Confederation Trail
PEI Confederation Trail Main Route
Taking Prince Edward Island Confederation Trail from Tignish to O'Leary (45 km (28 miles) easy to moderate)
Start your PEI cycling tour in Tignish, the western starting point of the Prince Edward Island Confederation Trail where the site of the old railway station has been converted into Kilometre Zero – a large central park. From there you'll see the spires of St. Simon and St. Jude Church, which tower over the town. This beautifully restored church was built in 1860 from locally manufactured bricks of PEI's signature red soil.
It also houses a Tracker pipe organ made in 1882 & is one of the oldest of its kind in North America.
Not far down the trail is DeBlois' V'Nez Chou Nous Acadian Theatre where you can catch some shows while you dine. The dinner-theatre runs from mid-July to mid-August & features Acadian cuisine & some great entertainment (reservations only).
After that, cycle to St. Louis to stock up on supplies, freshen up & relax under the large elm trees at the rest stop. You can also decide to stay overnight at Stella Maris Cottages.
A little further down the trail you can pick up some local crafts on your way to Alberton where you can visit the Alberton Museum & Genealogy Centre for their large collection of old photographs of the area & its people through the ages.
Alberton Station Park is a nice spot for a picnic & a breather if you're stopping for lunch or you can cycle just 5 km (3 miles) east of town to the Jacques Cartier Provincial Park where you can camp & enjoy the supervised beach.
Before you reach the next town of Elmsdale you'll see the trees alongside the trail that the town takes its name from. These indigenous elms are found mainly on the western side of Prince Edward Island, so take some time to admire them while you can.
You'll also spot one of Prince Edward Island's grain elevators just south of town.
In the trail-side park you'll notice the monument to PEI's highly-successful potato farming industry. You'll also find your first Trans Canada Trail Discovery Panel, which are boards with information on natural features, fauna and flora in the area.
Bloomfield Station is the next community along the PEI trail & nearby is MacAusland's Woollen Mill that started in 1870 as a saw mill. On the Confederation Trail you'll cross over Cain's Brook which is the stream that used to power the woollen mill in years gone by.
From nearby Howlan it's a quick 4 km (2.5 miles) to Mill River Provincial Park where you can enjoy the water slides & pool before heading back to the trail & down to O'Leary.
You'll pass through wetlands which are home to quite a few beavers, some of which have even included one or two trail barricade pieces to their constructions.
In O'Leary you'll find a war memorial in a small park & the restored old railway station that now houses business offices.
There's also the famous O'Leary Potato Museum in town & Leard's Mill, a traditional flour mill that has been fully restored & uses water power.
Taking PEI Confederation Trail from O'Leary to Wellington (45 km (28 miles) easy to moderate)
From O'Leary it's a short distance to Coleman, which features extensive wetland to the south of the small town. There you'll find sheep laurel & wild rose in the warmer months, & further along the trail you'll come across a dilapidated old train station at West Devon. It's a great place to stop, take some photos, explore & picture the life of yesteryear's steam-driven transport.
Between the trail & the highway at Portage is a Provincial Wildlife Management Area. Here you'll see waterfoul, amphibians & reptiles amongst the foliage.
After that it's back to wetland country again, with beavers, birds, wild iris & beautiful purple-edged orchids growing in the area, so keep your eye open for them as you pass by.
At Ellerslie Bog you can explore the most extensive bog on the trail, or take a stroll down the boardwalk with its interpretive signs, which will give you some insight into the features in the area.
From Port Hill Station to Northam are more wetlands, with some farms in between on higher ground.
At Richmond you'll find some welcome sustenance at the trail-side café before you head out over the locally-named Red Bridge & on to area managed by the Forestry Branch. Look out for the white ash & elm trees & the juniper plantation, as you approach Wellington.
Taking PEI Trail from Wellington to Hunter River (65 km (40 miles) moderate to hard)
Crossing over the Grand River, you'll find a nice rest stop in town with the restored railway caboose that is now a craft shop for tourists.
