Overview
Trekking across a continent is the type of bucket-list activity plenty of people think about, but few ever manage. If you're in Canada, however, walking across the country just got a whole lot easier. Spanning 24,000 kilometres across 13 provinces and territories, the world's longest hiking track has just been completed. It has taken 25 years to come to fruition, so it's no wonder that they're calling it The Great Trail.
Opening in its 100% connected form at the end of August, the path connects Canada's east and west coasts via an outdoor journey through all of the terrain the nation has to offer. Urban, rural and wilderness landscape is featured, plus greenways, waterways and roadways, with track perfect for not only hikers, cyclists and horse riders, but anyone keen for a paddle, cross-country ski or snowmobile trip as well.
The trail was first conceived as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992, with Pierre Camu, Bill Pratt, and Paul LaBarge coming up with the idea to connect all of the country's various tracks. As well as the types of treks you'd expect — over rocky ground and through leafy forests, for example — highlights include wanders through major cities such as Toronto and Ottawa, a sea-to-sky marine trail around islands and waterfalls, and dog-sledding during snow season.
Via Travel + Leisure / Image: The Great Trail.