Cross country skiing is a great winter activity for all ages and fitness levels - you can control your pace, stop to rest, or enjoy the scenery whenever you like - and it's a full-body workout. Not to mention the fact that there are TONS of places to enjoy this winter sport in Halifax!
To rent cross-country ski gear in Halifax, check out The Links at Brunello.
If you are interested in purchasing cross country ski equipment to use for many winters to come, try the following retailers:
The Trail Shop - 6112 Quinpool Road
MEC Halifax -1550 Granville Street
*Learn more about renting and purchasing cross-country ski equipment from Halifax Nordic.
Once you have your gear, all you need to do is pick a trail!
Here are 5 Halifax Nordic-approved groomed trails that are great for cross country skiing:
Brunello Golf Course
Location: 120 Brunello Blvd, Timberlea
Level: Intermediate
Groomed for (skate/classic): Skate
Distance: 10 KM
MacDonald Sports Park
Location: 280 Champions Way, Waverley
Level: Beginner & Intermediate
Groomed for (skate/classic): Skate & Classic (limited)
Distance: 7.5 KM
Dollar Lake Provincial Park
Location: 5265 Old Guysborough Road, Wyses Corner
Level: Intermediate
Groomed for (skate/classic): Skate & Classic
Distance: 10 KM
Graves-Oakley Memorial Park
Location: 106 Leiblin Drive, Spryfield
Level: Beginner
Groomed for (skate/classic): Skate
Distance: 1 KM
Oakfield Golf & Country Club
Location: 6055 Nova Scotia Trunk 2, Enfield
Level: Beginner & Intermediate
Groomed for (skate/classic): Skate & Classic
Ready for some new trails? These un-groomed Halifax trails are all cross-country ski-friendly!
Atlantic View Trail
Length: 10 KM
Trailhead location: Lawrencetown Beach (Eastern Shore)
BLT Trails (Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Rails to Trails)
Length: 13 KM
Trailhead location: Lakeside Dr. in Beechville Industrial Park next to the Coca Cola Plant. (Beechville)
Beechville Lakeside Timberlea - Trails to Rails Association
Chain of Lakes Trail
Length: 7.25 KM
Trailhead location: Starts on Joseph Howe Drive across from the Superstore. It continues through Bayers Lake Business Park and ends at the Lakeside Business Park where it connects to the Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Trail. (Lakeside)
Cole Harbour Heritage Park
Length: 9 KM
Trailhead Location: 256 Bissett Road, Cole Harbour (Salt Marsh Trailhead)
Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail
Length: 3 KM
Trailhead location: Woodside Ferry Terminal and Dartmouth Ferry Terminal (Dartmouth)
First Lake Glen Slauenwhite Trail
Length: 3.3 KM
Trailhead location: First Lake Drive, Glendale Drive (Lower Sackville)
Frog Pond Trail
Length: 1.4 KM
Trailhead location: 2.2 km after the intersections of Herring Cove Road and Purcell's Cove Road. (Armdale)
Fort Sackville Walkway Bedford-Sackville Connector Greenway
Length: 6 KM
Trail access points: (Bedford / Sackville)
- Bedford Access: Fish Hatchery Park, Bedford Place Mall parking lots, and Range Park.
- Sackville Access: Parking on Memory Lane (behind historic Fultz House), then utilizing sidewalks across Sackville Drive to Old Sackville Road to Lynn Court intersection
Halifax Urban Greenway
Length: 1 KM
Trail Maps & Info
Mainland North Linear Parkway
Length: 4.5 KM
Trail Maps & Info
McIntosh Run Community Trail
Length: 1.3 KM
Trailhead location: North end of River Road (Spryfield)
Musquodoboit Trailway
Length: 15 KM
Trailhead location: Highway 7 at the Musquodoboit Railway Museum and Tourist Bureau, at Park Road, and along Highway 357 at Gibraltar Rock. (Musquodoboit Harbour)
Point Pleasant Park Trails
Length: (varies) 39km of trails total, perimeter loop is 3.36 KM
Trailhead location: Parking lots at the end of Point Pleasant Drive and Tower Road
Sackville Lakes Park and Trails
Length: 5.3 KM
Trailhead location: 440 First Lake Drive (Lower Sackville)
Salt Marsh Trail
Length: 6.5 KM
Trail Maps & Info
Shearwater Flyer Trail
Length: 8 KM
Trail Maps & Info
Shubie Canal Greenway (Shubie Park)
Length: 9.25 KM
Trailhead location: Fairbanks Centre Shubie Park, 54 Lock Road, Dartmouth. Turn off from Waverley Road.
St. Margaret's Bay Rails to Trails
Length: 32 KM
Trailhead location: There are 3 trailheads. The first is located at the western end of the trails, on Station Road in Hubbards. The 2nd, at the Head of St. Margaret's Bay on Station Road. The 3rd, at the eastern end on Highway 3 at Hubley.
Now all that's left to do is to get outside and embrace that winter weather!
