How far is the first loop of The Bluff Trail?

From the trailhead, around the Pot Lake Loop and back to the trailhead is 8.7 km by map measurement and 6.7 km by GPS. Add 1.4 km for the return walk between the parking lot and the trailhead.

How far is the whole Bluff Trail?

From the trailhead, around the outside of all four loops and back is 29.0 km by map measurement and 22.9 km by GPS. The four-loop system as a whole, counting connecting segments, covers more than 30 km; the figure usually quoted is 32 km.

Why do the map and GPS distances differ?

GPS readings do not take changes in elevation into account, so they read shorter than measurements taken from the map. Both sets of figures are published so hikers can plan against either.

What colour are the trail markers?

Yellow for the Pot Lake Loop, blue for the Mi'kmaw Hill Loop, red for The Bluff Loop and orange for the Hay Marsh Loop.

Navigation

Maps, distances and GPX

Carry a paper map. Phones run out of battery in the cold, and there is no reliable cell coverage across large parts of this trail.

Full system: 32 km
Declination: 17°13′ W
GPX track: Yes

The trail map

The official map of The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail is produced by Nova Scotia Environment and WRWEO. It shows the four colour-coded loops, the lakes, the canoe access points, the Leave No Trace educational camping sites, and segment distances along the route.

Official topographic map of The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail showing the four colour-coded loops, lakes, camping sites and canoe access points. — Official map, NS Environment and WRWEO. Open at full size — the printable version is sized 9.5 × 7″ at 200 dpi. Print it before you go.

Distances

Two sets of figures are published, because they measure different things. The map distances are taken from the printed map. The GPS distances are shorter because GPS readings do not account for changes in elevation, and this trail has plenty of those.

From the trailhead, around the outside of each successive loop, and back. Cumulative — not the length of each loop on its own.
Route	By map	By GPS
Parking lot to trailhead (one way)	0.7 km	0.6 km
Out and back via Pot Lake Loop	8.7 km	6.7 km
Out and back via Mi'kmaw Hill Loop	17.4 km	14.0 km
Out and back via The Bluff Loop	23.4 km	18.4 km
Out and back via Hay Marsh Loop	29.0 km	22.9 km

Add 1.4 km (map) or 1.2 km (GPS) for the return walk between the parking lot and the trailhead. The four-loop system as a whole, counting the connecting segments, covers more than 30 km — the figure usually quoted is 32 km.

On the “12 km, seven hours” figure

The trailhead signage and WRWEO's older material describe the first two loops as about 12 km taking a full seven hours. The measured table above gives 17.4 km by map and 14.0 km by GPS for the same walk. Plan on the longer figures and the seven hours: the time is the number that matters, and this is slow ground.

Plan your excursion according to what you can cover comfortably during daylight hours, but carry enough to survive overnight in case of an emergency. Cut the day short if it is taking longer than expected.

GPX track

Full Bluff Trail GPX track GPX
The complete four-loop system as a GPX file, for loading into a handheld GPS or a phone app before you lose signal. Treat it as a backup to the paper map, not a replacement for it.
Canoe access points and portage routes Google Map
Every put-in and portage marked as points and GPS routes, for reaching the outer loops by water.

Loop markers

Pot Lake Loop: Yellow
Mi'kmaw Hill Loop: Blue
The Bluff Loop: Red
Hay Marsh Loop: Orange

Navigation

Basic map and compass skills

Eight short films made for ages eight and up, and just as useful for adults.

Even if you have a GPS, you should be able to describe where you are and navigate using only a map and a compass. WRWEO produced a set of short videos in the summer of 2014 to teach exactly that, with reference to this trail. They were made for kids aged 8–9 and up, and they work just as well for adults. They assume you already know roughly what latitude and longitude, the north and south poles, and magnetic versus true north mean.

A baseplate compass laid on the Bluff Trail map, with labels pointing out the needle, dial, direction-of-travel arrow, base plate, ruler scale, meridian lines and the edge used as a sighting line. — The parts of a baseplate compass, laid over the trail map. Photograph by WRWEO volunteers.

Where are we? 2 min
Richmond describes why it matters that you can give the grid coordinates for your location.
Grid coordinates 4.5 min
Kai and Sascha learn how to work out the grid coordinates.
What's on the map of The Bluff Trail 12 min
The grid system, the trails, the contours, the colours and the symbols.
Triangulation 9 min
How to find out where you are, even off-trail, with a map and a compass.
Triangulation, reviewed 8 min
The same process again with labelled maps.
Orienting the map 4 min
Kai shows how to turn the map so that what you see on it matches what you see on the land.
Navigating with map and compass 5 min
Getting to somewhere you cannot see, but which is on the map.
Using the sun to tell direction 5 min
Steve shows how to use a stick and the sun to work out which way you are facing.

Thanks to Kai and Sascha P., Richmond C., Steve F. and David P. Feedback is welcome at [email protected].

Maps, distances and GPX

The trail map

Distances

GPX track

Basic map and compass skills

Further reading

Next

How to reach the trailhead

What the ground actually looks like

Every map we hold