To the east of town is the longest straight section of the trail on the island. These straight sections are quite rare & for a very good reason; contractors were paid by the mile under the contract for the original railway & the route was not specified. So of course they interpreted that to their advantage & took the long way around obstacles, to their monetary benefit. Thankfully it makes for a more scenic trail today & in this area Miscouche swamp with its abundant birdlife & plants.
Here you'll see the last of white cedar trees as they are only found on the eastern side of the island.
At Muddy creek you'll see beaver, birds, willows & marigolds before you start encountering open farmland & the beginning of the major potato farming area on the island.
In Miscouche you can stop at the Acadian Museum to catch a glimpse of PEI history & admire the nearby twin spires of St. John the Baptist church before you head out to Summerside.
In town the trail takes you to the waterfront where you can do some shopping & sample some great local cuisine. There's plenty to do in this town, so review our page on Summerside for activities in the area.
Outside of town you'll hit farming country again with quaint hedges, hills & fields. From there on it's just plenty of agricultural lands, trees, birds & postcard scenery until you get into Kensington, which was an important railway town in the past because of its location at the junction of 5 roads.
The town's stone railway station is a National Historic Site & was built in 1905. It's not as old as the building you'll find on your way out of town though, which is St. Marks Anglican Church that was consecrated in 1868.
After Kensington it's back to potato farms, hedges, birds, trees & an open trail ahead of you. Between the potato & grain crops you'll glimpse the occasional swallowtail butterfly & then it's back to peddling so you can get to the Dunk River watershed just before Freetown - the 4th largest watershed in the province.
It's a short hop to Emerald, where you can stop & rest by the repaired station, or stock up on some basic supplies in town.
From there on, the landscape starts to change & you'll see a lot more dairy & beef herds behind hedges than you will potato crops.
By the time you reach Breadalbane you can't help but notice the changes around you; the surrounding hills are higher & the trail-side hollows are deeper.
There you'll find a restored water-driven mill at Breadalbane Pond where you can savour a moment's rest.
The old station at Fredericton hasn't been restored, but still has that old-world charm & should entertain photographers.
Before you get to Hunter River, keep an eye out for black foxes & listen out for the peeper frogs in spring as you ride into the village. It's a quaint place with its large white church dominating the surrounding scenery.
Taking Prince Edward Island Trail from Hunter River to Morell (65 km (40 miles) moderate to hard)
As you head to Milton, you'll cross over the first of 2 bridges that span tributaries of the North River. This one has a shelter, where you can stop & admire the view while you have a snack or stretch your toes in the morning sun. The river below is a popular spawning spot for fish thanks to its cool waters.
The next bridge is just 5 km (3 miles) from Milton, where you can stop for a snack or supplies & then its on to the junction where you can go right & head into the capital city of Charlottetown.
Take a look at our page on Charlottetown to see the loads of activities, sights & sounds of the historical city.
If you're taking the straight fork & continuing along the trail to the eastern side of the island, you might catch sight of Sphinx moths, which are often mistaken for small hummingbirds because of how they hover over flowers when feeding on nectar.
As you cross over the Winter River & head to York, be on the lookout for garter snakes that might warm themselves in the sun during warm months & especially during fall when they are gathering the last warm before hibernation. Don't worry though, these reptiles are more likely to hide their heads & flatten their tails than strike out.
In the farming community of York you'll find the old & abandoned station & potato warehouse. Once again, photographers will enjoy the character of the old buildings, while others will enjoy the rest the stop offers. Be on the lookout for red fox in the area, though they are quite shy & might require some sneaking up on for a good sighting.
Oak trees will lead you to Bedford & then after that you'll be met by adjacent peat bogs, which are unusual for the higher ground in the area.
There's a campground on the left of the trail just before Tracadie Cross, which is a good place if you're camping along the trail or just wanting a good picnic spot.
On the other side of Tracadie Cross the trail runs alongside Hillsborough River, with its marshes & bird life. After the woods & fields you'll pass First Nation Reserve & the Canadian Heritage River monument at the highway viewpoint above the trail.
Then it's through marshland again to Mount Stewart, so look out for drowned trees, ducks nesting around & muskrat trails in the early morning.
