Canada’s national trail movement, a country-wide endeavour to connect all of Canada with a network of hiking trails, celebrates its 40th anniversary this month.
The movement, which has completed about 40 percent of the network since its inception, was founded April 29, 1971 when national outdoor and youth organizations congregated in Toronto to discuss the future of hiking in Canada.
The meeting grew into Hike Canada en marche, a national organization on a mission "to establish and maintain a National Hiking Trail system linking Canada’s provinces from coast to coast," according to the group’s website.
When finished, the full trail is expected to span 10,000 kilometers, linking up hiking paths from every province.
"You’ve got to realize that independent clubs across the country are working on it," explained Doug Campbell, founder of the organization.
According to Campbell, much has been done in various regions of the country, especially in the East Coast, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.