts in such other
greenway routes as the 12
EuroVelo
EuroVelo is a network of 17 long-distance cycling routes criss-crossing Europe, with 2 more in early construction across various stages of completion. When completed, the EuroVelo network's total length will be almost . more than were in place. ...
routes, the UK's
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network (NCN) was established to encourage cycling and walking throughout the United Kingdom, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the charity Sustrans who were aided by a £42.5 million N ...
, and the
United States Numbered Bicycle Routes network.
Funding
The Trans Canada Trail has been funded largely by Canadian
federal and
provincial governments, with significant contributions from corporate and individual donors. The first province to have completed its designated section of the trail was
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
(see
Confederation Trail
Confederation Trail is the name for a 273 kilometre recreational rail trail system in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It was developed in the 1990s, following the December 31, 1989, abandonment of all railway lines in the provin ...
).
Development and maintenance
The network of the Trans Canada Trail is made up of more than 400 community trails. Each trail section is developed, owned, and managed locally by trail groups, conservation authorities, and by municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal governments, for instance in parks such as
Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park () is a federal park located in the Outaouais, Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. Administered by the National Capital Commission as part of the National Capital Region (Canada), National Capital Region, Gatineau Park is a wedge ...
or along existing trails such as the
Cataraqui Trail and
Voyageur Hiking Trail. The Trans Canada Trail supports the construction and use of
greenways to replace roadways.
Moreover, considerable parts of the trail are repurposed defunct rail lines donated to provincial governments by
Canadian Pacific
The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
and
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States.
CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue a ...
railbeds rebuilt as
walking trails. As such, much of the Trans Canada Trail development emulated the successful
Rails-to-Trails initiative in the United States, whereby these transportation corridors are "rail banked" as recreational trails, allowing conversion back to rail should future need arise.
Thousands of Canadians, community partner organizations, corporations, local businesses, and all levels of government are involved in developing and maintaining these trails. TCT does not own or operate any section of the trail. As an ensemble, the Trans Canada Trail might be one of the largest volunteer projects ever undertaken in Canada.
Routes and amenities
The main section runs along the southern areas of Canada, connecting most of Canada's major cities and most populous areas. There is also a long northern arm that runs through Alberta to
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
and then up through northern
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
to the
Yukon
Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...
.
While the route described above has the TCT going east–west through the southern prairie provinces (via Medicine Hat and Calgary), with a northern branch going off to Edmonton and on to the north, the Trans Canada Trail officially is shown as going from Winnipeg across the northern Prairies, coming into Alberta east of Edmonton, spawning a northern walking trail near Fort Saskatchewan before entering Edmonton, then going south to Calgary and west to BC.
The trail is multi-use and depending on the section may allow
hikers,
bicyclists, horseback riders,
cross country skiers, and
snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known as a snowmachine (chiefly Alaskan), motor sled (chiefly Canadian), motor sledge, skimobile, snow scooter, or simply a sled is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow.
Their engines normally ...
rs. In theory, the trail is equipped with regularly spaced pavilions that provide shelter as well as fresh water to travellers, but this varies widely from section to section, and particularly from province to province.
"
Mile zero" of the trail is located outside the
Railway Coastal Museum in
St. John's,
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
.
Future developments
While the trail is connected, TCT stated that it will continue to fundraise for its future development and enhancement. Among its objectives, TCT says that it plans to replace interim roadways with off-road greenways, where possible, to make it safer and more accessible for all users; to add new trail sections, and to provide emergency funding for trail sections damaged by natural disasters, etc.
The trail is not owned or operated by TCT, but the organization provides support to local partners and volunteer groups who maintain individual sections.
On September 4, 2018, TCT announced that the government of Canada would invest $30 million in trail development in the next four years. The official announcement was made by Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Controversy
Edmund A. Aunger, professor emeritus of political science at the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta (also known as U of A or UAlberta, ) is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, t ...
, Campus Saint-Jean, is a vocal critic of the trail, particularly in the way it has strayed from the original vision of "a trail built far enough from roads to mask traffic noise and avoid collisions".
Because only 32 per cent (i.e. ) of the Trans Canada Trail consists of actual off-road trails, the Trans Canada Trail is fundamentally very different from classic pure-hiking trails like the
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...
