Canada is vast, wild and full of places best explored on foot. While it’s home to some epic multi-day hikes, not every scenic route requires serious commitment. From coastal paths to forest trails and city strolls, these walkable spots offer a perfect day’s adventure.

Click through this gallery to discover 16 of Canada's most scenic walks... 

Lake Louise is one of Canada’s top natural attractions. While a lakeside stroll is a must, many visitors also opt for one of the area's easy-to-moderate hikes, like the short uphill trek to the charming Lake Agnes Teahouse, where summer hikers can grab a refreshment at the top.

The walk up to the teahouse is an uphill mountain hike, but by Banff standards is fairly easy, even suitable for families with children. At 2.1 miles (3.4km) each way, it takes about three hours – with lakes, waterfalls and mountain peaks to gaze upon along the way. 

Ottawa is a great city to explore on foot, with a historic downtown at its heart. The path along the Rideau Canal passes seven landmarks, including Pretoria Bridge, Dows Lake and the Central Experimental Farm. It begins at the locks, just below Parliament Hill and beside the grand Château Laurier Hotel.

After exploring the area around the locks, visitors can follow the promenade south toward the Glebe and Carleton University, ending at Hartwells Lockstation. Each of the seven sites features interpretive signs and outdoor exhibits. The full 4.8-mile (7.8km) route is around a three-hour round trip.

This trail on the northern tip of Prince Edward Island winds through one of the province’s most untouched areas. It offers classic PEI sights – a lighthouse, cliffs, ocean views, a quaint restaurant and, at low tide, a beach. It’s also a favourite for birdwatchers, thanks to the diverse local species.

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The trail is about three miles (5km) and fairly easy, thanks to boardwalks over the trickier sections. It winds through Black Marsh, a bog often bright with wildflowers, and offers scenic views of both nature and a nearby wind farm.

Montréal takes its name from Mount Royal, the tree-covered hill that rises gently above the city. It’s an easy climb with a spectacular view – and the surrounding park is well worth exploring too, with lakes, lookouts, an interpretive centre and plenty of prime people-watching.

There are a few ways to reach the top of Mount Royal. The quickest is a staircase that takes about an hour round trip – less on the way down. For a longer, scenic route, the Olmsted Trail winds gently up to the Mount Royal Chalet. It’s around four miles (6.6km) each way and takes about two hours to walk.

Bay Roberts lies on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, across the water from St John’s on the edge of Conception Bay. Its coastal charm and city proximity make it a favourite for visitors exploring Canada’s eastern edge. The Shoreline Heritage Trail is a bit of a workout, but the rugged scenery makes it worthwhile.

Considered an 'easy-to-moderate' hike, the Shoreline Heritage Trail is a five-mile (8km) loop that takes explorers along beaches, sheer cliffs and brilliant green terrain.

One of the highlights is Madrock, an outcrop that sees the full fury of the Atlantic Ocean. You can pack a picnic to enjoy at the Three Sisters pebble beach to extend your walk, which takes about two hours without stops.

Halifax sits on a peninsula reaching into the Atlantic, and at its tip is Point Pleasant Park – a 180-acre woodland escape from the city. Once home to a 17th-century chapel and seven fortifications, some of which still remain, it’s now a peaceful spot to enjoy ocean views and forest trails.

There are multiple options for a day-long walk at Point Pleasant Park, with 24 miles (39km) of pathways snaking through the site, many of which are wheelchair accessible.

The park is dog-friendly with large off-leash areas and cycling is limited on the weekends to make more room for pedestrians. Walkers who want to delve into the park’s history can download a guided audio tour or interactive map.

If you’ve made it to the Yukon, you’ll want to take in its northern beauty – and Kluane National Park is a highlight. The Auriol Trail winds through boreal forest and sub-alpine terrain toward the Auriol mountain range. While serious climbers can push further, the trail itself offers plenty for casual hikers.

For those not camping under the Yukon sky, the nine-mile (15km) Auriol Trail loop can be completed in four to six hours. The left side offers a gentler climb, while the steeper right side rewards with better views – so it’s best to go up the left and down the right. Along the way, you’ll pass meadows, creeks and wetlands.

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In southern Saskatchewan near the US border, Grasslands National Park showcases untouched Canadian prairie. Home to bison, prairie dogs, burrowing owls and endless native grasses, it’s a haven for wildlife watchers. The park is split into two sections, with the West Block offering the best trails for casual walkers.

While there are tougher routes for experienced hikers, the West Block also features several shorter trails perfect for day visitors, including Eagle Butte and Top Dogtown, which reward walkers with wildflowers and possible sightings of rare black-tailed prairie dogs.

