Category: coastal

Ken Vande Burgt contacted us by email:

I am a sea kayaker and am concerned about campsites and access after losing recreation sites at Spring Island, Fair Harbour, and Toquart Bay in the Maa Nulth treaty settlement. So far it looks like Nootka Trail is not on the table for other treaties under negotiation, however, it will only stay that way if enough of us make it known that losing the trail won’t be tolerated. Get the word out.

Incredibly, the British Columbia Provincial Government is still sitting on their hands regarding a the popular, unofficial Nootka Trail on Vancouver Island.

source – flickr – Andre Charland

It’s a world class tourist attraction, yet inaction is standard policy for the famously inefficient BC government when it comes to dealing with aboriginal land claims.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure what we can do about it. Petition the Provincial government if you live in that part of the world.

We complained May 2006: North Coast Trail, Canada ??

And again in December 2006: North Coast Trail, Vancouver Island – stalled

Now … Joan tipped me off that the NCT will open for the 2008 season. Or most of it, we think. The official announcement is still weeks away.

My Saskatoon hiking friends are looking at their calendars.

From the organizing group on Vancouver Island:

Inaugural Hike: Dave Trebett, Ron Quilter, Shaun Korman, Jacob Blanchard, Ben McGibbon, Ben Pawlett and Dave Parker hiked the North Coast Trail November 4-8, 2007.

A few photos from their report to the Northern Vancouver Island Trails Society:

The full document, called Cape Scott North Coast Trail – Progress Report, is available as a PDF linked from the Northern Vancouver Island Trail Society.

Similar best hikes nearby:

West Coast Trail

Nootka Trail

Juan de Fuca Marine Trail

David Beattie of the Gillespie House Inn in Nova Scotia recommends Cape Chignecto:

The Bay of Fundy Experience: come and walk on the ocean floor.

Though I live in Canada, I’ve never heard of Chignecto. (It’s a big country.)

map source – brochure PDF – linked from official Provincial Park website

Hmm. The “challenging 51 km long Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail.”

Looks great. We love coastal hikes at besthike.

At Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, towering 180 m (600 ft.) sea cliffs rise from the Bay of Fundy, while the world’s highest tides lap at their base. Best described as a wilderness park, it has … of pristine coastline, deep valleys, sheltered coves, rare plants, and remnant old-growth forests. …

Nova Scotia government Cape Chignecto Provincial Park

There are other good shorter options including the moderately challenging 5km (3.1mi) Fundy Ridge Trail.

And there’s much to do there aside from hiking.

I recall questioning Florida hiking guru Sandra Friend when she insisted we include Okeechobee on our list of the best hikes in North America.

Over 110mi long. Circling the second largest freshwater lake entirely inside the United States. It sounded a little … flat.

OK. I’m convinced after reading her recent trip report.

Why Sandra loves the Big O:

… Hiking this section of the Florida Trail introduced me to a part of Florida I previously knew little about, and to a lake I’d only ever seen in the distance from the dike at John Stretch Park. I watched anglers putter into the locks with a boatful of catfish, and duck hunters slide their fast boats past with nary a duck on board. I learned the rhythm of the sugar cane harvest, and could spot white pelicans soaring over the endless blue. I learned the calls of the blue-winged teal and the smooth-billed ani, and discovered that sandhill cranes like to hang out around lone cattle. And I discovered that I liked being away from the normal flow of life for nine days, rising before sunrise to catch the colorful morning glow from every conceivable angle. Sure, there’s no shade. And it’s flat, except when you have to go down the dike. But it’s a different take on Florida, a quiet refuge from the humming cities on either coast—and you’ll never lack for fresh water to filter. …

Read Sandra’s trip report – Florida Hikes! | The Best of Hiking in Florida | Hike, Day, Big, Lake, Trail

Florida Hikes is a quality site. Sandra a terrific writer.

The Big O is an ideal destination when most of the rest of the North American hikes are frozen.

Sandra has many Florida hiking guidebooks on Amazon.