. Furthermore, not all of the off-road trails are hiking-only. Also, because many sections are on-road, cycling is more suitable for those stretches. Additionally, since some sections are on waterways, a cross-country trekker cannot rely on any one mode of transportation alone.
Aunger states that "Lacking both uniform standards and control, the Trans Canada Trail includes a confusing and dangerous hodgepodge of mountain-bike paths, roadside ditches, dirt ruts, gravel roads and hazardous ATV trails."
In 2012, Aunger's wife, Elizabeth Ann Sovis, was killed while cycling on a portion of the trail in Prince Edward Island.
Infrastructure and route details by province and territory
Newfoundland and Labrador
As of May 2017, "Kilometre 0" begins at
Cape Spear, the most easterly point in continental
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
. Here it is known as the
East Coast Trail, a series of rugged coastal wilderness paths. The route follows the coastline north around St. John's Bay and Freshwater Bay, connecting with the
Grand Concourse walkway network at
Fort Amherst. The route then follows a sidewalkway along Southside Road adjacent to
St. John's Harbour until the former Trail Eastern Terminus located at the
Railway Coastal Museum. From here it follows the former Newfoundland Railway route travelling south, crossing
Route 2 into
Kilbride then through
Bowring Park. It continues northwest through
Mount Pearl
Mount Pearl is the fourth-largest municipality and second-largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The city is located southwest of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the isla ...
then
Donovans crossing
Route 1 into
Paradise
In religion and folklore, paradise is a place of everlasting happiness, delight, and bliss. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical, eschatological, or both, often contrasted with the miseries of human ...
, passing
Neils Pond and
Octagon Pond. The route then turns southwest in
Conception Bay South
Conception Bay South is a town in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The town is commonly called CBS.
The town is located on the Avalon Peninsula which forms part of the southern shore of Conception Bay which is in turn part of ...
and crosses Route 60 before it meets and follows the Conception Bay coastline. At Indian Pond, the
Grand Concourse trail ends, and the route is known as the
Newfoundland T'Railway, an 883 km linear park that consists of the former railbed and permits motorized access.
The route continues as the Newfoundland T'Railway southwest, passing through the east side of
Holyrood Bay. The trail passes through
Briens as it enters
Hollyrood. The route again crosses Route 60, then the
North Arm River, then travels north through
Burnt Stump. The route travels southwest passing
Woodsford, then passes through
Brien's Gullies before then crossing Route 1 again. It then passes through
Brigus Junction,
Mahers, then
Ocean Pond, then a mostly treed area before entering
Whitbourne and crossing
Route 80. Continuing, the route crosses
Route 100, then enters
Placentia Junction
Placentia may refer to:
* Palace of Placentia, an English royal palace
* Placentia, Italy, a Roman city known today as Piacenza
* Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
** Placentia Bay, body of water
* Placentia, California, United Stat ...
before turning north, passing over
Coles Pond. Crossing
Route 120, the next major location is
Tickle Harbour Station, where it again touches Route 1 and follows it, crossing a few more times before entering
Cobb's Pond, then
Come By Chance. The route continues as it enters
Goobies, then
Northern Blight, then crosses Route 1 as it enters
Clarenville
Clarenville is a town on the east coast of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Clarenville was incorporated in 1951. It is located in the Shoal Harbour valley, fronting an arm of the Atlant ...
. It follows
Shoal Harbour River as it enters
Thorburn Lake, then crosses
Route 233 at
Port Blandford, then crosses Route 1 again as it enters
Terra Nova.
The trail changes to
Gambo to Terra Nova Trail as it continues to Alexander Bay, then route 1, then
Route 320
The following highways are numbered 320:
Canada
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 320
* Nova Scotia Route 320
* Saskatchewan Highway 320
China
* China National Highway 320
Costa Rica
* National Route 320 (Costa Rica), National Route 320
India
* ...
as it enters
Gambo.
Continuing north, the next leg of the trail is called
Cobb Corridor Trail as it enters
Butts, then
Benton, then it turns northwest as it enters
Gander. As it continues, the route passes
Glenwood, then continues to
Notre Dame Junction, passing
Route 340 and finally
Norris Arm.
