The Coastal Trail in Pukaskwa National Park is often called Canada’s toughest trail. I for one, after experiencing the beauty and the beast of this trail, would have to agree. The route is a 58km (map miles, more on this later) out and back trail starting in the developed campground at the North end of the park. There is also an option to take a boat out to Swallow River and hike the trail one direction back north. I also suppose you could coordinate a pick up at North Swallow and hike southerly in one direction, although I have never heard of it being done that way.
I hiked the first 35km of this trail from the campground past Oiseau Bay in the summer of 2019. My trail partner Dan and I accomplished this feat in a day and a half before my knees simply screamed “NO FURTHER”. I was carrying a 40lb pack on a 185frame (me). We turned around after lunch and made the return trip with two more nights along the way. Needless to say, much was learned on that trip and applied to my most recent outing that I will be documenting in the chapters of this blog.
I’ve hiked extensively in Southern Ontario and New York State. There is nothing equal to Pukaskwa. The SUPERIOR life of the region, and the grandeur of this trail is epic. I look forward to sharing my latest experience with you, and hopefully it will help you should you decide to visit Canada’s toughest trail!
Best Backpacking,
Outdoor Easy.
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