2010 Grand Manan Trip

Our annual June trip to Grand Manan via camper van was wonderful. We hiked 50 miles in 10 days. This picture was taken from our cliffside campsite at Hole-in-the-Wall Wilderness Campground. This private campground is a fantastic place to enjoy the beauty of the island. The trails wind around the campsites and can go for miles in either direction. There is even a sweet little pond to cool off in after a day's hiking, and a geological wonder to visit, the rock arch known as 'Hole in the Wall'. This campground is a wonder of the world. I hope that it is in business for a long, long, time.

The island has trails the entire length of the western side of the island as well as many trails on the eastern side and interior. Our favorite trail is from Southwest Head to Hay Point. The views of the 200 foot cliffside are spectacular and there is a picnic table at Hay Point that we got to have all to ourselves for a lunch with a breathtaking view.

Even with maps and a copy of the Heritage Trails and Footpaths on Grand Manan, it was good to have the handheld GPS since many ATV trails cross or combine with the foot paths, which can get confusing. Also, sometimes blowdown can mislead you since some of the earlier blazes were painted on the trees and when the trail is rerouted, the old blazes can cause some confusion. We are still very grateful to all the volunteers who maintain this amazing trail system.

Most of our stay we camped at The Anchorage, a provincial park on the island, which has a day park area and a camping area. The staff at The Anchorage is top knotch and very friendly and helpful. It was a great place to start our stay since we could have power for our van and also have relaxing, easy trails to walk after our long day's journey to get there.

There are plenty of things to do on so-so or rainy days, with a Farmer's Market on Saturdays and the Museum, art galleries, and stores one can visit.

The Grand Manan Ferry ride is about an hour and a half from boarding to landing. On our return voyage, we took the first ferry in the morning. Their hot breakfast selections are impressive and delicious. It was a nice way to end our Grand Manan experience. We were glad to leave on a rainy day. It made it a little easier to leave such a special island.