Hiking the Coastal in Pukaskwa

The highlight of our time in Pukaskwa National Park was the 18 km hike on one of Canada’s most renowned and scenic hiking routes: the Coastal Hiking Trail. The complete trail runs for 120 km return but the 18 km we did that day crossed several ecosystems, from granite headlands, to pebble beaches, to marshland, to old growth forests.

Not only is the trail magnificent, it also offers blueberries along the way or if you prefer something savory, several types of interesting-looking mushrooms. We snacked on the blueberries but didn’t take our chances with the mushrooms. And of course, where there are blueberries, there are bears, as evidenced by this blueberry filled bear droppings (fortunately, we didn’t see any bears).

The turnaround point of our hike was the White River Suspension Bridge 23 meters above the Chigaaminwinigum Falls. It was quite unnerving to step onto the bridge and look down at the rushing water.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, there were no bugs!! I’m pretty sure hiking in June is a totally different story but towards the end of August, the forest was basically bug free.

What more could we ask for: amazing scenery, good weather, interesting hiking trails, plenty blueberries and no bug!

In closing I leave you with one last description of Pukaskwa Park from the book, Superior: Under the Shadows of the Gods: “A pale green lichen, Old Man’s Beard, drips from spindly branches, giving the forest an ancient, eerie feel… Under brooding grey clouds, the massive rocky headlands gleam in a livery light. Under clear blue skies they stand out stark and powerful. Long beaches and dunes of gravel, cobbles or fine white sand dot the shore and mark Superior’s fluctuating waterlines”.