TRAIL DETAILS

Confederation Trail - Wellington to Kensington

Touring Region — Anne's Land
Trail Location — Prince County

Trail Quick Facts
Difficulty Rating: 1.5 
Length: 32.5 km
Structure: Point-to-Point
Marked:
Island Trails Approved:
Environment: Suburban
Rural
Wilderness
Surface Type: Crushed Aggregate
The Confederation Trail is Prince Edward Island's portion of the Trans Canada Trail. It is a rail trail constructed on the bed of the former Prince Edward Island Railway which opened in 1875 and closed in 1989.  Islanders were quick to notice a unique opportunity and the idea of a tip-to-tip shared-use walking and cycling trail was born and the final link is now in place.  The trail covers almost all of the former rail routes, including the "Tip-to-Tip" route from Tignish to Elmira (273 km).  Branch trails extend the trail to over 350km including Borden-Carleton (18 km); the Charlottetown spur (8 km); the Georgetown branch (39 km); the Montague spur (10 km); the Souris spur (9 km); and Iona to Murray Harbour (36 km).  The entire trail is owned and managed by the province of PEI as a part of the Provincial Parks system.

Approximate Time to Complete —  8 hours
Times are estimated assuming that the average person travels 4km/hr.
Time should be added for significant elevation gain/loss.
Associated Trails or Sections
Information & History
Km 90.3 - The trail passes through the community of Wellington, parallel to the main street. It crosses the Grand River, a pleasant rest stop with a view down the river. On the south side, a railway caboose has been restored as a craft shop for tourists. The community is the exit point from the trail to the Evangeline Region.
The trail east of Wellington is the longest straight section in the province. Straight sections are rare because in the original railway construction contract, the contractor was paid by the mile and the route was not specified. Thus going around the hills and other obstacles was more lucrative in two ways for the contractor. It leaves us with a very interesting trail.
The section passes through the Miscouche swamp, as it is locally known. It is a peaceful woodland area, rich in birdlife and varied in plant species. It is the easternmost limit of white cedar in the province. A large wetland is located in the centre, east of St. Nicholas road. It is called Muddy Creek and contains deep water beside the trail. Beaver have made several attempts to fill the large concrete culvert under the trail but water levels are now controlled by a beaver-baffler which runs through the culvert. Water and marsh birds are plentiful. Willow trees and marsh marigold were noted. As the trail corridor rises toward the eastern end of the stretch, it opens into farmland; the beginning of extensive potato country between here and the central hills near Breadalbane.

Km 100.9 - Twin spires of St. John the Baptist church are visible in Miscouche and nearby is the Acadian Museum. On the way into the edge of Summerside one meets an adjoining spur trail to the north, a connection into Slemon Park. Glenn Drive, at Linkletter Farms, is the exit for Linkletter Provincial Park to the south.
The trail in the city passes two schools which make use of the trail and the Summerside Race Track (which does not) before passing close between homes in the west end of the city. Downtown it traverses the waterfront parallel to the main roads. The Summerside Railway Station has been transformed into the Summerside Library and features a large mural of rail times on its west wall. The Trans Canada Trail monument unveiled a couple of years ago stands beside the trail. Summerside is the home of the Trans Canada Trail concept because it was here that the meeting was held in 1993 that established trail as a legacy of Canada 125. Just east of downtown was a rail yard used to assemble trains.
In the east end of the city, formerly Wilmot, there is a connection to the Fox Run Trail to Rotary Friendship Park in the north side of the city. Also in the Wilmot area is a connection to the College of Piping. Don't be surprised to meet a piper on the trail!

Km 113.7 - Traveller's Rest is at the next road crossing, originally the name of a public house A photograph has survived of one of the railway "flag" stations-a small shelter where trains only stopped if a flag signal was raised out front. It could easily be replicated as a feature for the area. Just beyond that point is the area of the Summerside well field, near an extensive agricultural region. This is open country, with a few hedgerows. The latter have been diminishing unfortunately due to the use of larger agricultural equipment and fewer small farms.

Km 117.4 - Near New Annan the trail passes between two creeks which it follows across the highway. White campion and goat's beard (where goldfinches feed) species occur on the edge. North of the trail, up route 106, a marsh has been designed to treat waste water from Cavendish Farms. A small stream and wetland at the head of the Barbara Weit River are near the trail as one approaches the province's second grain elevator. Beside it is Island Fertilizer, formerly owned by the Scales family who are prominent in the history of the province, particularly in South Freetown.
Lupins, dogbane, clovers and wild rose are found on the way into Kensington.
The town is located around the junction of five roads originally known as Barrett's Cross, an important railway town. The stone station was designed by architect C.B. Chappell and built in 1905 by M.F. Schurman & Co. which was first established in this area. The station is now a National Historic Site and a diesel engine and caboose are located nearby.

Shelters: km. 90.6, 96.9, 100.9, 108.9, 111.6, 117.2
Albums
Confederation Trail »
Friday, August 31, 2007  (44 images)