Skerwink Trail, on the southern coast of the Bonavista Peninsula, is ranked one of the top three hiking trails in Canada—and for good reason. We hiked this coastal loop recently for the first time, and wondered why we hadn’t explored it years ago.
The trail is a classic meeting of ocean and land, winding through wind-swept spruce and fir forests, bogs and open grassy meadows. There are great views of Port Rexton and Trinity.
Trail Highlights & Hotspots
Skerwink has been ranked one of the top 35 hiking trails in North America and Europe by Travel + Leisure magazine.
The trail provides a variety of stunning ocean views, including rugged sea stacks and cliffs.
You may see whales, icebergs and seabirds along its 5.3 km length.
Classed as an easy-to-intermediate hike, the trail is accessible for a range of hikers.
Bonavista Peninsula Claim to Fame
Trinity is home to well-known Rising Tide Theatre, which runs plays and pageants of local interest throughout the summer and early fall.
Trinity is also known for its heritage architecture, inclu ding provincial historic sites like Hiscock House and the Lester-Garland Premises.
Elliston, the root cellar capital of the world, boasts nearly 200 cellars—some nearly 200 years old.
Bonavista, said to be the landing site of John Cabot in 1497, has a replica of Cabot’s ship, the Matthew, and is home to the Ryan Premises National Site.
The outdoor set of the popular CBC-TV mini-series Random Passage was constructed at New Bonaventure (you can visit the site); The Shipping News was also filmed in the area.
You’ll find unique accommodations—one described as the “best hidden gem in Canada” on TripAdvisor; another ranked one of Canada’s top 15 places to stay by National Geographic Traveler magazine—and additional hiking trails.
But it’s the coastline that will stop you in your tracks, with its memorable beaches and sea stacks (eroded rock formations)—the latter having names such as Music Box because of the sound produced when the wind blows.
The 5.3 kilometre trail is rated easy to moderate (there’s an optional, more challenging four-km loop for “serious” hikers.) Many times trails are part of a vast network of foot and cart paths from years gone by—retracing four centuries of settlement and subsistence, where early pioneers gathered berries, hunted seabirds and travelled to neighbouring communities.
On our hike in early June we saw several icebergs, including a magnificent one just in front of the lighthouse in Trinity. When I stopped at a lookout to take pictures of the berg I noticed abundant moose droppings, realizing that moose must like a good view as well!
Keith & Heather Nicol
Eco-friendly hiking tips:
Don’t feed the foxes, and be sure to watch your step near fox holes.
If you are hiking this trail after a rain, wear waterproof shoes.
Pack a lunch or a snack and plan to rest at the grassy meadows on the headland.
GPS coordinates
Trail starts and ends at Trinity East (next to church), off Route 230
Articles 
Skerwink Trail, on the southern coast of the Bonavista Peninsula, is ranked one of the top three hiking trails in Canada—and for good reason. We hiked this coastal loop recently for the first time, and wondered why we hadn’t explored it years ago.