A few months back, my partner and I attempted Biscan Cove Path; a portion of the East Coast Trail that starts at Pouch Cove and ends at Cape St. Francis. It was early April, so a lot of the snow in the woods hadn’t melted away yet. We strapped on our snowshoes and gave it a go anyway.
The path is 7.3 km, but a little longer if you walk the dirt road from Cape St. Francis back to the parking lot in Pouch Cove. The dirt road is a good cool down after a moderately challenging hike. The terrain isn’t rough, but there are a few steep inclines that help you work up a sweat.
The first part of the trail offers stunning panoramic views of Pouch Cove and the coastline beyond the little town. There are also drastic cliffs that might just take your breath away. The cliffs have always been my favourite part of the NL coast. After soaking in the view from the first bluff, head down into the woods and over some boggy areas. Wear good shoes- it might be a little damp!
Keep an eye out for the Horrid Gulch viewpoint. There certainly isn’t anything horrid about it!
Soon you’ll come to a steep downhill that leads to a little creek and out toward the ocean. If you brought a picnic, this is the spot to eat it– alongside a gorgeous waterfall pouring out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Unfortunately we tried this hike twice over the course of a week and the snow was just too deep. We almost made it to Cape St. Francis, but we bailed out a little early and came back along the same dirt road mentioned earlier. Hopefully we’ll have the good fortune to complete this trail one day.
Have you hiked Biscan Cove Path? What’s your favourite path on the East Coast Trail? Let us know in the comments or on social media (@twowildtides), we love hearing from our readers! And please, check out our other posts about the East Coast Trail hikes that we’ve done:
- Sugarloaf Path
- Cobbler Path
- Father Troy’s Trail
- Mudder Wet Path
- Silver Mine Head Path
- Blackhead Path
- La Manche Village Path
happy hiking,
char
Let us know what you think!