The next section is
Newfoundland Trailway Park, continuing to
Rattling Brook, as it follows the
Exploits River
The Exploits River ( Mi'kmaq: Sple'tk; Tenenigeg) is a river in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It flows through the Exploits Valley in the central part of Newfoundland.
Including the Lloyds River, which discharges in Beothuk ...
through
Junipers Brook,
Bishops Falls, crossing
Route 350 and continuing through
Grand Falls.
Now known as
Exploits Valley and Beothuk Trail, the trail moves along into
Windsor, then
Badger
Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by the ...
. From here it is known as
Newfoundland Trailway Park and travels through
West Lake
The West Lake (; ) is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. Situated to the west of Hangzhou's former Hangzhou City Walls, walled city, the lake has a surface area of , stretching from north to south and from east to west. In the lake are four ...
and
Millertown Junction. The route then passes through
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mining, open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock (geology), rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some juri ...
,
Gaff Topsails,
Kittys Brook, and
Howley, where it crosses the
Main Brook and ends in
Deer Lake.
The next stretch is called the
Deer Lake to Corner Brook Trail and closely follows Route 1 through
Pasadena
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial d ...
,
Steady Brook
Steady Brook (2021 population: 416) is a Canadian town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland, the town is situated 8 kilometres east of the city of Corner B ...
, and
Corner Brook
Corner Brook ( 2021 population: 19,316 CA 29,762) is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Corner Brook is the fifth largest settlement in Newfoundland and Labrado ...
on the south side of the
Upper Humber River, ending as it crosses
Route 450.
Continuing south, the route is now known as
Newfoundland Trailway Park, passing through
Mount Moriah, then continuing on
Harrys River into
Gallants, then crossing
Route 460 as it intersects with
Route 461 at
Stephenville Crossing in
St. George's Bay. Passing through
St. George's, the route crosses
Fischells Brook, then crosses
Route 404 in
Cartyville. Passing through
St. Fintans, the route continues to
Codroy Pond, then
South Branch,
Benoits Siding,
Doyles,
Tompkins,
St Andrews
St Andrews (; ; , pronounced ʰʲɪʎˈrˠiː.ɪɲ is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fourth-largest settleme ...
, and ends in
Cape Ray
Cape Ray is a headland located at the southwestern extremity of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
It is the site of the Cape Ray Lighthouse.
It is located opposite Cape North on Cape Breton Island ...
.
The last stretch of the trail in Newfoundland is known as the
Wreckhouse Trail. This section passes through
Osmond,
Grand Bay, and ends in
Port aux Basques, where you would take the
Port Aux Basques to North Sydney Ferry to
North Sydney, Nova Scotia
North Sydney (Mi'kmaq language, Mi'kmawi'simk: ''Kweso'mkiaq'', Scottish Gaelic: ''Suidni A Tuath'' or ''Am Bàr'') is a former town and current community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
Located on the north side of Sydn ...
.
Nova Scotia
In Nova Scotia, the trail begins where it is known as Pottle Lake to North Sydney, on
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island (, formerly '; or '; ) is a rugged and irregularly shaped island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
The island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although ...
in the town of
North Sydney
North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. And is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney Council.
History
The Indigenous people on the s ...
, separating itself from
Highway 105 after the ferry ride from Newfoundland. As of June 2014, this portion of the route has not been completed; however, it is planned to travel through the town and cross
Highway 125 following Old Branch Road on the North Side of
Pottle Lake.
From here, the trail changes to Old Branch Road - George River Division and continues through
Georges River
The Georges River, also known as Tucoerah River, is an intermediate tide-dominated Ria, drowned valley estuary, that is located in Sydney, Australia. The Georges River is located south and south-west from the Sydney central business district, w ...
and then heads southeast, touching the north east corner of
Scotch Lake, then enters the community of
Scotch Lake and follows Scotch Lake Road.
The route continues as Upper Leitches Creek to Scotch Lake, briefly merging with
Route 223 on the Bras D'or Lakes Scenic Drive, then follows Upper Leitches Creek Road as it enters
Upper Leitches Creek.
