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Confederation Trail - Prince Edward Island
Latest update: April 2023
Confederation Trail...
Bike Trail Across Prince Edward Island, Canada
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is an idyllic location and the Confederation Trail, on an abandoned Prince Edward Island Railway railbed, totals about 449 km (278 miles) including several trail Branches. When the railroad was abandoned in 1989, the provincial government purchased the entire right-of-way and developed the trail. The Confederation Trail also comprises a portion of the Trans Canada Trail. Detailed map and photos below.)
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada (See map)
Distance: 449 km (278 miles)
Surface:
Rolled stone dust over crushed stone
Bike Shops/Rentals:
Confederation Trail Bike Rental
Adventures 
(St. Peter's Bay;
rentals)
MacQueen's
Bike Shop & Island Tours (Charlottetown; rentals,
tours, sales, service)
See more listings
Page Summary:
- Biking on the Confederation Trail
- St. Peter's Bay to Morell - Touring Prince Edward Island
- Prince Edward Island National Park
- Green Gables Heritage Place
- PEI Lighthouses
- Wine Tour - More Information and Resources
Biking on the Confederation Trail... Comments and Photos
Best thought of as a trail "network," all parts of the Confederation Trail total about 449 km. Distances along the main Trail are marked regularly from West to East, with Tignish being 0 km and Elmira 273 km. Several side trails branch off from the main Trail and lead to the coast. Distances for each Branch are also marked, from 0 km at the junction with the main Trail, increasing to Branch's end. These Branches (aka "Links") make up a significant portion of the Confederation Trail and offer numerous options for easy recreational biking and exploring various parts of PEI near the coastline.
St. Peters Bay to Morell
On this ride we rented bikes, then it's about 0.2 mile to the trail and Visitor Information Center. From there, we rode a particularly scenic section of the Confederation Trail along St. Peters Bay, west from the town of St. Peters Bay to Morell (about 15 miles round-trip). Although unpaved, the trail is rideable on a rolled stone dust surface, running through forests and farmland, on scenic bridges over rivers, and through small towns. The trail has mileposts, interpretative signs, benches, picnic tables, shelters, and scenic look-outs. Long stretches run through rural areas with little shade, but other sections - particularly near the water (rivers and bays) - are more scenic.
Bike rentals, St. Peters Bay
Information Center, St. Peters Bay
St. Peters Bay to Midgell River
Touring Prince Edward Island
Starting from our base at Charlottetown, here are some more places of interest we visited while Bike Tripping on Prince Edward Island.
Prince Edward Island National Park
Prince Edward Island National Park stretches 40 km (25 miles) along the island's north shore, divided into three regions: Cavendish-North Rustico, Brackley-Dalvay, and Greenwich. We visited in the Cavendish-North Rustico region. The red sandstone cliffs are a notable feature. National Park fees apply.
Note: The area suffered significant damage from Hurricane Fiona in September 2022. Restoration is ongoing, but some details may vary from our earlier observations.
Green Gables Heritage Place
Green Gables Heritage Place is part of the Cavendish National Historical Site located within PEI National Park. Made famous by author Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" book anthology (first published in 1908), people come from all over the world to visit. The original home was built in 1830 by the Macneill's, relatives of Montgomery, who lived nearby with her grandmother and drew inspiration here for her stories and characters. Green Gables serves as a museum, restored in Victorian style as a typical farmhouse of the time. An interpretative center has exhibits on Montgomery and her stories, plus gift shop and offices. The site includes a schoolhouse, farm buildings and trails, plus parking and restrooms. The ruins of Montgomery's home and a bookstore are nearby. Anne fans will recognize the paths and woodlands as Lover's Lane, the Haunted Wood, and Balsam Hollow. Recognized as a Federal Heritage site. Open May-October, National Park fees apply with tours available.
Full disclosure: Bobcat has all the Anne books and this was our reason for visiting PEI, the rainy day did not deter us! Discovering the Confederation Trail and more on Prince Edward Island were a bonus to checking this off the bucket list.
PEI Lighthouses
With many inlets and coves along its coastline, PEI has 61 lighthouses and range lights - believed to be the highest concentration of lighthouses in North America. We visited two: (1) on the north shore in PEI National Park, we visited Covehead Harbor Lighthouse, and (2) to the south at the end of the Murray Harbor branch of the Confederation Trail, we visited the Cape Bear Lighthouse and Marconi Station.
Covehead Harbor Lighthouse
Built in 1975, this replaces the original 1965 lighthouse, which replaced the range lights dating from 1879. A plaque on the side of the lighthouse describes the Yankee Gale of 1851 which claimed 80 ships and the lives of 161 men. Recognized as a Federal Heritage site.
Cape Bear Lighthouse and Marconi Station
Established in 1881, the lighthouse was moved twice due to shore erosion. The Marconi radio station here was the first to receive distress signals from the Titanic (1912). Recognized as a Federal Heritage site. Note: Our visit was after the second move in 2015, before restoration.
Wine Tour
The climate is good for growing grapes, and PEI's wineries are included on the Craft Breweries & Wineries tour. We visited two wineries in Murray River (end of Murray Harbour branch of the Confederation Trail).
More Information and Resources
More Biking:
Bike-Canada
- More bike trails and information about biking in Canada
Related Resources:
Prince Edward Island Dept. of Tourism - Confederation Trail
Prince Edward Island Dept. of Tourism
- Cycling & Mountain Biking
Confederation Trail Cycling Guide
Trans Canada Trail
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