On September 18th, 1992, at a meeting in the Loyalist Hotel in downtown Summerside, 32 board members of Canada 125 Corp. voted to implement a walking trail across Canada. The rest, as they say, is history. When work on the Trans Canada Trail was well underway in each of the provinces, it was Prince Edward Island which managed to complete their section first. It utilized the old railbed of the one time Prince Edward Island Railway, which just happened to run through downtown Summerside. Here, just east of the historic Summerside railway station, is the official Summerside trailhead for the Trans Canada Trail and Confederation Trail. At the trailhead is a kiosk relating information on both the trail and its birth here in Summerside. Slightly further west is a monument consisting of a metal sculpture mounted on a round concrete plinth bearing a granite plaque, commemorating the birth of the Trans Canada Trail, text from which follows.
Summerside, Prince Edward Island, birthplace of the Trans Canada Trail. This plaque and Trans Canada Trail logo unveiled June 17th, 2000 by Dr. Sherman Olson, National President of the Trans Canada Trail; Mayor Basil L. Stewart, Canada 125th board member, Trans Canada Trail founding board member; Hon. Greg Deighan, Min. of Tourism; and Joe McGuire, Member of Parliament.
On September 18th, 1992, Canada 125 Board meeting was held in Summerside, where a resolution was passed to proceed with the Trans Canada Trail as the legacy project for Canada's 125th anniversary.
Completed in August of 2000, the main section of Confederation Trail consists of 274 kilometres of mainline rail bed of the old
Prince Edward Island Railway (PEIR), running from Tignish in the west, to Elmira in the east.
Construction of the railway began in 1871 but costs came to be much greater than anticipated, nearly bankrupting the province. Ironically, though PEI is considered the "Cradle of Canadian Confederation", as the initial meeting on Canadian Confederation was held in Charlottetown, PEI chose not to join Confederation in 1867. The burden of debt caused by the construction of the PEIR, however, forced the province (then still a British Colony) to approach Canada for financial aid. In exchange for Canada's assuming its debt and continuing with construction of the railway, PEI joined Confederation in 1873, to become Canada's seventh province. By 1875 the railway was essentially complete, serving all major shipping points. In the latter part of the twentieth century increasing costs and alternative transportation methods slowly eroded the railway's ability to support itself. On December 31, 1989 the final train left the Island and the railway was gone forever, the railbeds abandoned. In 1994 the province purchased the entire rail corridor and the Prince Edward Island Rail Trail, soon to become the Confederation Trail, began to take shape.
In addition to the main line are side spurs consisting of an additional 161 kilometres making the total length of trail 435 kilometres. The side spurs, for the most part, also follow railway spur lines, meaning that nowhere on the trail is the gradient steeper than 2%. The majority of the trail surface consists of rolled stone dust over the railway ballast while, in towns and cities, the trail is often paved. Were one to hike or bike the entire trail, they would be able to experience essentially all the culture and scenery that PEI has to offer, and PEI is a beautiful province. It should be noted that neither horses nor motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail. In the winter, however, it becomes a snowmobile only trail, groomed by the
PEI Snowmobile Association.
Here is a map of all snowmobile trails on the Island, approximately 650 kilometres of groomed trail in total.
Here is the map of Confederation Trail and
here is the map of Confederation Trail, as part of the Trans Canada Trail.
Confederation Trail is PEI's contribution to the
Trans Canada Trail (TCT), the longest hiking and cycling trail in the world. Currently just over 18,000 kilometres long, it is hoped that, by 2017, the 25th anniversary of the TCT, the trail will be complete, stretching 24,000 kilometres in total. Prince Edward Island was the first of the provinces to complete its section of the TCT.
The Confederation Trail
The Confederation Trail was developed on abandoned railway beds, and takes you across the Island, past wetlands and through hardwood groves, through quaint villages, and along sparkling rivers.
The Confederation Trail was completed in August 2000, and was designated Prince Edward Island's portion of the Trans Canada Trail; the first province to complete its section. Since then, Island communities have been working to add spur connections and to provide upgraded amenities to the trail.
In the summer season, activity on the Confederation Trail is limited to walking, hiking, running, cycling, and is accessible to wheelchairs. In the snow months it is turned over exclusively to snowmobile use. Alternative trails for equestrian use are provided in both the western and eastern areas of the Island.
From Island Trails
CONFEDERATION TRAIL
When Prince Edward Island's railway was abandoned in 1989 Islanders were quick to notice a unique opportunity. The idea of a tip-to-tip shared use walking and cycling trail in the summer and a snowmobile trail in the winter was born. With beautiful rolling hill scenery, quaint villages and broad bay seascapes, the Confederation Trail is Prince Edward Island's portion of the Trans Canada Trail.
The 435 kilometers of rolled stone dust trail has gentle gradients which never exceed 2% (up or down). This Island wide exploration corridor is ideal for visitors of all fitness levels. The Main Trail starts in Tignish at kilometer 0 and ends in Elmira at kilometer 273. Branch trails extend into the heart of Charlottetown and to the waterside communities of Souris, Georgetown, Montague, Wood Islands, Murray River and Murray Harbour, plus the link to the Confederation Bridge in Borden-Carleton. Without any real wilderness in PEI, frequent villages along the Trail offer cyclist and hiker's a convenient selection of accommodations, food and services.
The Confederation Trail is a geocaching hotspot with over 1600 geocache sites along the route. Also, PEI's 110 kilometer portion of the International Appalachian Trail begins in Borden-Carleton, after hiker's are shuttled across the Confederation Bridge they mainly hike on the Confederation Trail until its exit point at the Wood Islands ferry terminal. Prince Edward Island is rich in picturesque scenery, cultural and musical talent, culinary delights and Canadian heritage. This wonderful piece of Canada has countless adventures to offer and is best explored by bicycle or foot along the Confederation Trail.
From Tourism PEI