The Plan
This map presents the latest version of Blue Route network plans prepared by Bicycle Nova Scotia and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. Review and development of the network is an ongoing process. The map illustrates plans for the Blue Route, focusing on Provincial roads and trails on Crown Land. Gaps between routes shown on the map, including those in areas outside provincial jurisdiction, will be connected as local area plans are completed.
Open Routes
Truro Area to Pictou
This segment connects Pictou to the East Mountain in Bible Hill (Truro Area) along segments of the provincial road network (Route 376 and Trunk 4) and the Jitney Trail (co-managed by the Town of Pictou and the Pictou County Trails Association). The entire planned route is 56 km in length, which includes 53km on provincial roadways and ~3km on the Jitney Trail.
Falmouth to Hantsport
This segment (opened in 2019) connects Falmouth to Hantsport along Bluff Road, Gaspereau River Road, and Grand Pre Road. The route is 15.4km. This is a low traffic volume road, and is a shared roadway.
Annapolis to Port Royal
This segment (opened in 2021) connects Annapolis to Fort Royal along Granville Road. The route is 8.8km of paved shoulder.
Onslow to Wallace
The second segment of the Blue Route to open, this route connects Onslow to Wallace. It is a 68.3km stretch of road weaving through the beautiful Wentworth Valley that features freshly paved shoulders on Nova Scotia Trunk 4 and a shared roadway on the quiet Route 307.
Wallace to Pugwash
This segment opened in 2023 and connects Blue Route in Wallace to Pugwash. This section of the Blue Route offers beautiful views of the Northumberland Strait. Along it, you will stumble across the Gulf Shore provincial park, campgrounds, and a golf course. This is a low traffic volume road, and is a shared roadway.
Rum Runners Trail
The Rum Runners Trail is a 112 km trail constructed over the former rail line from Halifax to Lunenburg. It is a shared-use trail with a hard packed crusher dust surface suitable for cycling on hybrid-style bicycles. The trail merges six community trails: the Chain of Lakes Trail, Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Trail, St. Margaret’s Bay Trail, Aspotogan Trail, Chester Connector, Dynamite Trail, and Bay to Bay Trail. The Rum Runners Trail can be accessed in Halifax from the Chain of Lakes Trail, which is a 7 km paved surface non-motorized use trail.
Celtic Shores Coastal Trail
The Celtic Shores Coastal Trail is a 91 km trial constructed over the former rail line from Port Hastings to the Town of Inverness. The section of trail currently designated under the Blue Route runs from Troy Station to the Town of Inverness. It is a shared-use trail with hard packed crusher dust with a hard packed crusher dust surface suitable for cycling on hybrid-style bicycles or mountain bikes.
Harvest Moon Trailway
The Harvest Moon Trailway is a 110 km rails to trails route running from Annapolis Royal – Grand Pré National Historic Site. The trail ends for a short distance in the Town of Kentville where the streets were built over top of the old rail line. The trail is shared use with a crusher dust surface from Annapolis Royal to just outside of the Town of Kentville, where it becomes a non-motorized trail with a crusher dust surface.
Route Selection
Route selection was based on the planning priorities listed below and incorporates input from meetings and consultations with stakeholders around the province. Route planning priorities include:
- Connecting communities and important destinations along a province-wide spine for bicycle transportation
- Availability and accessibility of services along the corridor
- Accessibility and utility of the corridor to local communities
- Scenic views and topographic qualities that lend themselves to special cycling experiences
- Incorporating established bicycle routes that are well used today
- Coordination with local and regional plans where goals align, including active transportation plans or priorities, development of Nova Scotia Destination Trails, and the Trans Canada Trail
- Potential to provide a safe, comfortable bicycling experience based on existing conditions or the feasibility of upgrading infrastructure to an appropriate level of service in the future
- Providing a diversity of route types to accommodate a broad range of users
Map created by NS Department of Public Works (2023)