For a bigger challenge, the popular 70 Mile Butte Trail offers stunning views and a steeper climb – despite the name, it’s only three miles (5km) long.

Just off the Bay of Fundy near Maine, this charming island is rich in heritage trails and easily reached by ferry. This scenic walk leads from a postcard-worthy lighthouse to a rocky beach, with dramatic views along the way.

Grand Manan’s 24.8-mile (40km) Lighthouse Trail takes in several lighthouses and scenic spots, but for a shorter walk, the route from Swallowtail Lighthouse to Whale Cove is a standout.

This 2.4-mile (3.9km) stretch offers stunning views, including the island’s famous Hole-in-the-Wall rock formation. The trail is a bit rugged and takes about three hours each way.

The Greater Toronto area isn’t known for its large swaths of untouched wilderness, making Rouge National Urban Park, which sits in the suburb of Scarborough, a real breath of fresh air.

The park includes a rare urban working farm, the only campground within Toronto, a beach, a diversity of plant life and plenty of opportunities for a relaxing walk in the woods.

The Mast Trail, one of the most popular routes in Rouge National Urban Park, follows a 200-year-old former logging path. While it has a few steep hills, it’s manageable for most hikers.

Keep an eye out for rare ovenbirds along the way. The trail is named after the white pines once harvested here to make ship masts in the 1800s.

Winnipeg is rich in architecture and atmosphere, and the Riverwalk is a great way to take it all in. Centred around The Forks – a historic meeting point where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet – the area now hosts markets and year-round events. In winter, the frozen rivers transform into the Nestaweya River Trail, one of the world’s longest skating routes.

Walkways line both the Red and Assiniboine rivers, passing Winnipeg landmarks like the Esplanade Riel Bridge, Saint-Boniface, the Manitoba Legislature and the striking Canadian Museum for Human Rights. It’s an easy, accessible route with plenty of benches for soaking up the city’s character.

Cathedral Grove, in MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, is home to towering Douglas firs – some over 800 years old and 29 feet (9m) around. Just off the main road, this shaded forest feels otherworldly, with moss-covered trees and lush rainforest undergrowth creating a magical atmosphere.

You don’t need to work hard to enjoy Cathedral Grove – the main trail, featuring the park’s largest tree, is just 0.3 miles (0.5km) long. But with interpretive signs and the forest’s serene beauty, it’s easy to linger. Other trails are nearby, though reaching them means crossing the main highway.

Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail is famed for its stunning coastal drive, but the Skyline Trail offers a deeper way to experience it on foot. This cliff-top path along French Mountain overlooks the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where you might spot whales below – and moose roaming the land above.

Despite reaching 1,330 feet (405m), the Skyline Trail is a relatively easy walk, thanks to a boardwalk with steps at the headland. The return route is four miles (6.5km), or 5.1 miles (8.2km) as a loop, and takes around two to three hours. As it’s within Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a park pass is required.

Alberta’s Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, near the province’s southern edge, is one of the best places to see otherworldly hoodoos – towering rock formations carved by wind and water.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s also sacred to the Blackfoot people, whose ancestors lived here for over 10,000 years and left behind ancient carvings and paintings on the rocks.

The best way to see the hoodoos is along the 1.5-mile (2.5km) Matapiiksi (Hoodoo) Trail, which winds through the formations with carvings visible along the route.

Though the terrain is uneven in places and includes some steeper sections, it’s manageable for most walkers. The trail also offers views of the Milk River – Canada’s only river that flows south into the Mississippi system.

Vancouver is known for its natural beauty, and few walks showcase it better than the Seawall around Stanley Park. This scenic urban route offers views of the city, ocean and forest, all set within land long stewarded by the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.

The Seawall is a flat, accessible route that’s ideal for walkers of all abilities, including wheelchair users. The full 6.2-mile (10km) loop takes two to three hours, but with beaches, totem poles, monuments and more along the way, it’s easy to spend a full day exploring Stanley Park.

Joffre Lakes, located just north of Pemberton, is one of Canada’s most photographed hikes – and for good reason. The trail winds past three stunning turquoise lakes, each more breathtaking than the last, with the icy peaks of the Coast Mountains looming above. The vibrant colour of the lakes comes from glacial silt, giving them that otherworldly blue hue. 

The round-trip hike is about six miles (10km) with a steady elevation gain of 1,300 feet (400m), making it a moderately challenging trek for most visitors, although the rocky path is well-maintained. It’s not a loop, so be prepared to retrace your steps – though with scenery this good, you won’t mind seeing it twice.

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