Stephanie’s Trans Canada Trail: Walking the Trail for Thanksgiving

Written by Stephanie Mayo 

A burnt orange leaf slowly falls onto the trail in front of me, and I lick my lips thinking of last night’s slice of warm pumpkin pie. It’s Thanksgiving Day and I’m on the Trans Canada Trail. 

Every year, since 2014, I have walked a part of the Thornton-Cookstown Trail on Thanksgiving. What started as a quick escape from the hustle of entertaining family and cooking quickly became a fall tradition that centered on grounding, connecting with nature and thankfulness. 

The Trail through Simcoe County 

Living just south of Barrie, I have had the pleasure of walking most of the Trans Canada Trail through Simcoe County. The closest section to my home, a short 10-minute drive, is the Thornton-Cookstown Trail. This portion of the trail follows an old train route, originally built in the mid-1870s. While the last train graced the tracks in 1986, the now converted gravel trail still sees a lot of action from locals, cycling and walking the path. 

The full Thornton-Cookstown Trans Canada Trail runs 14 km one way. I’ve travelled all sections of it many times and love that it’s easily broken up to go for as long or as short of a walk as you’d like. My local section is the trail’s start or end, depending on which way you’re travelling. It has a large gravel parking lot off of the 5th Sideroad, just north of Innisfil Beach Road. 

During my Thanksgiving Day tradition, I walk the first portion of the trail, from the 5th Sideroad to Thornton. This portion of the trail is 3.5 km. Nearly entirely flat, like the whole Thornton-Cookstown Trail, it’s great for families with strollers as well as those with mobility devices. Depending on your pace, it can be done in under an hour, making the walk out and back roughly 1.5 hours. 

Photo credit: Stephanie Mayo

Over a decade of Thanksgiving walks on the Trail 

My tradition of walking my local section of the Trans Canada Trail on Thanksgiving started over ten years ago. It sprung up out of a need for peace from a weekend spent with my exuberant Italian family. I wanted a quiet escape, and the Trans Canada Trail offered just that! 

As I start out, the trail is wrapped in a canopy of trees, leaves and shrubbery. Like a warm hug on a cool fall morning. Following along, the trail has a mix of these covered canopies as well as open windows looking onto neighboring farmers’ fields, growing everything from sweet corn to soybeans. Birds bounce along the trail, chirping in the trees, as kids frolic along in front of their parents on a Thanksgiving Day walk just like mine. As they run ahead, they’re easy to see on this straight-as-a-rail-line trail. Cyclists casually pass us, sharing warm greetings. Everyone seems as though they are alive with joy that Thanksgiving Day always brings. 

Walking, one foot in front of the other, I notice a shift within. I slow my pace. Listen to the mix of gravel and fallen leaves underfoot. Listen for the song of chickadees in the trees. And I breathe in the fresh fall air that has an intoxicating aroma of harvested fields. In pockets where the sky opens up, I can see the sky, a pale shade of blue accentuated with wispy white clouds. Against the blue, the vibrant colours of fall pop, orange, red and yellow. 

Photo credit: Stephanie Mayo

The transformative nature of the Trans Canada Trail 

That first Thanksgiving Day walk, I realized the transformative nature of the Trans Canada Trail. I went in search of peace but found something even more special. And it’s this that draws me to return to the Trail every fall. 

I walk the Trail to ground myself after a busy summer. With each step, I connect with nature, surrounded by towering trees, forests, shrubs, and farmers’ fields rich with wildlife. I’m reminded by each leaf that falls to the ground to let go of the things I cannot change and the built-up anxiety from the year. Most importantly, I reflect on all of the things I have to be grateful for. Family and friends, my health, and for having this incredible section of the Trans Canada Trail in my own backyard. 

This Thanksgiving, consider adding a new tradition that includes the Trans Canada Trail as part of your celebrations. There’s no better way to feel connected, to nature, to your fellow Canadians, and to yourself, then taking advantage of your local Trans Canada Trail – connecting us all from coast to coast to coast. 

Photo credit: Stephanie Mayo

Stephanie Mayo is a travel blogger based in Barrie, Ontario, who’s always on the hunt for hidden gems, going beyond the popular places, from small towns to trails. Her passion is celebrating all things local, from farm to fork experiences to artisan markets. You’ll find her travel and hiking guides at The World As I See It, and you can follow along via her Instagram.    

The Trans Canada Trail is Not Just a Trail. It’s the world’s longest multi-use trail network, crossing every province and territory and connecting all three coastlines. As an iconic shared national asset, it demonstrates what Canadians can build together over generations. Share your love for the Trail with your local MP and learn more about how to protect the Trail at https://notjustatrail.ca/. 

Feature photo credit: Stephanie Mayo