The Great Trail Canada

On August 26, 2017, the world's longest uninterrupted network of land and water trails was officially opened in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. For this reason, I was there and, at the invitation of Destination Canada, explored parts of the Great Trail in Ottawa (Ontario) and British Columbia.

The Great Trail - formerly known as the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) - spans all the provinces and territories, which means a total of 13. It stretches from Yukon in the north, through Vancouver Island (British Columbia on the west coast) to the southern border with the United States, all the way to St. John's in Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada. With almost 24,000 km of trails, it is longer than the Great Wall of China and is the largest project celebrated as part of the 150th anniversary of Canada in 2017.

True to its name, the network connects Canada's most beautiful urban, rural, and remote landscapes. Whether by water in a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard, or on foot and by bicycle, any means of transportation is allowed as long as it is non-motorized.

I found myself neither at the beginning nor at the end, but somewhere in between in Ottawa and the Kootenay Rockies in southern British Columbia. During this trip, I was often asked how long it takes to complete the entire trail. The answer is (still) unknown. The fact is that hikers have been on the trail for over 800 days and are still not at their destination.

Currently, 100% of the trail is complete in nine provinces, with more to follow in the coming weeks and months. By the way, Ontario hosts the longest segment of the Great Trail. Here it is completely finished.

Tip for last-minute Canada travelers: If you plan to visit Canada in 2017, you can get the "Parks Canada Discovery Pass" for free this year. This means free admission to 44 Canadian national parks as well as 168 historic sites.

For more information about "The Great Trail", including detailed maps and apps: thegreattrail.ca

As part of the "Great Trail Connection Celebration" at Major's Hill in Ottawa, a free festival was held for everyone. The headliner was Steven Page, the singer of the band Barenaked Ladies.

The Great Trail also runs through Ottawa. During a biplane tour, I got to view the trail from the air on a circuit flight. We flew over the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill among other sites. The flight in a vintage 1939 Waco UPF-7 was fun and provided new perspectives on Ottawa. The duration was about 20 minutes.

Afterwards, I managed to visit the Canada Aviation and Space Museum for a bit.

Book a tour with Ottawa Biplane Adventures

You can view my detailed tips for a visit to Ottawa with the best sights here.

The Kootenay Rockies are part of the majestic Rocky Mountains, which stretch across Canada and the USA. Here, I explored charming little towns along various segments of the Great Trail, surrounded by mighty forests, rivers, and lakes.

I was particularly impressed by the towns of Nelson and Fernie, with their unique charm and very active communities. We also followed the Great Trail on the world's longest free inland ferry on Kootenay Lake (tip for good food at the landing: Cabin Restaurant). We undertook more adventures such as zip-lining, rafting, high ropes courses, hiking, and canoeing along the Great Trail.

Healthy eating during your trip is taken care of! Thanks to the many sales from local farmers by the roadside, we bought fresh fruit like peaches, cherries, watermelons, ... every day. The fruit is delicious. The tomatoes also looked huge and tasted great.

I hadn't considered British Columbia when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

This is Nelson, with its nearly 10,000 residents by Kootenay Lake. In winter, everyone heads to the mountains for skiing, in summer for hiking, mountain biking, and boating on the lake or in the surrounding mountains like Whitewater.

When you ask locals why they moved here, the answer is always "for skiing" or "for mountain biking". Everyone here is active. Whether engaged in outdoor activities in the stunning Kootenay Rockies landscape or involved in community life, everyone knows each other. The sense of community truly drives the spirit of this small town.

The supermarket in town belongs to about 14,000 members of a cooperative. For a 50 CAD annual fee, you can join. Only regional products are sold here, with the exception of fair trade products from abroad. You can even bring your own containers to fill with oil, granola, or tea. This avoids (plastic) waste and is a great example for us. I wish we had a store like this back home.

In Nelson, I met some wonderful people. For example, John, who has created an oasis and a wonderful gathering place for everyone with his Café Oso Negro and its adjoining garden. It seems like everyone in Nelson comes by here every morning to grab breakfast or sit in the little garden with a cup of coffee. John can be proud of that.

I have rarely met such a calm and content person. John radiates a sense of peace and tranquility as he reflects on his life and shares his journey to becoming a coffee producer. John graciously showed us his own little roastery, from which coffee is shipped all over the world.

Or Peter Moynes, a passionate mountain biker, skier, and photographer. He publishes the Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine twice a year and, during a joint dinner, took it upon himself to spontaneously undertake a small mountain bike tour on the Great Trail with us the next day.

Time seems to have no role in Nelson. The locals have their work-life balance all figured out. That I appreciate.

For adrenaline junkies, I really recommend this zipline. I've never experienced such long and high ziplines that tower over the forest anywhere else in the world, and I have tested quite a few. The longest zipline lasts 45 seconds, is 735 m long, and stretches over the Kokanee Creek Canyon, rising over 91 meters high. It gets the knees shaking.

A special attraction occurs every year at the end of August at the Kokanee Creek Spawning Channel. Thousands of Red Salmon swim upstream and, with luck, you might spot a bear catching its breakfast or dinner.

Unfortunately, we were there in the afternoon, so we didn't see any bears. However, we did see dead salmon lying around that hadn't been fully eaten. The path to the lake was closed. Probably "only in Canada", a friendly ranger nonetheless accompanies you along the pathway to ensure you don't encounter any bears.

