Trail Milestones

Our goal is to link traditional walking paths from Topsail to Trepassey.

The East Coast Trail Association

2012

National Geographic names the East Coast Trail as one of the 10 best adventure destinations in the world. See news item March 2, 2012.
March 22: The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation describes the East Coast Trail as a "provincial gem" and invites the members of the House of Assembly to "experience our world adventure destination by hiking along our incredible East Coast Trail."

2011

Trail monitoring of 11 of the 24 developed paths, totalled over 66,000 hiker passes for the season (May to October). Extrapolating the data to the 24 developed paths, the trail had over 100,000 hiker passes in a six month period. This makes the East Coast Trail the second most visited attraction in the province in 2011.
Tely Hike raises over $101,380 on International Trails Day.
A sunny Grand Opening of Father Troy Path with the new Church Cove loop and Silver Head Mine Path with a trailhead at Middle Cove.
Trail crew clears all winter blow-down at beginning of season: over 1400 trees down and leaning across the trail after the wet windy autumn, four times more than normal.
Crew and volunteer trail maintenance on 8 southern shore paths, making significant headway in vegetation clearing (see Irish Loop article).
Over 47 volunteer-led scheduled hikes and maintenance hikes this season.
St. John's honours the ECTA with the City's top tourism award, the Legend Award recognizing the Associations significant contribution to the tourism industry.
Biscan Cove Path phase 2 development completed.
Cripple Cove Loop phase 1 of development completed.

2010

National Geographic: 384 tourism experts rank Avalon Peninsula No. 1 Coastal Destination in the world. See related news item of Nov. 15, 2010.
The Integrated Community Sustainability Plans, completed by the communities of the Southern Avalon and Northeast Avalon in 2010, identified ECTA a value-added partner in the community economic development process and an important pillar for the future development of their communities.
Pedestrian Trails Act enacted by the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to protect hikers on Crown Land.
Separation of the positions of President and Chair of the Board.
Official Opening of the very lovely Cobbler Path in Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove.
10^th Tely-Hike raised record sum of $104,000 for trail maintenance & development.
Phase 2 of trail development for Middle Cove Path and the upgrade to the Father Troy Path in Torbay complete (official opening will take place in June 2011).
Phase 2 of trail development for Pouch Cove to Cape St. Francis completed (path completion is targeted for September 2011).
Phase 1 of trail development for Cape St. Francis to Bauline has commenced.
Cut rock steps provide long-term solution to infrastructure damage on Deadmans Bay Path/Freshwater.
Major water diversion project completed on Deadmans Bay Path near Ft. Amherst.
Installation of trail counters on 4 paths show over 28,000 passes this season
Hurricane Igor tipped 5000 trees onto and over the trail; these trees have been removed but tread-way restoration is in progress on some paths.

2009

Official Opening of the beautiful 15km Stiles Cove Path between Pouch Cove and Flatrock. See the news item for details and photos.
Completion of Shoe Cove bridge. See the news item for details and photos.
Work crew clears most of the 600 trees blown down onto the Trail in October windstorms.
Phase 2 development started on the 17.5km section between Logy Bay and Flatrock.
Phase 1 development of the 7km section between Pouch Cove and Cape St. Francis.
Over 2300 hours volunteer time contributed to trail maintenance and custodian reporting.
Over 40km of vegetation cleared from 10 paths. This essential maintenance work is done by volunteers and crew.
Completion of work-site surveys of all the developed paths south of St. John's.
Infrastructure renewal projects completed on 5 southern shore paths. See the news item for details and photos.

2008

The Flatrock to Pouch Cove trail development project commences with 3 bridges being built by Canadian Armed Forces Reserves.
The 9th annual East Coast Trail Tely Hike and Silent Auction is held in October with record-breaking fundraising that brought in over $45,000 to help sustain the Trail
A record breaking year for trail maintenance volunteers, with 36 outings during the season amounting to over 3,000 hours of donated labour.

2007

Official opening of the Sugarloaf Path from Quidi Vidi to Logy Bay, 8.9 km of beautiful coastal trail north of St. John's.

2006

Construction begins on the Sugarloaf Path. A 16 meter wooden bridge is built over the John Howards River.
A Memorandum of Understanding is reached between hiking and mountain biking groups with a way to sign and safely share the trails up the Bawdens Highland.

2005

ECTA presented with the Doug Wheeler Sustainable Environment Award.
The Knight Report documents the economic contribution the East Coast Trail is making to a sustainable tourist industry in Newfoundland.
A key measure of the Trail's success is hiker visitation. The Knight Study identified that 21,500 resident and 5,000 non-residents hiked the trail in 2004, and the forecast visitation for 2011 was 56,992 hiker visits.
Major articles on the trail published in Grandes Espacios February 2005, Globe & Mail May 2005, and Explore Magazine June 2005.

2004

Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes the East Coast Trail as a Destination Hiking Trail.
Major article on the trail published in the LA Times August 2004.

2003

LaManche Bridge officially dedicated to the former residents of LaManche Village
The Trail from Cape Spear to Placentia officially designated part of the National Hiking Trail

2002

More than 400 hikers rally for the 4th Annual East Coast Trail Tely Challenge fundraising event.
Colour, waterproof maps are produced and available for sale at various business outlets.
Almost 1000 hikers take part in the ECTA's volunteer led recreational hiking program.
The ECTA launches Protect & Maintain. It is now the responsibility of the ECTA to take care of the developed East Coast Trail.
Attractions Canada named the East Coast Trail the Best New Outdoor Site and Best New Attraction for 2002 in Newfoundland and Labrador.

2001

Official Opening of the 220 km of The East Coast Trail. More than 5,000 celebrate!
Our first guidebook, Hiking the East Coast Trail: Fort Amherst to Petty Harbour Maddox Cove, Vol. 1 is published and sales are brisk. Four more volumes are planned.

2000

50 m suspension bridge at LaManche officially opened on June 17. Former residents of LaManche Village join in the celebration and cut the ribbon.

1999

Trails are cut between Bear Cove Point lighthouse and Renews and also from Aquaforte to Lawlors Bay.
Our coastal walking and hiking path attracts the national and international media.

1998

The volunteer Custodian Program was established ensuring trail condition monitoring and maintenance of the trail.

1997

Thanks to HRDC and ACOA, the ECTA is granted funds to develop the Trail from St. John's to Cappahayden (220 km) and increase tourism potential along the coastal pathway.
Queen's River Bridge on the Spout Path is competed. This 20 ft wooden bridge is the first of five major bridges.
Office space for the East Coast Trail Association is donated.

1996

A program of 17 recreational hikes was launched.
Our volunteer hours doubled: 230 volunteers open and upgrade 85 km of trail.
The D'lberville Trail was launched in cooperation with College of the North Atlantic students.
Channel 9 launches 'Take-a-Hike', a 6 episode TV series about hiking hosted by ECTA members.

1995

The ECTA was incorporated and the first Annual General Meeting was held in Torbay.
Volunteers organized and took part in bi-weekly trail clearing parties.
A 3-ton rock blocking the Spout is removed with generous support from the community. Almost immediately, the Spout (a sea-driven geyser) becomes a popular hiking and boat tour destination, north of Bay Bulls and south of Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove.
The first website was launched and the first newsletter was published.

1994

Enthusiasts discuss re-opening and preserving the traditional trails that link communities along the coast of the Avalon Peninsula.
Eighty volunteers opened 25 kilometers of trail.