Cycling PEI's Confederation Trail

Morell to St. Peter's Bay

It’s a team effort as Bob and I pack the car for today’s day-tripping adventure - a cycling expedition from Morell to St. Peter's Bay, one of the most scenic sections of Prince Edward Island’s Confederation Trail.

While Bob secures the bikes to the back of the SUV, I gather the water bottles, sunscreen, bicycle helmets, and the fixings for our picnic lunch.

The cycling route

The Confederation Trail is a 273-kilometre trail (plus branch trails) that traverses the province. Completed in 2000, it is a part of the larger Trans Canada Trail and utilizes abandoned railway beds as the trail base, making it ideal for cycling or walking.

On this day we opted to cycle the section from Morell to St. Peter’s Harbour with a stop at Red Head Harbour, a distance of just under 24 km return. It is mostly flat, making it an enjoyable and easy trail to cycle for all ages. We don’t have e-bikes so this distance is ideal for a morning outing, with “many” photography stops, water and lunch breaks enroute!

The map below shows the route that we took and will provide you with more details on each stop of this itinerary as well as directions should you wish to do this yourself!

Tip: Consider reversing your cycling journey by starting at St. Peter’s Bay and cycling to Morell instead. There is plenty of parking at the St. Peter’s Visitor Information Centre plus you can use their washroom facilities, eat a picnic lunch by the water, and enjoy browsing through the shops once you’ve completed your day-tripping.

The start of the journey

We park our car at the Morell Welcome Centre, strategically located on the Confederation Trail in Morell and right at the main road passing through the town. Housed in a former train station, it’s an ideal starting point for our journey with plenty of free parking, tourism information available in season, washroom facilities, and a shaded picnic area. And in case you’ve forgotten to bring picnic supplies, the Co-op grocery store is right across the road.

As we prepare for the ride, we meet a family who have driven to PEI from Ontario. They have decided on an active vacation this year and are cycling various sections of the Confederation Trail across PEI. With three young kids in tow, two are riding on their own bikes and the three-year-old has a special seat and the best views as the seat is perched on the crossbar of her father’s bike.

They plan to take the same route as we are and we’re quite impressed with the parents for encouraging such activity at a young age as well as the distance that these little kids will be cycling today.

Explore a working fishing harbour

Picking up the trail is easy. It runs right past the old train station and once you cross the road, you just keep going. We may be biased since our cottage is in this part of PEI, but we think that this section of the Confederation Trail is the most scenic as it winds along the spectacular shoreline of St. Peter’s Bay and offers the most incredible views.

The trail intersects with Red Head Road, where we took a left turn toward the harbour, just a short and enjoyable 2 km ride away. Red Head Harbour is a charming spot that offers a glimpse into the island’s vibrant fishing industry. If you time your visit just right, you might catch the fishing boats heading out to sea or returning with their fresh catch of the day. Remember, this is a bustling working harbour, so be mindful of machinery, equipment, and fishers diligently going about their tasks.

During the summer months, you’ll find an incredible food truck called Pie Oh My parked at the harbour. Known for its Neapolitan-inspired wood-fired pizzas and mouthwatering chicken wings, this locally owned gem uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create unforgettable flavours. Whether you’re there in summer or catching one of their pop-up locations in winter, it’s a must-try! Grab a bite, settle in at one of the picnic tables, and soak in the lively atmosphere while watching the daily rhythms of harbour life.

Tip: If you reversed the route by starting at St. Peter’s Bay and this is your last stop before going back to the Morell Visitor Centre, stop by PEI Mussel King located beside Red Head Harbour. It’s family-owned and operated and you’ll be able to purchase fresh mussels for your dinner!

A photographer’s dream

I’m always the laggard on our trips and fortunately for me, Bob is a very patient and understanding husband when it comes to taking numerous stops along the way for my photography. If I were cycling on my own I would likely be stopping every few hundred feet and would never complete the entire distance!

On this sun-filled day in late August, our second stop of the morning is just outside of Morell at the colourful bridge crossing the Marie River. It affords spectacular views to Greenwich Dunes and the ocean beyond. Painted in a bold fuschia, the vibrant colour plays well against the blue and green colours of the bay and the late summer flowers lining the trail. Even Bob gets off his bike to capture the spectacular vistas with his camera.

Bay vistas, farmer's fields and bird life

As we continue to cycle, the trail hugs the shoreline and we are treated to vistas of the bay with its mussel farms on the one side and vast farmer’s fields with the signature red soil on the other. We are in the heart of farm country.

Once again I shout to Bob to stop. I’ve just spotted herons in the water and a bald eagle flying overhead. It’s a bird lover’s paradise in this part of the island!

During the warmer months, you might also spot kingfishers, the endangered plover, sandpipers, osprey, sanderlings, ducks and assorted sea birds.

Continuing on the trail we ride into St. Peter’s Bay, a picturesque town located at the head of the bay. We come here often - to enjoy the live entertainment at the community theatre, to find out the latest activities and things to see and do from the visitor’s centre, and to wander through the quaint and colourful shops of St. Peter’s Landing.

The Shops at St. Peter's Landing

The shops are unique and you’ll find everything from coastal gifts and home decor at the Moonlight Bay Craft Shop to locally-produced chocolate from Fritz’s, Julio’s fresh seafood market and oyster bar, locally-made art and decor from Island Artisans, an array of beautiful items from Freckles & Porcelain that represent the feeling of the East Coast, ice cream from DJ’s dairy bar to Black & White Café & Bistro.

Pick up an ice cream cone, walk across the road to the waterfront park, and if you have children, let them enjoy the playground and you can enjoy the view. It’s an absolutely wonderful way to break your cycle journey and explore the best of St. Peter’s Bay before heading back to Morell. And if you arrive at dusk and stay for dinner, this is the sunset view you’ll see from the head of the bay - just spectacular!

Need a bike rental?

Confederation Trail Bike Rental Adventures is ideally situated at St. Peter’s Bay and offers both e-bike and regular bike rentals as well as personalized biking picnic lunches. At their Cyclist Welcome Center which includes St. Peter’s Bay Craft & Giftware, you can pick up some munchies, snacks, cold drinks, coffee or fill your water bottle with their cold well water. They also have an indoor Relaxation Gazebo plus a washroom/change room on site. And they can help with a minor bike adjustment or air up your tires.

Feeling motivated?

Cycle around the other side of the bay to Greenwich Prince Edward Island National Park

If you’re feeling adventurous enough to add an extra 20 km round trip to your day-tripping adventure, consider cycling from St. Peter’s Bay to Greenwich Prince Edward Island National Park or save this for a separate day-tripping excursion.

The paved cycling trail has recently been completed and affords amazing views of the bay as you cycle to your destination. On the way you’ll pass the award-winning Mysa Nordic Spa & Resort. Put a pin in this one and come back for a rejuvenating spa day with saunas, steam rooms and hot pools, all overlooking the bay. They also have a fantastic restaurant.

Greenwich is home to an extensive, fragile and extremely rare coastal parabolic dune system, with a floating boardwalk that traverses the wetlands before coming to the spectacular Greenwich Beach.

Enjoy visiting the Interpretation Centre, located at 29 Wild Rose Road, Greenwich, PEI, which depicts a story that goes back in time through 10,000 years of Indigenous habitation, including artifacts that have been found in the region. For more information on the St. Peter’s Bay to Greenwich trail adventure, please check out my other day-tripping experience to come in the near future.