Due to extremely dry conditions in the woods, there is a  province-wide ban on travel in the woods. The province announced that, "beginning at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 9, all travel and activities within the woods is restricted. This includes hiking, camping, fishing, and the use of off-highway vehicles. People can still access beaches and provincial parks, but trail systems will be restricted."

 

What's a hiker to do? Remember that you can still hike, just stay out of the woods. NS has lots of beaches and coastal areas to explore. Where's your favourite coastal hike? Share your ideas with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! And it goes without saying that during this time, there's a  province-wide burn ban. Stay safe and hope for rain!

• Oct. 15-16: Field Leader-Hiking, Wolfville, $100/$90
• Oct. 22-23: Field Leader-Overnight, Economy, $125/$115
• Nov. 5-6: Field Leader-Hiking, Halifax, $100/$90    
• Nov. 26-27: Navigation Maps & Compass, Halifax, $100/$90
• Date TBA: Navigation Maps & Compass, Sydney, $100/$90             
• Date TBA, Field Leader-Winter, Location TBA, $50/$40

Deadline: September 7, 2016

 

Hike NS and Halifax Parks and Recreation invite groups across NS to partner with it on delivering guided hikes as part of the October Trail Challenge in the Halifax region. The purpose of the event series is to: 1) encourage and support more individuals, families, community groups and schools go outside and be active; 2) highlight local trails as a great community resource and increase their use; and 3) promote Hike NS and local trail groups.

 

Hike NS and Halifax Parks and Recreation will help promote events, provide a how-to guide and provide trail prizes to giveaway. If you and your organization can organize a hike or event on a trail (or already plan to host a hike), please register your event here  by September 7 for events between October 1 and October 31, 2016. These events will automatically become part of the provincial Fall Guided Hike series (outlined below - so there's no need to register your event twice).

Once again, Hike NS invites groups across NS to partner with it on delivering fall guided hikes in September and October of 2016. The purpose of the event series is to: 1) get more people in NS hiking; 2) highlight local trails and increase their use; and 3) promote Hike NS and local trail groups. Hike NS will help promote events, provide a how-to guide and provide trail prizes to giveaway.

 

If you and your local municipality or organization can organize a hike (or already plan to host a hike), please register your event here by August 15 for events between Sept. 10 and Oct. 30. Note that one organization may register only up to five hikes.  

Published on July 25, 2016

By Brad Donaldson

For some reason we decided to hike during the warmest portion of the scorching day. Between 12:00 and 3:30 PM, the Admiral Lake Loop hooped us up, down, and around its mossy forests, sharp look-offs, and cool blue lakes that make the Musquodoboit Trailways one of the HRM's premiere systems for hiking.

From the parking lot, located on Park Road, the gravel Rail Trail takes you 1.7 kilometres to the trailhead.

As soon as our heads ducked into the trail, on the right, we were lead around large granite boulders that were bigger than a car. Inside the woods, the pathways are next to impossible to stray from-bright yellow markers stick out like a penguin in a desert. It is also worth noting the great job Musquodoboit Trailways Association does of keeping the trails maintained just enough to have the wilderness enclose the trail without obstructing travel. Read the full posting here.

Brad Donaldson is an avid hiker who enjoys exploring Nova Scotia's trails and who contributes to Hike NS's blog and Instagram account.