GULLY LAKE WILDERNESS AREA TRAILS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name: Gully Lake Wilderness Area Trails
County: Colchester & Pictou
Ownership: NS Environment and Labour (NSEL)
Trail Length: 21 km in various segments.
Season: Year-round. Suitable for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, depending on season and
conditions.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Emergency: 911
Nearest Phone: May use phone at general store at Earltown, 5 km north of Kemptown Road trail head. Not open Sundays.
In an emergency, there are private residences along Kemptown Road. Cell phone coverage on the trail
system is spotty.
DIRECTIONS
Kemptown Road Trail Head:
From the Trans Canada Highway, take Exit 18; drive north 1/2 km to Highway #4; turn right (northeast) and drive 3 km,
and then turn left (north) to Kemptown (if you cross Salmon River, you’ve come too far on HW #4); after about 600 m,
turn left on the gravel Kemptown Road; continue about 8 km (northerly direction) towards Earltown; find the Gully Lake
forest access road on right (east side of road); park next to Kemptown Road. The Gully Lake access road is not maintained
as a road and is part of the trail system. Vehicles are not permitted on this forest access road, unless authorized.
West Branch River John Road Trail Head:
From the Trans Canada Highway, take Exit 18; drive north ½ km to Highway #4; turn right (northeast) and drive another
11 to 12 km on Highway #4, past the community of Mount Thom (at about 10km). Turn left on the gravel West Branch River
John Road; follow the road for about 4 km as it generally climbs uphill. After passing two small lakes on the right
(east), turn left (west) on a forest access road. Park along this provincial forest access road, without blocking other
traffic. Much of this road is rough and unsuitable for ordinary motor vehicles.
ACTIVITIES
Walking: Y Hiking: Y
Mountain Biking: N XCountry Ski: Y
ATV: N Horse: N
Snowmobile: N SnowShoe: Y
Coastal: N Loop: Y
Wheelchair Assisted: N Wheelchair: N
DESCRIPTION
Overview:
Most of this 21 km trail system is within the beautiful, rolling, hardwood hills of Gully Lake Wilderness Area. The trails,
which are not formally maintained, rely on old woods roads or cart tracks, plus about 6.5 km of forest access road. The
trail system has two public access points on provincial land: one at Kemptown Road; the other off the West Branch River
John Road.
Gully Lake Wilderness Area is managed by Nova Scotia Environment and Labour (NSEL) in partnership with Department of Natural
Resources (DNR). Community and trail organizations may also play a role. Low-impact recreation such as hiking, snowshoeing
and cross-country skiing is permitted, as is hunting, angling and trapping. No-trace camping is permitted, according to
special conditions described in NSEL’s Keep it Wild brochure.
Please note: you are on your own when using these trails, and should plan ahead for safe travel. Trails are not signed.
Carry a map!! Please review NSEL’s Keep it Wild brochure for guidance on wilderness area standards and safe recreation.
For more information on Gully Lake Wilderness Area and the province’s Protected Areas Program, call 902-424-2117 or visit:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/enla/protectedareas/recreation.asp.
TRAIL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
Kemptown Road Trail Head:
Park where the Gully Lake forest access road turns off Kemptown Road. Begin your adventure here by choosing one of two
main route options:
Gully Lake Trail: Follow the forest access road from the Kemptown Road trail head, 1.5 km, to Salmon River. Note the large,
wooden culverts that direct Salmon River under the road. The sides of Gully Lake road are being reclaimed by young forest.
Continue on this road, past Salmon River, steadily climbing the long hill to a junction at the top of the hill. Stay right.
From here, the road descends again and ends. At this point you are 3.25 km from Salmon River. From the end of the road, look
for a footpath for the remaining 250 m trek to Gully Lake. This scenic lake was once home to Willard Kitchener MacDonald,
also known as the Hermit of Gully Lake. Both the lakeshore and old road provide a good visual impression of the rolling hills
of this landscape. In August or September, you may find blackberries along the old road. Return to the trail head by retracing
your route (about 10 km return trip).
MacIntosh Lake Trail: Follow the forest access road from the Kemptown Road trail head about 300 m past Salmon River (1.8 km
from trail head), and watch for a cart track leading into the woods on the left (north side). The remainder of the route is
under forest canopy. From the beginning of the cart track, travel gradually uphill about 2.25 km, to where another trail (Gully
Lake trail connector) joins the cart track from the east. Continue straight in a northeast direction (not right) another 2.25 km
to MacIntosh Lake on fairly level ground. Here you will pass several vernal (seasonal) ponds, which are vital for amphibians and
other wildlife. Open space at a former homestead site at MacIntosh Lake allows for excellent camping or picnicking. To return to
the trail head from MacIntosh Lake, retrace your route (about 13 km return trip). Alternatively, you may vary your return by
connecting to the Gully Lake trail via a connector trail (see map). This option adds about 1 km of travel.
Salmon River Trail: Not described here. Use is not recommended. Trail crosses private land.
West Branch River John Trail Head:
Juniper Brook Trail: Park on the forest access road and continue west on the road, on foot. After about 500 m from the turnoff
off West Branch River John Road, you may see the wilderness area boundary on your left (south) side. After another 1500 m, turn
left (southwest) off the forest access road and into the wilderness area on an old cart track. This is the Juniper Brook trail.
The trail follows the hardwood forest slopes above Juniper Brook, gradually losing elevation. The slopes here are dissected with
many small brooks, as the underlying bedrock is softer and more easily eroded than in more northern parts of the wilderness area.
As the trail nears the Salmon River trail, it approaches the south side of Juniper Brook. After about 5 km in the wilderness area’s
forest, this trail meets the Salmon River trail at a three-way junction. To return to the trail head from this junction, retrace
your route (14 km complete hike).
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