Townshend Woodlot

THIS IS A NATURAL AREA WITH NO DEFINED TRAILS. DO NOT ATTEMPT UNLESS YOU HAVE MAP READING SKILLS. DO NOT ATTEMPT DURING WINTER MONTHS.

This woodlot is a trip through time, revealing the Island’s forestry past. The area occupies 106 hectares (260 acres). All four species of maples native to PEI can be found in this woodlot: the sugar maple, the red maple, the striped maple and the mountain maple. The trees in the back section approximate those familiar to the first European settlers to PEI more than 200 years ago. This site is a designated natural area.

There is no parking except along the highway shoulder. Walk straight West along a field road about 3/4 km then continue straight into the woods on a wide grassy path. Trees gradually get more mature as you proceed until, near the end, there are some very large deciduous trees. There are two 90 degree offshoot trails that dead end at the property line to the North. At the end of the main trail you can turn left (south) and go straight to the Confederation Trail. From there you can backtrack to your starting point at the highway or turn left (East) on the Confederation Trail to link with the Souris Striders trails or just walk on the Confederation Trail back to the XC Ski lodge. You would then need to get back to your vehicle at the Townshend trailhead about 2.35 km North on the highway.