At this point it changes to the Scotch Lake – Grand Narrows trail as it continues on Tower Road, then passes the
MacAulays Lakes. Here it crosses
McLeod Brook as it passes through
Bodale Hills. The route changes to Little Narrows as it enters the community of
Rear Christmas Island. It again merges onto Highway 223 in
Christmas Island
Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an States and territories of Australia#External territories, Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean comprising the island of the same name. It is about south o ...
and follows the highway through
Grand Narrows,
Iona
Iona (; , sometimes simply ''Ì'') is an island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there are other buildings on the island. Iona Abbey was a centre of Gaeli ...
,
Jamesville,
Jamesville West, and
Ottawa Brook. As the route passes
Bras D'or Lake
Bras d'Or Lake (Mi'kmaq language, Mi'kmawi'simk: Pitupaq) is an irregular estuary in the centre of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. It has a connection to the open sea, and is tidal. It also has inflows of fresh water from rivers, ma ...
, it crosses at
Little Narrows, using the
Little Narrows Ferry and crossing the Trans-Canada Highway at
Highway 105 in
Aberdeen
Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
, then continuing north through
Lewis Mountain, where it becomes the Celtic Shores Coast Trail.
Celtic Shores Coast Trail
The Trans Canada Trail continues, passing
Route 395 and going through Scotsville to a fork north of Strathlorne in the
Municipality of the County of Inverness.
Halifax, Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, and Eastern Shore area
The only trail in
Halifax is the
Halifax Boardwalk
The Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk is a public footpath located on the Halifax Harbour waterfront in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Constructed of durable heavy timber, the Halifax boardwalk is open to the public 24 hours a day. The boardwalk als ...
. The boardwalk travels from
Pier 21 to near
Casino Nova Scotia. There are two trails in
Dartmouth. The Dartmouth Waterfront Trail starts at
Alderney Landing and ends in
Woodside. The other trail goes by two names: Dartmouth Multi-use Trail and Shubie Canal Greenway. The trail visits Dartmouth's best parks, including
Shubie Park. The Trans Canada Trail continues straight on trail from
Shearwater
Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds in the petrel family Procellariidae. They have a global marine distribution, but are most common in temperate and cold waters, and are pelagic outside the breeding season.
Description
These tube ...
to
Meaghers Grant. Shearwater Flyer Trail, Forest Hills Trail System, Salt Marsh Trail, Atlantic View Trail, Blueberry Run Trail, Gaetz Brook Greenway and
Musquodoboit Trailway are the names of the rest of the area's trails. Out of the region, the Trans Canada Trail continues on roads.
The North Trail or North Path travels north and ends in
Inverness
Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...
.
The South Trail passes through Strathlorne, then through Loch Ban, and then Black River, where its name changes to Mabou Rivers Trail. From here it passes through Glendyer, then crosses
Route 252 as it passes through
Rankinville, then crosses
Route 19 in
Mabou.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island's portion of the Trans Canada Trail is known as the
Confederation Trail
Confederation Trail is the name for a 273 kilometre recreational rail trail system in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It was developed in the 1990s, following the December 31, 1989, abandonment of all railway lines in the provin ...
. The main section runs from Tignish at kilometre 0 to Elmira at kilometre 273. Spurs extend to Charlottetown, Georgetown, Montague, Murray River, Murray Harbour, Souris, Wood Islands, and to the Confederation Bridge in Borden-Carleton, which links the Island with New Brunswick on the Canadian mainland.
New Brunswick
Shogomoc River Pedestrian Bridge is an
suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
in
Lakeland Ridges, New Brunswick. Part of the Trans Canada Trail and the
Sentier NB Trail network, it was opened in October 2011 by a ribbon-cutting ceremony with journalist
Valerie Pringle
Valerie Pringle (née Whittingham, born 5 September 1953) is a Canadian television host and journalist, hosting the Canadian edition of '' Antiques Roadshow'' on CBC since 2006. Pringle was born in Windsor, Ontario.
Pringle began her career in ...
present as a TCT representative. Sentier NB Trail provided over $300,000 towards the project. It is known as the final non-motorized trail link between the town of
Grand Bay–Westfield and the border of the province of Quebec.
