The President’s 9th Annual Wilderness Hike
Join President Bill Lahey on this year’s President’s Wilderness Hike on Saturday, October 4, 2025 in Blue Mountain—Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area. This is a uniquely urban wilderness area which borders Bayer’s Lake Business Park and is largely surrounded by suburban development.
The hike will be guided by Dr. Chris Miller, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia branch of the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, a leading environmental organization in Nova Scotia. Chris is both a wilderness conservation expert and a leading advocate for wilderness conservation. Throughout the hike, he will be educating us about this particular wilderness area and its importance but also wilderness conservation more generally – a category of environmental stewardship in which Nova Scotia is a national leader. Follow @cpawsnovascotia on IG for more.
Registration
Please register for the hike by 4 p.m., Wednesday, September 24.
*You must register to join the group even if you’re not taking the bus.
Once registered, we will email a waiver to you (if you are 18 and older) or your parent/guardian (if you are under 18) with instructions on how to complete the document.
Schedule & traveling to the hike
8:30 Prince Hall open for breakfast so students can eat before departing.
9:10 Charter bus departs Quad. Hikers can either make their own way to the trailhead or reserve a seat on the charter bus that will depart from the Quad at 9:10 a.m. sharp. The first fifty-five (55) confirmed registrants travelling on the charter bus to the hike will receive seats. Following that, registrants will be added to a waitlist, and contacted if a seat is available. It is important to let us know if your plans change. We usually maintain a fairly long waitlist for this event.
This year, we will access the trail off Colins Road. On a Saturday morning this is about a 20-minute drive from King’s.
9:45 a.m. Hike begins at trailhead.
2:30 p.m. Hikers return to trailhead.
3 p.m.-3:15 p.m. Charter bus arrives back at the Quad. After we return to King’s, all are invited to enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies in the President’s Lodge.
What to bring
Hikers are encouraged to bring water and lunch to enjoy at the mid-point of the hike, which will be at Fox Lake. Sturdy and, ideally, waterproof shoes, as opposed to sandals or running shoes, are recommended; the trail is very walkable but it is a wilderness trail. If there is any prospect of rain, a good jacket for rain is also recommended. Fall in Nova Scotia is unpredictable – chilly and then warming in the afternoons – dressing in layers is recommended.
Map
