What are the top 5 hiking trails on PEI?

Hi Scott

Thanks for your question to Ask an Islander about the five best hiking trails in PEI. It's hard to choose just five, but here are my thoughts.  

My personal favorite is in the east of the Island and is called the Boughton River Trail in the community of Bridgetown. The trail runs beside Boughton River which is technically a "sunken estuary". It is 9 km in length (4.5 km in each direction) and passes through a softwood forest of spruce, Balsom fir and and red pine.  It's very peaceful with many vistas of the beautiful Boughton River.

Heading west, my next favorite is Dromore. This trail meanders beside the Pisquid River and features a boardwalk and flowering plants along its full length. You may also find the provincial flower, the Lady Slipper, along the trail. It is 6.5 km in length and is easily accessible from the Jack Campbell Road.  

The next trail is Winter River, which runs beside a beautiful river of the same name, is entirely on private woodland - a common feature in PEI. The river is tidal and it's a favorite spot for anglers. This trail was damaged during Hurricane Fiona (2022), but with the help of volunteers, it is rebounding with lots of new green growth this spring and summer.  

Bonshaw and Strathgartney are two better known and well-used hiking trails. They are maintained by volunteers of Cycling PEI and favorites for cyclists and walkers alike. An interesting fact is that these trails were officially opened by Prince Charles and Camilla about 10 years ago, long before Charles became King Charles III.  

One final trail worth mentioning is the Island Walk. This 700 km trail runs around the circumference of PEI. It passes through many smaller communities which dot the rural PEI landscape. More than 1,000 people have tackled the walk since it was created in 2019. The route uses more than 350 km of dirt roads and the Confederation Trail, an abandoned railbed that runs down the center of the Island. Hikers enjoy the seacoast at the western and eastern tips of the Island as well as the scenic north shore, home to the famous Anne of Green Gables.

I hope you get the chance to visit PEI and hike on some of our trails very soon. To learn more, visit PEI's Best Hiking Trails - Island Trails.

Happy trails!

Bryson