Quebec
Much of the trail's current route through Quebec follows the ''Route Verte'' and has many cycling paths. Completed off-road hiking trails can be found in Gatineau Park and along a route linking the Papineau-Labelle Nature Reserve, Mont Tremblant Provincial Park, and the Mastigouche Nature Reserve. These form part of a planned hiking route that would eventually link Ottawa-Gatineau on the Ontario border with the Gaspe Peninsula and the New Brunswick border.
Ontario
As a legacy project of the
2015 Pan American Games
The 2015 Pan American Games (), officially the XVII Pan American Games () and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 Pan-Am Games (Toronto 2015), were a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Pan American Games, ...
and the
2015 Parapan American Games
The 2015 Parapan American Games, officially the V Parapan American Games and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 ParaPan-Am Games, were a major international multi-sport event for Disabled sports, athletes with disabilities, celebrated in the tra ...
, the
Pan Am Path helps complete the of gaps in Ontario's portion of the Trans Canada Trail. In 2013, a one-kilometre-long honorary segment of the Trans Canada Trail was opened on the grounds of
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence of the governor general of Canada, the representative of the monarch of Canada. Located in Ottawa, the Capital city, capital of the country, on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, th ...
in Ottawa. The Lake Huron-North Channel Waterfront route reduces use of shoulders along the Trans-Canada Highway by about 50 kilometres.
Prairie provinces
The route through Manitoba is a mix of off-road hiking trails, road shoulders, and waterways.
Saskatchewan has managed to avoid major highways and paved roads and uses nothing more than rural gravel roads to link off-road hiking trails. The route through this province has been proclaimed as complete with the opening of the Wakamow Valley Suspension Bridge. However, parts of the land route include some waterways that require a canoe or small boat.
The off-road sections of the trail are very fragmentary in Alberta, where opposition to the trail by special interest groups has been very strong. A major section in Alberta follows highway 2A between Edmonton and Calgary, a road that combines narrow shoulders with heavy traffic. The main role of the Alberta government so far has been to assist local trail associations in searching for better routes. Multi-use trails in the city of
Fort Saskatchewan
Fort Saskatchewan is a city along the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta, Canada. It is northeast of Edmonton, the provincial capital. It is part of the Edmonton Capital Region#Edmonton CMA, Edmonton census metropolitan area and one of 24 muni ...
and
Sturgeon County
Sturgeon County is a municipal district in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. It is north of Edmonton and west of the North Saskatchewan River. Sturgeon County is located in Division No. 11 and was named for the Sturgeon Rive ...
are planned to be connected with a new pedestrian bridge spanning the
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water flows event ...
, which was funded as part of a project to completely twin
Highway 15 in the region.
East of Edmonton, the TCT from Elk Point to Waskatenau uses the Iron Horse Trail, which lies on the old route of the Oliver–St. Paul rail line once operated by the Canadian Northern Railway (later the Canadian National). The Iron Horse Trail allows use of feet, quads, and horses. At Waskatenau, the trail veers south to the banks of the North Saskatchewan River and winds westward to Fort Saskatchewan.
Just north of Fort Saskatchewan, the TCT forks, with the "Northern walking trail" winding north to Athabasca, across northern Alberta, northern BC, and the Yukon. At Athabasca, the northern walking trail spawns a water trail that takes travellers down the Athabasca River to the Mackenzie and thence to the Arctic Ocean.
British Columbia

The main leg of the trail enters British Columbia from Alberta, following the
Elk River passing through
Sparwood and the
Kootenays
The Kootenays or Kootenay ( ) is a region of southeastern British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Kutenai First Nations people.
Boundaries
The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Koote ...
and Columbia mountains. From there, it delves southward and westward near the
Kettle river. The trail passes through the
Okanagan Valley
The Okanagan ( ), also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part of t ...
over the
Kettle Valley Rail Trail, including the very popular
Myra Canyon portion. From here, it heads through
Princeton
Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...
. Between Brookmere and the
Othello Tunnels, the trail officially follows the route of the
Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway at Princeton and then onto parts of the Kettle Valley Railway south of Brookmere, but due to lost bridges, washouts, grade degradation, and freeway construction, it actually traces the
Coquihalla Highway. The route then sideskirts down the Silverhope logging road and over the steep, overgrown, and isolated Paleface Pass into the Chilliwack Lake basin. Once down to the lake level, pavement resumes. It then continues west on a mixture of dikes and rural roads to
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
and
West Vancouver
West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, West Vancouver is situated on the north shore of Burrard Inlet to the northwest of the city ...