Mount Stewart is a small town that is growing into a great tourist destination thanks to local initiatives with the surrounding nature. Look out for the eagles that have made the area home & stop by the Trailside Café for a breather & some snacks.
Near St. Andrews you can take a short walk uphill to the church, monument & pioneer graveyard with a good view of the area.
After the marshlands you'll hit the woods again & pass through Cherry Hill & Douglas Station on your way to MacKinnon's Pond, which is a nice fishing & picnicing spot.
Before Morell you'll meet more birds & wetlands & then you're at the Island Welcome Centre which is a replica of an old railway station.
Taking Prince Edward Island Confederation Trail from Morell to Elmira (54 km (33.5 miles) moderate)
On the other side of town, the PEI trail follows the Morell River to St. Peter's Bay. You'll cross the longest remaining bridge on the trail where you can stop & take in the fantastic views of the estuary & bay. You might also spot some fishermen as the river is a great spot to catch salmon & trout.
At the next bridge near the mouth of Marie River, you'll spot more fishermen – but these ones have the winged advantage. Kingfishers frequent this spot as the bridge provides a good vantage point for them to spot their prey from.
A third bridge crosses Midgell River & soon you'll spot St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church in the distance as you head along the edge of the bay.
You'll pass St. Peter's Park campground, with its wide vistas of the bay & then you'll find yourself at the town of St. Peter's Bay with its Tourist Bureau near the old station building that has been converted into the Circle Club for senior citizens.
After you've stopped for some sight-seeing in the area, you'll head into woodland for a while before the wetlands of Cow Creek.
Stop for some bird-watching at Larkin's Pond near Selkirk. It's one of the island's largest bodies of fresh water & is a scenic spot for a rest.
Bear River might get its name for the black bears found in the area, but rest assured you won't be seeing any during your cycle – the last one was shot in the 1920s so you're safe riding through the area.
From here to New Zealand & on to McVarish's Pond you'll be surrounded by plenty of maples & hardwood trees. The colour palette is simply stunning in Fall & is a photographer's delight. Next to the pond you'll find helpful signage that'll help you find Prince Edward Island Cottages and Hotels accommodation & food in the area.
Fountain Head Spring feeds a vast wetland with an abundant bird population, so keep the binoculars handy as you head through to East Baltic & Alder Creek, where the trail climbs high over the valley & offers great views of the beaver activity along the stream.
Elmira is the end of the trail with the Railway Museum welcoming visitors after a day of PEI cycling. There you'll find an impressive model railway system in a freight shed & you can even climb on board the miniature railway for a fun ride through the woodland nearby.
PEI Confederation Trail Branches
There are currently 4 trails that branch off the main route & offer access to different parts of Prince Edward Island.
Royalty Junction to Charlottetown (9 km (5.6 miles) easy)
Stop at the Charlottetown Mall, Farmer's Market & the Trans Canada Trail Pavilion at the Joseph A. Ghiz Memorial Park. Stay at one of the cottages and hotels in and around Charlottetown and treat yourself to a great meal.
Mt. Stewart to Georgetown (40 km (25 miles) moderate)
Watch out for the eagles & osprey hunting along the Hillsborough River estuary & stroll through the memorial garden at St. Cuthberts Roman Catholic Church. Stop by the craft shop at Cardigan or have a picnic at the community park.
The Georgetown harbour has a lot to offer visitors in terms of sights & food.
Cardigan Junction to Montague (10 km (6.2 miles) easy)
Brudenell Bridge is the highest bridge on the trail system & you can spot bald eagles, herons & kingfishers from it.
Roma Point Road features a park with nature trails for those that enjoy a good walk.
In Montague, stop at the Garden of the Gulf Museum in the old stone post office.
Iona to Murray Harbour (39 km (24.2 miles) moderate)
Cross over the high Melville Bridge & enjoy the view & then stop for a rest at the millpond at Selkirk Road.
Take a right at the junction to Wood Islands or continue along through the bog to the wetlands beyond.
Past the woodlands you'll reach Murray Harbour where you can rest at the large gazebo that overlooks the Murray River.
