Hiking Easternmost Canada

Around this time last year, Sharon and I were desperate for a reprieve from the Florida heat. Where could we go in North America that had a cool climate and great hiking? Sharon suggested Newfoundland because it is far north in Canada.

I consulted my favorite AI search engine and found out that Newfoundland’s biggest airport is in St. John’s and there’s great hiking there because the city lies on Canada’s East Coast Trail. It’s also a picturesque seaport town with a long maritime history — and very friendly inhabitants, we discovered when we got there.

We flew Air Canada to St. John’s on Aug. 25, 2025, and stayed until Aug. 31 in a spacious apartment a couple blocks from a pedestrian mall lined with shops and restaurants. We hiked every day we were there — except the day that we drove several hours to a great coastal hiking trail in time for a driving rain. Instead of walking, we visited a nearby fishing museum and had a great lunch at a vegetarian cafe in a small town.

My favorite day was the day we woke up at 5 a.m. and drove about 25 minutes to Cape Spear, which prides itself on being the easternmost point in continental North America. We were among the 100 or so early risers who were the first people in North America to see the sunrise that morning. After a quick breakfast, we returned for a scenic hike along Cape Spear’s rocky coastline.

Sharon and I did not post to the blog while we were in Canada; but when we were in England recently, we decided to post some of our favorite photos from the trip.