Introduction

Cape Breton Island is a wonderful place to explore on foot: expansive valleys, hidden waterfalls, majestic old growth forests and a rugged coastline are just a few of the natural features waiting for the curious and intrepid hiker. While it has plenty of wonderful day hikes, Cape Breton lacks a true long-distance hiking trail. 

We are proposing the Seawall Trail: an epic trek along the coast and cliffs of Northern Cape Breton. We believe that, when completed, the Seawall Trail will attract hiking enthusiasts from around the globe and will help establish Nova Scotia as a world-class hiking destination.

Development Plan

We see the trail development occurring in three stages: 

Stage One: Planning and Development

This includes all activities before any actual construction begins: public consultations; trail management agreements; fundraising; trail development plans; flagging and alignment; initial marketing; and other planning activities. This stage may cost up to $100,000 and we hope to raise $15,000 through direct donations by supportive individuals like you! 

Stage Two: Construction

The actual building of the trail and any associated infrastructure: parking facilities, signage, huts and tent sites, bathroom facilities, etc. 

Stage Three: Maintenance

Trail maintenance is critical but often overlooked. Maintenance costs depend largely on the initial quality of construction and actual foot traffic. When the trail is completed we hope to fund ongoing maintenance through a small trail usage fee.

How You Can Help

You can help in several ways: 

• Donate money directly to the campaign (by clicking the orange button!) 
• Start a fundraising page (called a Giving Group) to raise money on your own. 
• Spread the word through online and offline networks

How We Will Use Your Donations

We are currently working through Stage One, Trail Planning and Development. 

Your donations will be used to help us hire experienced trail consultants: experts who will identify and design the most optimal and visually stunning route possible. 

Good trail design is difficult. A successful trail must balance an appealing route with resilience against factors such as foot traffic and erosion. We want to ensure that the Seawall Trail is both beautiful and long lasting. Experienced designers will help us reach that goal.

Timeline

We hope to have someone begin route planning sometime in the summer of 2016. 

For more information, such as photos and a project overview, please visit our website: 

www.seawalltrail.com

Thank you for your support!

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