When you ask locals what to do in the summer in Nelson, they all respond: "Go to the beach". Now you're probably just as surprised as I am, as there's no ocean in sight. The beach is located on Kootenay Lake below the bridge. It really consists of sand and is located in Lakeside Park.

Take a walk along the river or ride the old streetcar for just 3 CAD. Kids especially love this little train that looks like an old cable car in San Francisco. I walked to Lakeside Park and took the streetcar back.

In Nelson, there are a surprisingly high number of great restaurants considering the population. The selection can be tough. For breakfast, there is really only one place: Oso Negro Cafe. The coffee is superb, and the selection immense. The garden for breakfast is wonderful!

We had a fantastic meal at the "Cantina del Centro" (authentic Mexican street food like tacos, tortillas, soups, and ceviche).

We had a very nice dinner on the terrace in the All Seasons Cafe, which is hidden away from the main street. The restaurant is small, but the food is magnificent. I chose lamb with risotto. According to Lonely Planet, it is one of the best restaurants in British Columbia. I haven't been to many, but I agree.

For lunch, I recommend grabbing a snack, soup, or salad at the Kootenay Co-op at the salad bar & hot bar | cafe. My tomato-coconut soup was wonderful.

If you enjoy hot springs, you're in the right place. In the natural swimming pools that all Canadians are proud of, you can relax after a long, exhausting day. I felt like only older people visit here, though. This was , at least, the demographic I noticed. Especially in the summer, I prefer a visit to Lakeside Park and "the beach".

The former coal mining village has slowly transformed into a winter sports paradise. Fernie is surrounded by the stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. In winter, it is a mecca for cat-skiing* and powder lovers; in summer, mountain bikers and hikers flock here, as the network of hiking and mountain biking trails is among the best in the country.

*Cat-skiing: Instead of using helicopters for skiing, custom retrofitted and heated snowcats are used to bring passengers up the mountain.

In the town itself, you'll find a blend of old historic buildings and modern design. With views of the surrounding peaks, the Three Sisters, the Lizard Range, and the notably distinctive Mount Hosmer, Fernie appears cozy, sleepy, and very charming.

The Elk Valley Community Trail - part of the Great Trail - runs through Fernie and the surrounding communities. We explored this not on foot but along the water route by rafting on the Elk River.

However, our trip to Fernie isn't complete without visiting Island Lake, located 14 km outside of town (about 30 minutes by car), accessed via a winding gravel road through a forest of ancient cedar and Douglas fir trees. The enormous trees are breathtaking.

Upon arrival, you behold one of the most beautifully located accommodations in Canada: Island Lake Lodge. I was incredibly lucky to spend a night here!

Not only is the lodge worth a stay, but the food is unbelievably good. Also, the hiking trails are among the best in the Rocky Mountains.

The community in this small town offers quite a bit: From June to the end of August, the Nights Race Series occurs every Thursday, where mountain bikers compete in downhill events weekly. Entry fees are 5 CAD, and there's beer at the finish line.

Fernie has 38 trails, making it one of the largest areas for mountain biking in Western Canada.

Visit the Aerial Park, a high ropes course at Fernie Ski Resort. From early June to the end of September, you can test your adventurous spirit on three difficulty levels of ziplines, suspension bridges, high ropes, wooden planks, and a net. How brave are you?

I took on the challenge, even though I don't like these wobbly obstacles at all. Since I have a climbing certificate, heights don't bother me, but I lack the patience to balance slowly across a tightrope. I often struggled at the slackline for that very reason.

The ski lifts at Fernie Ski Resort are open from late June to early September. One lifts daily, and the other only on weekends. Mountain bikes with complete equipment and lift passes are available at the base station in a package deal.

Maps for hiking are also available here. You can find prices for ski passes and current events and lift operating hours on the official website skifernie.com

If you love adventure, I recommend going on a rafting tour or a SUP tour. We did the quieter version, the 'Floating Boat Tour'. Almost 4 hours felt a bit long, though we mostly enjoyed the views of the surrounding mountains. An hour would have been sufficient. Next time, I think I'll choose SUP or rafting instead.

More information on the website of www.raftfernie.com

We had a fantastic meal at The Bridge Bistro in Fernie. The best food was at Island Lake Lodge. It was truly exceptional, whether for breakfast or dinner. Even as a guest, you can dine here.

If you want to experience something special, visit the Cirque Restaurant and the Vodka Ice Bar at the Lizard Creek Lodge. You have a great view of the Lizard Range from the terrace.

The chef served us samples from across the menu, including olives, spare ribs, homemade bread, and more.

In the Ice Bar at -12°C, you can taste unique local vodka varieties. It tastes great and warms you inside. At the end, there's the Greek 'I ended up dropping my ice glass on the ground' part and our glasses made of ice broke into small shards on the floor.

The nearest international airports to Nelson are located in Kelowna and Spokane (3 - 3.5 hours), and for Fernie in Calgary (around 3.5 hours by car). Popular connections go through Vancouver or Calgary to Castlegar and Cranbrook. Note: Castlegar is nicknamed "Cancelgard" as the airport can only be accessed complicatedly through the mountains and is often closed in winter. So it's best to book a direct flight to Cranbrook.

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Note: I was invited by Destination Canada along with The Great Trail and British Columbia on this trip. Thank you for the great collaboration. However, my opinion is my own; I chose the activities myself.