Our favorite hikes on the Avalon Peninsula

The Avalon Peninsula occupies the southeast of Newfoundland. It is home to the capital, St. John's, the Southern Shore as far as Ferryland, site of the Colony of Avalon, Cape St. Mary's, and the Argentia and Placentia area.

Trails in the region

Pippy Park, in St. John's, is a large urban park crossed by trails; it also holds the Memorial University Botanical Garden, the Long Pond marsh and the Fluvarium, and its trails connect with those of the Grand Concourse. Petty Harbour, south of the city, is a fishing village on Motion Bay whose harbour is still active; the East Coast Trail's Cape Spear Path begins there.

Before you go

Fog and wind are common on the Avalon coast, even in summer: bring a windbreaker. In winter, the East Coast Trail is neither cleared nor updated, and its coastal sections run along cliffs: stay on the marked trail.