FAQ
Blue = Water Trail
Blue dotted line = Ferry
A full legend is coming soon
- Trail Information: Clicking on an individual Trail will give you access to basic information on that trail such as its name, photos, description, length, trail type, permitted activities, environment, PDF map (when available) and other resources (see What are some useful tips and shortcuts for using the interactive map? for instructions on how to interact with trail sections and open the right panel window).
- Other Information: You will find other useful information when zooming and dragging with the map (in order to access these points, you must zoom in until you can see them on the map):
- Warnings: General warnings or road information on The Trail.
- Stops: Parking, Access Point and Rest Area. Click any location to see what services are available. Services can include information centre, trailhead, restrooms, water and/or camping. You can also get directions to Parking and Access Points.
- Explore Photos: Click the icon with the camera ("Photos") at the bottom of the map to explore nearest trail photos. Click on any photo to see specific Trail Information. If no photos appear, navigate around until you find one!
- Interact with trails: Click any part of the Trail and a right panel window will appear with basic information (name, photos, description, length, trail type, activities, environment, trail type, PDF map, other resources, etc.).
- Navigation: Hold the left button of your mouse to drag the map in any direction.
- Zoom in/out: There are four different ways to zoom in or out:
- Scale Bar: Use the Scale Bar arrows on the right side of the map to zoom in or out. Zoom to a specific level by clicking anywhere on the vertical bar.
- Mouse Wheel: Roll your mouse wheel forward to zoom in or backward to zoom out.
- Double-Click: Double-click anywhere on the map to zoom in to that location.
- SHIFT Key: Hold down the SHIFT key and draw a square zone with the mouse to zoom in on a particular location.
- Base maps: Switch the base map by clicking this icon
on the left side. Then select any basemap such as "Topographic" (default), "Imagery", "Dark Gray Canvas", etc. - Legend: Click this icon
on the left side to see the legend. - Geolocation: Click the target icon on the left side to turn on and off the geolocation. This functionality will locate your current position on the map.
To get paper maps of a specific Trail, you need to click it to open the right panel window and you will see "TCT Map" information (not available for all trails). Just click "Open PDF" to open it in another tab. See What are some useful tips and shortcuts for using the interactive map for more information around interacting with the Trail.
Follow these steps to create your own map:
- Click the Custom Map icon
on the top bar of the interactive map screen. Click the “X” in the upper right corner to close the window and start again. - Choose the location you wish to display on your map by using the pan or zoom.
- Choose your base map (click the icon on the left side of the interactive map).
- Fill in the form by entering a title and a description, and by choosing a page size and an output format. Click “Submit” to create the map.
- Once the map is created, open it by clicking its name from the list. The map will open in a new browser tab. You can save it to your computer.
Follow these steps to download data of a specific trail:
- Click any trail on the map. At the bottom of the Trail Information window, click the Download icon.
- Select a download format: KML (Google Earth) or GPX (GPS device). Note that only data for operational trails will be downloaded. GPX data will be downloaded as ZIP files.
- Click “Download” to generate the file. Click the output once created from the list. A “Save As” dialog window will open in order save to your computer.
NOTE: Many download can be created one after the other. Just click "Clear List" to start over with a fresh list.
NOTE: To download longer stretches of The Trail, see How do I measure a section of the Trail? instructions.
Follow these steps to measure a section along the Trail (+ option to download The Trail):
- Click the Measure the Trail icon
on the top bar of the interactive map screen. A plus sign will appear with the word “Start” next to it when the pointer is on the top of the map. - Click on the location where you want your line to start. Once you’ve selected a starting point the cursor will automatically change from “start” to “end”. Click on the location where you want your line to end. The length of the measured section will appear.
- Click "Clear" to start again.
- Option: Click the button "Download Highlighted Trail" to download the measured portion of the Trail (see How do I download data of the Trail? for download instructions).
Start to type text in the top-left "Search" box. The same box can be used to search:
- Trails: Click the Trail name from the list to zoom to it and open its related information.
- Places: Click the Place name from the list to zoom to it (address, city, province and/or postal code are accepted).
In order to access these stops, you must zoom in until you can see them on the map. Click any of those point icons (“Parking”, “Access Point”, “Rest Area”) and a right panel window will appear with available services, such as: information center, trailhead, restroom, water or camping.
Do you have a question that wasn’t covered in our interactive map FAQ section? We would love to hear from you! Send your questions to info@tctrail.ca. We will do our best to answer your questions and to update this help section to reflect the needs of our users. Thank you in advance for the feedback!
Health: inspiring active living and transportation.
Environment: preserving green space and promoting conservation.
Education: deepening awareness of Canada’s history, culture and natural heritage.
Economic Development: stimulating tourism and creating jobs.
As the national connection of the Trail approached, we realized that what made the prospect of a connected Trail incredible was not just the fact that it would cross the country and become one of the world’s longest network of trails. The truly great Canadian spirit and dedication made that dream a reality.
Our supporters have stood beside us for years, sometimes decades, as we shed sweat and tears to bring the impossible dream of connection to fruition. They are what is truly great about The Great Trail of Canada. The work that they set out to accomplish, the resistance they pushed against and their generosity epitomize Canada’s greatness. Thanks to early and long-standing supporters, Canada is home to the world’s longest network of recreational multi-use trails – something that we can all take great pride in.
Changing the name of the physical trail was not a rejection of the Trans Canada Trail name , and it was not decided on a whim. It involved months of careful consideration and risk assessment, and thorough conversations with experts and stakeholders. Many of our local Trail groups have responded positively to the change.
We determined that we could substantially increase the Trail’s profile locally and abroad if we would celebrate connection with a name that transcends what the Trail is physically – a trail system that connects Canada from coast to coast to coast – and conveys what it represented and would represent moving forward.
The Great Trail appeals to a wide audience of Canadians and international audiences, and will encourage people to discover, use and treasure the Trail. Our goal is that Canadians will become aware of the Trail, embrace it and ultimately engage with it by sharing their experiences and supporting it financially.
The word “great” reflects much of what sets our Trail apart from other trails around the world. There is greatness not just in its size. There is greatness in the achievement that it symbolizes and the diverse landscapes it crosses. Most of all, it refers to the greatness of thousands of people who have supported us every step of the way – even when it seemed impossible.