International Trails Day Brings Together Volunteers Across Canada
Trans Canada Trail joins community groups for annual celebration of trails
No matter where we are, the trail brings us together. That was the message as volunteers across Canada came together to celebrate International Trails Day 2025 on June 7.
Celebrated annually on the first Saturday in June, International Trails Day is a celebration of trails and what they mean to communities around the world. This year, members of the Trans Canada Trail team joined with community groups for 13 events in nine provinces and two territories.
High Rockies Trail, Kanananskis, AB. Photo credit: Pam Doyle.
The celebrations highlighted the passion and dedication of the thousands of volunteers who help preserve their sections of Canada’s 29,000-kilometre nationwide trail. They also served as a clear reminder of the role the Trail plays in building community.
“When we come together to celebrate the Trail, we celebrate what it means to be Canadian,” said Mathieu Roy, Chief Executive Officer of Trans Canada Trail. “Nature is essential to Canada’s national identity and trails are a vital way for people across the country to enjoy our vast natural landscape. International Trails Day is a perfect time to recognize how our trails connect us not only to nature, but to one another as well.”
Confederation Trail, Morrell, PEI. Photo credit: Brian Paterson.
With celebrations throughout the country, International Trails Day put Canada’s vastly diverse landscape on full display — from the Rockies to the North and the Prairies to the Maritimes. Events were held in:
• Alberta: High Rockies Trail, Kananaskis
• British Columbia: Sea to Sky Trail, Pemberton
• Manitoba: Crow Wing Trail, St. Pierre-Jolys; Headingley Grand Trunk Trail, Headingley
• New Brunswick: Fundy Footpath, St. Martins
• Nova Scotia: Westville/Stellarton Trail, Westville; Forest of Hope Trail, Potlotek
• Ontario: Waterfront Trail, Thunder Bay
• Prince Edward Island: Confederation Trail, Morell
• Quebec: La Montagnarde, Eastman
• Saskatchewan: Wakamow Valley Trail, Moose Jaw
• Northwest Territories: Town of Hay River Trail, Hay River
• Yukon: The Carmacks Boardwalk, Carmacks
Waterfront Trail, Thunder Bay, ON. Photo credit: Michael Hull.
Each location offered its own way for people to engage with the Trail. Some volunteers carried out trail maintenance projects like tree planting, removing invasive plant species and clearing brush and debris; while others took part in guided trail tours and community BBQs.
Forest of Hope Trail, Potlotek First Nation. Photo credit: Tiffany MacRae.
International Trails Day 2025 marked the culmination of this year’s Trail Care Grant program, which is generously supported by Athletic Brewing, Columbia Sportswear, and Toyota Canada. This annual program provides funding to local trail groups, enabling them to undertake projects that enhance trail sections and support volunteer initiatives.
Through the 2025 Trail Care Grant Program, Trans Canada Trail awarded $248,250 to 222 community groups across the country. Since it began in 2019, the Trail Care program has provided more than $1.2 million in funding to local trail projects.
