Prince Edward Island, Canada

Confederation Trail – Best Sections

confederation trail

Running on PEI must include a section of the Confederation Trail at some point! This ‘rail trail’, with stone dust surface, runs the length of the island east-west for 273 km from Elmira to Tignish, with branch trails to popular PEI spots, making for a total of 435 km! The trail is well-marked and never more than 2% grade — although some sections are more rolling and a bit more rugged than others. The surface is very consistent — hard packed stone — and the terrain is a mix of woods, farmland, marshes, and some coastal sections. There are historical markers along the trail, with larger exhibits in Hunter River and Kensington. This fantastic trail guide features detailed maps of segment distances.

Some of the most scenic sections for running:

Saint Peters Bay to Morrell. 11.7 km of trail through beautiful farmland and coastal views in spots.

Cardigan to Montague. Nice section of trail, for 10 km. Fairly easy.

Hunter River Area. The area from Kensington to Hunter River, about 30 km, is fairly open and has some nice farmland sections.

Note: Used exclusively for winter sports Dec. 1-April 1.

 

Essentials
  • 273 km east-west, and 435 km including branch trails
  • Geneally flat. Never more than 2% grade
  • Depends on section chosen. West point is Tignish, East point is Elmira
  • Many parking access points

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Essentials
  • 273 km east-west, and 435 km including branch trails
  • Geneally flat. Never more than 2% grade
  • Depends on section chosen. West point is Tignish, East point is Elmira
  • Many parking access points