To celebrate Bike Week we’re reprising our 2007 Trail Guide, pulling out the most bike-friendly trails in and around the city. To see the full guide, pop a wheelie on over to thecoast.ca/trails. Wear a helmet!
BLT Trail
Head out on St. Margarets Bay Road and turn into the Lakeside Industrial Park to find the trail parking lot next to the Coca-Cola building. This trail is flat and wide, and kid-friendly. Lots of benches, views over lakes and creeks but otherwise forested. The eastern segment (crushed rock and sand) is heavily travelled. Go at least as far as Six Miles Falls, a diminutive cascade about three kilometres from the parking lot.
Canada Trail in Dartmouth
At Sullivan’s Pond, the two-kilometre asphalt trail passes the expected ducks and geese, then crosses Hawthorne Avenue and a restored lock of the old Shubenacadie Canal system before running alongside the lake full of canoers. Take the bridge next to the highway, follow under the road and end up on a crushed gravel trail through Shubie Park. It’ll take you all the way to a more challenging trail through the remote sections of Lake Charles.
Sackville River Trail
The three-kilometre trail stretches from Chickenburger in Bedford to the Old Sackville Road where it crosses Highway 101. It is immediately adjacent to the highway, so can be noisy, but there’s a salmon-watching platform near the Bedford Place Mall, which adds something pretty cool.
Mainland North Trail
The four-and-a-half kilometre crushed gravel trail follows a power line in a straight shot, up the spine of Clayton Park, from the Mainland Common to Wedgewood, up and down hills that, in its northern stretches, will be a challenge. It is heavily used and becomes something of a community centre at times, as residents meet and pass time together.
Dartmouth Waterfront Trail
The four-kilometre asphalt trail stretches from the Alderney Landing ferry terminal, through Dartmouth Cove, parallel to the tracks, past the sewer plant and community college to the Woodside ferry terminal. This is really something of a harbour jewel, with wonderful views of the harbour and downtown Halifax, and interesting local terrain as well. If you only bike one trail on this list, do this one.
Shearwater to Cole Harbour Trail
This five-kilometre flat, crushed gravel trail stretches between Hines and Bissett roads in Cole Harbour and passes through a completely undeveloped stretch of forest. Bridges cross streams draining Morris and Bissett Lakes. There’s even a nice swimming hole.
Salt Marsh Trail
This six-and-a-half kilometre, crushed gravel trail continues on from the end of the Shearwater-Cole Harbour Trail at Bissett Road and follows the old railway right-of-way across the salt marshes of Cole Harbour. The trail has an amazing range of appearances, depending on tides, season and fog level. Make lots of trips to see them all.
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 1, 2011.
make the map BIGGER 😀