Trail History

Father Troys Trail

Jantje VanHowelingen

Since 1994, the East Coast Trail Association has developed 300km of world-class coastal wilderness hiking trail. We have achieved many milestones along the way:

2022

  • Officially opened the 52-km section between Topsail Beach and Cape St. Francis, comprised of Long Shore Path, Piccos Ridge Path, and White Horse Path, completing the 336-km length of the East Coast Trail. 

2019

  • Celebrated 25 years of the East Coast Trail.
  • 13 outstanding volunteers were selected for the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers from the Governor General of Canada and were honoured at an event at Government House.
  • The East Coast Trail was featured on an episode of Epic Trails which aired on FOX Sports and Outside TV, reaching an estimated 31 million households in the United States. The episode is available on the BackpackingTV YouTube Channel through this link.   
  • Memorandums of Understanding signed with the Town of Bay Bulls and the Town of Aquaforte, and signed for a second time with the Town of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove and the Town of Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove.
  • Awarded Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Professional Planners’  Community Builder Award for making our community a better place today and for the future.

2018

  • Awarded a Senate of Canada Sesquicentennial Medal by Senator David Wells. The medal recognizes Canadians whose generosity, dedication, volunteerism and hard work make their communities a better place to live.
  • Memorandums of Understanding signed with the Towns of Paradise and Pouch Cove.

2017

  • Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Town of Flatrock.
  • Announced partnership with Trans Canada Trail (TCT) –  the entire East Coast Trail is now included in The Great Trail, which spans across Canada. 

The East Coast Trail Association is excited to announce a partnership with the Trans Canada Trail, which will see the Fort Amherst to Cape Spear section of the trail designated as “Kilometer 0” of the Trans Canada Trail. Funding from ACOA has been provided for improvements of this 17.8km stretch of trail. 

The East Coast Trail Association is also pleased to be receiving Funding from ACOA and the government of Newfoundland Labrador to undertake trail hardening on 30 km of trail between Cape St. Francis and Portugal Cove, and to enhance and restore 62km of trail on the Southern Shore.

Government of Canada Press Release from May 25, 2017.

2016

  • Memorandums of Understanding signed with the Towns of Conception Bay South and Portugal Cove-St. Philips.
  • More than 500 participants pre-registered for the 2016 Tely Hike in Ferryland, raising more than $66,000 in pledges. CBC NL joined the Telegram as a key promotional sponsor.

2015

  • The 300th km of trail was cut and signed. The Piccos Ridge and White Horse Paths connect Portugal Cove, Bauline and Cape St. Francis.
  • Memorandums of Understanding signed with the Towns of Bauline, Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, and Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove.

2014

  • Celebrated 20 years of the East Coast Trail Association and over 20 years on the trail.
  • Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Town of Torbay

2013

  • A survey and economic impact analysis showed the trail attracted over 14,600 hikers this year, contributing $3.5 million to annual tourism spending in the province.
  • Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

2012

  • National Geographic named the East Coast Trail as one of the 10 best adventure destinations in the world.

2011

  • Officially opened Father Troy’s Trail with the new Church Cove loop and Silver Head Mine Path with a trailhead at Middle Cove.
  • Biscan Cove Path phase 2 development completed.

2010

  • National Geographic: 384 tourism experts ranked the Avalon Peninsula No. 1 Coastal Destination in the world.
  • Pedestrian Trails Act enacted by the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to protect hikers on Crown Land.
  • Officially opened Cobbler Path in Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove.
  • 10th Tely-Hike raised record sum of $104,000 for trail maintenance & development.

2009

  • Officially opened the Stiles Cove Path between Pouch Cove and Flatrock.

2008

  • The Flatrock to Pouch Cove trail development project commenced with 3 bridges being built by Canadian Armed Forces Reserves.

2007

  • Officially opened the Sugarloaf Path from Quidi Vidi to Logy Bay, 8.9 km of beautiful coastal trail north of St. John’s.

2005

  • A key measure of the Trail’s success is hiker visitation. The Knight Study identified that 21,500 resident and 5,000 non-residents hiked the trail in 2004, and the forecasted visitation for 2011 was 56,992 hiker visits.

2003

  • The Trail from Cape Spear to Placentia officially designated part of the National Hiking Trail.

2002

  • Attractions Canada named the East Coast Trail the Best New Outdoor Site and Best New Attraction for 2002 in Newfoundland and Labrador.

2001

  • Officially opened the 220th km of the East Coast Trail. More than 5,000 celebrated!

2000

  • 50m suspension bridge at LaManche officially opened on June 17.

1999

  • Trails were cut between Bear Cove Point lighthouse and Renews and also from Aquaforte to Lawlors Bay.

1997

  • Queen’s River Bridge on the Spout Path is completed. This 20ft wooden bridge is the first of five major bridges.

1996

  • 230 volunteers opened and upgraded 85 km of trail.
  • The D’lberville Trail was launched in cooperation with College of the North Atlantic students.

1995

  • The ECTA was incorporated and the first Annual General Meeting was held in Torbay.
  • A 3-ton rock blocking the Spout was removed with generous support from the community. Almost immediately, the Spout (a sea-driven geyser) becomes a popular hiking and boat tour destination, north of Bay Bulls and south of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove.
  • The first website was launched and the first newsletter was published.

1994

  • Eighty volunteers opened 25km of trail.