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NORTH SHORE KIDS™
YOUR GUIDE TO EVERYTHING KIDS
Hyannis Trail and Baden Powell Loop
If you are looking for a trail for a young tot’s first forest hike, or for your older kid to try out hiking on more technical trails, look no further than Seymour Mountain Forest near Hyannis Point. It’s a wild and magical place, but without the long drive up a mountain or huge crowds.
ACCESS AND FACILITES
The area is popular with hikers, mountain bikers, runners, and dog walkers. There is no designated parking lot, but you can usually find ample street parking on Hyannis Drive close to the beginning of Hyannis Trail. There are no washrooms at the trailhead. The first 800 meters or so of Hyannis Trail are flat, smooth and stroller friendly - also great for a novice biker on a balance bike. Note that once you get away from the trailhead, these trails lead into wilderness, so be prepared!
THE TRAIL
You can choose your own adventure in the extensive trail network of this magnificent forest, but if you want inspiration, we have two suggestions for you to get your started.
Depending on your party’s interests, skills and time budget, you can either embark on a pleasant and easy out-and-back stroll on Hyannis Trail, or continue on to complete a loop hike with a somewhat more challenging footing back to where you started via Bridle Path and Baden Powell Trail.
The loop measures in a bit under 3 kilometers.
Start on the Hyannis Trail at the very end of Hyannis Drive. It is a wide and smooth path under towering old growth trees, with plenty of puddles, rocks and sticks for little ones to explore while they meander along the trail. In around 800 meters, you will come to an intersection with a large stump with two trees growing out of it - don’t take the left turn but stay right. Shortly after, you will arrive at a signed intersection. If you are pressed for time, or don’t want to commit to a loop, continue straight on Hyannis Trail towards Powerline Trail for an out-and-back.
If you want to explore more challenging trails and do a loop, take the right turn onto the Bridle Path. After a very short climb, you’ll walk along a boardwalk and then slowly find your way along the narrower and more technical trail uphill. Younger kids may need the occasional hand to navigate a high step or slippery log, but with a little bit of help and perseverance, even a young toddler will be able to hike this. Pay attention to navigation, and ignore entrances to mountain bike trails that break off from Bridle Path. After a while, you’ll start hearing the rushing Canyon Creek, and cross it over a bridge. Entrance to Baden Powell Trail is immediately to your right after the bridge, right before a small rocky outcropping on the trail. (If you get to a kiosk with an information board, you have overshot the turnoff by about 70 meters).
Baden Powell Trail has yellow/orange triangle shaped tree markings that say BP, but you won’t have many options for turns anyway. Follow the trail downhill over bridges, boardwalks, series of wooden stairs and pleasant single-track back to Hyannis Drive, about 100 meters from the beginning of Hyannis Trail.
