Week 1: Long lake Provincial Park Trails,

Long lake Provincial Park is a 2000 hectare provincial nature reserve located 10min Southwest of Halifax along the St Margret’s Bay road. The park is home to an extensive system of hiking trails, gurgling brooks, waterfalls and a diversity of wildlife rarely seen in the city. The park is accessible by a small parking lot along the Bay road, as well as by a lesser known entrance at the intersection of Osborne St and NW arm drive.

On entering the park the city sounds and traffic melt away leaving the visitor with a sense of tranquility and an escape from busy city life. The park’s trails are extensive, and I would advise first time visitors to enter by the Bay road parking lot where you will find the main trail and many other hikers and dog walker who are always happy to give directions. For more experienced hikers however, there is an unending network of trails and less traveled paths that will take you to any corner of the park that you would like to explore.

The best hike in the park is probably up to beaver dam brook falls; the hike takes just over an hour and is one of the park’s most scenic routes. Upon entering from the bay road parking lot, follow the main trail along the small stream down to the lake and then follow it around to the right. This path follows the contour of the shore for a few hundred metres before reaching a fork. Both the right and left trail will eventually get you to the beaver dam brook and the falls, the one to the right is an old road and can be very wet at the best of times, I would suggest going left through the trees for a dryer walk. To get to the falls simply keep the lake shore on your left side and follow the foot paths, there are many for the first hundred meters and this can be slightly confusing but they all condense into a main trail that leads to a small bay and the inflow of beaver dam brook. Another trail is present along the brook, and this can be followed all the way up to the falls and further if one wishes. Upon reaching the falls you can then choose to return the same way you came or continue where you will eventually meet the road that connects back to the main trail (this is the end of the path if you had gone to the right)

In addition to hiking Long Lake also offers the chance to see many birds and other animals rarely seen in the city and the lake itself also hold a large population of smallmouth bass and brook trout. In the winter months snow shoe hares can be regularly seen and during the summer many species of frog and salamander can be spotted in the damp mossy underbrush.

I would highly recommend a visit to this little piece of paradise in the city.

But remember, take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but foot prints.

Happy Hiking

Sam

-Tip: #22 and #23 buses make stops at the Bay road parking lot giving easy access to the main trial. The bay road also has a very good bike lane leading right to the trail head.

-Tip: On days following a rainfall or snowmelt, rubber boots will be an invaluable asset on many of the trials, especially the one up to the falls.