Winter River Hiking Trail

The Winter River Hiking Trail is located only 5 km from Charlottetown.

At the trailhead, the Winter River Hiking Trail heads off northerly, through the white spruce thicket, emerging shortly onto a woods road. There is a family of rabbits just north of the parking lot, dining on the colourful mushrooms in the vicinity. The road soon plunges again into white spruce over gently rolling terrain, except where it approaches the Winter River ravine via spurs, to catch the view. Small feeder streams are bridged and wet spots have boardwalks. A few mature white pine are found, including one patriarch 70 feet to 80 feet tall and 24 inches diameter at shoulder height. A 1,000 ft. boardwalk extends over what was a marshy area along the eastern boundary of the trail.

At the river lookouts you should look for great blue herons and bitterns among the shore reeds and grasses. As the river opens up toward Winter Bay, you may see various waterfowl offshore. In the woods you will see many songbirds, squirrels, and rabbits, maybe a fox, and evidence of coyotes.

This is an easy walk, of under 7 km with well protected snowshoeing terrain.