THE TRAILS
GETTING HERE
From Dartmouth follow Highway 107 and then Highway 7 to Musquodobit Harbour. Turn left off Highway 7 just beyond the Musquodoboit Harbour Railroad Museum and Tourist Bureau onto Highway 357. Continue along the 357 to Park Road. Turn right and proceed to the Trailhead on your left.
THE TRAILS
The Rail Trail, as the name suggests, is an abandoned rail corridor where the famed "Blueberry Express" used to run. The train was so named because the story goes that it ran so slowly that one could jump off, pick some blueberries and then hop back on!! Today it is a 15 km recreational trail between the Musquodoboit Harbour Railway Museum and Gibraltar rock.
The rail trail is part of the Trans Canada Trail.
For those of you that are little more energetic and love the "back-country" then the Trailway offers it all with five wilderness trails, including 3 loop trails and 2 point to point trails. Each of these is described below. The detailed trailway maps are viewable here and can be downloaded in PDF format. In season, brochures with detailed maps are available at the trailheads and various locations throughout Musquodoboit Harbour.
Despite the destruction of Hurrican Fiona on Sept 24, 2022, the Musquodoboit Trailways wilderness trails have reopened!
The following trails have REOPENED as of April 28, 2023:
* Admiral Lake Loop (including Skull Rock, Jessie's Diner, & Eunice Lake)
* Bayers Lake Loop
* Gibraltar Rock Loop
* North Granite Ridge
* South Granite Ridge
Watch this site and the Facebook group / page linked below for updates.
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Thanks to our volunteers, the rail trail and three shortest loop trails have reopened, with restrictions.
Please note the following:
1) There are leaning trees which may continue to sag. Caution is advised around these trees. Trees affected by the hurricane have been cut down, but things can change fast due to wind and rain. Be aware of the wind conditions.
2) The soil is thin and the rootballs holding up trees can be shallow. It’s impossible to know if any of the remaining trees along the rail trail have been weakened and could fall. Once again, be aware of your surroundings and wind & rain forecasts.
3) If you see something noteworthy, please report it at https://bit.ly/mta-report
For the latest news and updates, see:
https://www.facebook.com/MusquodoboitTrail/
Or join the MTA & Friends group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/musquodoboittrailfriends
Even once the trails are reopened, there will be substantial work required to return the trails to their previous beauty and safety.
If you would like to volunteer to help, please reach out using this form -- we just need your phone number / email and some details about your arborist/saw skills.
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Trails can be seen here, listed from south to north:
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AllTrails (individual trail maps)
- OPEN alltrails.com/explore/trail/canada/nova-scotia/musquodoboit-trail
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OPEN alltrails.com/trail/canada/nova-scotia/skull-rock-trail
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OPEN alltrails.com/explore/trail/canada/nova-scotia/bayer-lake
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OPEN alltrails.com/explore/trail/canada/nova-scotia/admiral-lake-trail-loop
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OPEN alltrails.com/trail/canada/nova-scotia/jessies-diner-loop
- OPEN alltrails.com/explore/trail/canada/nova-scotia/south-granite-ridge-trail
- OPEN (or alltrails.com/trail/canada/nova-scotia/south-granite-ridge-trail-and-musquodoboit-loop )
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OPEN alltrails.com/explore/trail/canada/nova-scotia/north-granite-ridge-trail
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OPEN alltrails.com/explore/trail/canada/nova-scotia/gibraltar-rock-loop
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TrailForks (all trails in one view)
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Google Maps (all trails on one map)
Rules
Camping and fires are NOT permitted on the Rail Trail or the Wilderness Trails.
Please stay on the trails to minimize your impact.
During hunting season, wearing orange is recommended when in wilderness areas.
Please carry out everything you bring in. This includes cigarette butts, dog poop, tissues, gum wrappers. There are no trash receptacles on the trail or in the parking lots, so plan ahead and take it home with you.
Facilities
Volunteer-maintained pit toilets can be found at the following km markers on the main Trailway. Toilets are not maintained during the winter, so bring your own paper. There are no toilets on the wilderness trails.
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2.6 km
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7.3 km
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12.3 km
Reporting Issues & Volunteering
See a problem? You can send a report to the maintenance volunteers at mta.ns.ca@gmail.com, or use the facebook links below to contact us.
Want to help? Contact us at mta.ns.ca@gmail.com, or use the facebook links below to learn how to get involved.
DESCRIPTIONS & MAPS
The Musquodoboit Trailway
The Musquodoboit Trailway begins at the Caboose Information Centre at the Musquodoboit Railway Museum, crosses highway 357, passes the arena and ball fields and links up with the official trailhead by the parking lot on Park Road. The 130 foot trestle bridge offers a scenic view of the Musquodoboit River and its broad flood plains...
The North Granite Ridge Trail
Take the Musquodoboit Trailway from the Gibraltar Parking Lot on Highway 357 to the south end of the Gibraltar Rock Loop trail (1.1 km). Follow the Gibraltar Rock Loop trail connector upward and at the Gibraltar Junction, veer right onto the North Granite Ridge trail. The trail winds its way for a distance of 9.3 km along the granite ridge, traversing areas of old growth hemlock...
The Gibraltar Rock Loop Trail
From the Gibraltar trailhead parking lot on Highway 357 proceed south for about 100 m to the northern entrance of this 1.3 km loop trail. It climbs steeply to Gibraltar Rock where the lookoff offers a bird's eye view of the river and road below. To the north the view is of the Shubenacadie glacial spillway...