Crowbar Lake Trail System

Statistics

Directions

From Highway 107, take Exit 19. Travel north about 1.5 km to Highway #7 at the community of Porters Lake. Turn left (west) on Highway #7, then almost immediately, turn right onto Myra Road. Travel north on Myra Road and, after about 9 km, watch for the trail head parking lot on the left (west) side. The trail head is roughly 30 km from downtown Dartmouth.

Details

Porters Lake loop:

From the trail head at Myra Road, the trail climbs gradually through mixed forest and skirts a beautiful small lake, with boardwalk and a bench at about 400 m. From here, hikers can complete the 1.6 km Porters Lake Loop, which begins and ends at the lake. Views from the top of this loop reveal Porters Lake and its eastern slopes. Part of the forest here and elsewhere along the trail system bear dramatic evidence of Hurricane Juan, of September, 2003.

Spriggs Brook trail:

From the crest of Porters Lake Loop, hikers may continue west, 1.5 km, to the bridge at Spriggs Brook, and another 1 km to Granite Lake. The route offers views of distant Granite Lake and stillwater sections of Spriggs Brook, and passes through older, mixed pine forest showing scars of long-ago forest fires. Arriving at Granite Lake, many will be tempted to enjoy an idyllic rest or perhaps a swim. This 2 km long wilderness lake is about 3.5 km from the trail head at Myra Road.

West Lake loop:

For the more adventurous, the trail continues past Granite Lake to the West Lake Loop. The first view of West Lake is about 450 m west of Granite Lake, from the top of a large, barren hill-top. From this hill, hikers can travel about 4 km around the West Lake Loop, either clockwise or counter-clockwise. This loop offers intimate views of the lake and more expansive views from high granite exposures. Travel from the trail head at Myra Road, all the way around West Lake, is about a 16 km, return trip.

Salmon River loop:

The most ambitious route extends West Lake Loop, westward, to Salmon River and Crowbar Lake. Watch for trail junctions at the northwest and southwest ends of West Lake Loop. Traveling counter-clockwise, hikers will climb a large hill northwest of West Lake, onto a jack pine barren. The barren reveals an expansive landscape of wilderness forest and lakes, looking northwest, towards Crowbar and Salmon River Long Lakes. The trail then descends to Crowbar Lake through older spruce - hemlock forest. At Crowbar Lake, the trail follows the scenic Salmon River, downstream, and then along Otter Lake. Once past Otter Lake, the trail swings back towards West Lake, with a choice of two routes.

The longer route offers additional, high viewpoints. Once back at the junction with the West Lake Loop, don’t miss the exquisite “Crows Nest” viewpoint off a granite knob right above that junction. Completing the Salmon River loop adds about 4 km to the return trip to Myra Road, or about 20 km altogether.

Some hikers may be familiar with the long-established trail along Salmon River, now part of the Crowbar Lake trail system. This route has long been a favorite with anglers and hikers, with access off River Road. The upper part of River Road is, however, not maintained, and the former access trail crossed a property with a camp operated by the Nova Scotia Hospital Foundation. The Crowbar Lake trail system does not have a trailhead here; please use the trail head at Myra Road.

GPS Waypoints

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