, to connect to
Horseshoe Bay. The Vancouver-to-
Nanaimo
Nanaimo ( ) is a city of about 100,000 on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. "The Harbour City" was previously known as the "Hub City", which was attributed to its original layout design with streets radiating fr ...
section involves a trip on
BC Ferries
British Columbia Ferry Services Inc., Trade name, operating as BC Ferries (BCF), is a former provincial Crown corporations of Canada, Crown corporation, now operating as an independently managed, State-owned enterprise, publicly owned Canadian c ...
. From Nanaimo, the trail extends southward on various roads until meeting the Cowichan Valley Trail on
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest ...
. From there, it maintains its own right-of-way (sometimes shared with the
Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway) to
Victoria, where another ferry returns to Vancouver.
The Salish Sea Marine Trail is an alternate route to Victoria from Horseshoe Bay, crossing the
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia () or the Georgia Strait is an arm of the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the extreme southwestern mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada, and the extreme northwestern mainland coast of Washington, United Stat ...
from the
Sunshine Coast and the northern
Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands is a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Coast, mainland coast of British Columbia.
Etymology
The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia", the original term used by Geor ...
to
Nanoose Bay, then travelling south to Victoria via the southern Gulf Islands. Another marine route, the Sea to Sky Marine Trail, connects Horseshoe Bay and
Gibsons
Gibsons is a coastal community of 4,758 in southwestern British Columbia, Canada on the Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), Sunshine Coast, where the southwest bank of Howe Sound meets the Strait of Georgia.
During its early history as a Europe ...
to
Squamish via the
Howe Sound
Howe Sound (, ) is a roughly triangular sound (geography), sound, that joins a network of fjords situated immediately northwest of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2021.
Geography
Howe Sound ...
. From Squamish it joins the
Sea to Sky Trail, which is officially designated as a spur of the Trans Canada Trail to
Whistler and
Pemberton.
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is where the Trans Canada Trail meets the
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five oceanic divisions. It spans an area of approximately and is the coldest of the world's oceans. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, ...
. The land-based trail comes through the Yukon up the
Dempster Highway
The Dempster Highway, also referred to as Yukon Highway 5 and Northwest Territories Highway 8, is a highway in Canada that connects the Klondike Highway in Yukon to Inuvik, Northwest Territories on the Mackenzie River delta. The highway crosses t ...
and into the N.W.T., where it continues north through the Mackenzie Delta to
Tuktoyaktuk
Tuktoyaktuk ( ; , ) is an Inuvialuit hamlet near the Mackenzie River delta in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, at the northern terminus of the Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway.Montgomery, Marc"Canada now officially connected ...
, the most northern point on the Trans Canada Trail. There is also a significant portion of the water-based trail in the N.W.T. that comes from Alberta via the
Slave River, across
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories, Canada (after Great Bear Lake), List of lakes by depth, the deepest lake in North America at , and the List of lakes by area, tenth-largest lake in the world by area. It ...
and north along the
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River (French: ; Slavey language, Slavey: ' èh tʃʰò literally ''big river''; Inuvialuktun: ' uːkpɑk literally ''great river'') is a river in the Canadian Canadian boreal forest, boreal forest and tundra. It forms, ...
to the Arctic Ocean.
Nunavut
There is a small section of the trail on
Baffin Island
Baffin Island (formerly Baffin Land), in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, is the largest island in Canada, the second-largest island in the Americas (behind Greenland), and the fifth-largest island in the world. Its area is (slightly smal ...
, Nunavut, from the capital city of
Iqaluit
Iqaluit is the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It is the territory's largest community and its only city, and the northernmost city in Canada. It was known as Frobisher Bay from 1942 to 1987, after the large bay on the coast on ...
south along the Itijjagiaq trail to
Kimmirut.
Yukon
The Yukon provides the land link between British Columbia and the Arctic. The trail enters the Yukon from British Columbia on the