About Mastodon Trail

4 km multi-use hiking trail through mature forest ending at a lookout over the National Gypsum open-pit mine, where 80,000-year-old mastodon remains were discovered in 1991. Family-friendly, easy to moderate.

Features & Highlights

🥾 4 km Trail
🥾 Gypsum Mine Lookout
🥾 Mastodon Fossil Site
🥾 Mature Forest
🥾 Family-Friendly

Detailed Information

Mastodon Trail: Hiking Through Natural and Prehistoric History in the Musquodoboit Valley

Tucked away in the quiet Musquodoboit Valley, the Mastodon Trail offers a uniquely Nova Scotian hiking experience: a gentle 4-kilometre walk through mature Acadian forest that ends at a dramatic viewpoint overlooking the world's largest open-pit gypsum mine -- the very site where 80,000-year-old mastodon remains were discovered in 1991. It is a trail that weaves together natural beauty, industrial history, and Ice Age paleontology in a way that few other hikes in the province can match.

Located just 40 minutes from downtown Halifax, the Mastodon Trail starts behind the Carroll's Corner Community Centre on a well-maintained gravel path that winds through a canopy of mixed hardwood and softwood forest. The trail is largely flat with gentle grades, making it accessible to casual hikers, families with children, and mountain bikers alike. Benches are strategically placed along the route for rest stops, and a washroom facility is located near the trail''s midpoint -- a thoughtful touch for a community-maintained trail.

The Practical Details: Location, Hours and Essentials

Address and Location
The trailhead is located at the Carroll''s Corner Community Centre, 9 Milford Road, Carrolls Corner, NS B0N 1Y0. From Halifax, take Highway 118/Highway 107 east to exit 18 (Milford Road/Route 357), then follow Milford Road for approximately 5 kilometres. The community centre and trailhead parking are on the right. The drive takes roughly 40 minutes from downtown Halifax.

Hours of Operation
The trail is open year-round, dawn to dusk. There are no gates or admission fees. The community centre washroom is available during daylight hours.

Trail Specifications

  • Distance: 4 km (point-to-point, 2.5 miles)
  • Elevation Gain: 78 metres (255 feet)
  • Duration: 45 minutes to 1 hour one-way
  • Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
  • Surface: Gravel path
  • Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, gravel biking, trail running, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing
  • Dogs: Permitted on leash
  • Facilities: Benches throughout, washroom at midpoint

Best Time to Visit
The trail is accessible year-round. Spring (March--June) offers the best conditions with moderate temperatures, emerging wildflowers, and fewer insects. Summer hiking requires insect repellent. Autumn brings spectacular foliage colours in the hardwood sections. Winter snow makes the trail ideal for snowshoeing and Nordic skiing.

What to Bring
Sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots, water, insect repellent (May--July), and a camera for the mine lookout. Download the AllTrails map before you go -- cell service is reliable in the area but trail junctions can be confusing without it.

The Mastodon Trail may not have the dramatic coastal views that define Nova Scotia''s most famous hikes, but it offers something equally valuable: a quiet walk through an ancient forest to a viewpoint that connects you to 80,000 years of natural history. For Halifax-area residents and visitors looking for a quick escape from the city, it is a rewarding half-day adventure that delivers far more than its modest distance suggests.