Nova Scotia Hiking Summit 2026

The 12th annual Nova Scotia Hiking Summit lands in Digby from October 1 to 4, 2026, turning the town at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy into the province's hiking capital for four days. Organized each year by Hike Nova Scotia and hosted in a different community every time, the Summit is a working celebration of hiking culture: workshops, hiking stories, networking sessions and — the main event — guided group hikes across the coastal and forest trails in and around the Digby area. The 2026 host venue is the historic Digby Pines Golf Resort & Spa on Shore Road, with co-hosts including the Digby Area Recreation Commission, the Fundy Erratics hiking group and Our Pathways Society. Registration is open now through Hike Nova Scotia.

One registration covers the whole weekend whether you attend one day, two or three: $175 for non-members, $148.75 for Hike NS members (a 15 percent member discount), and $150 for youth and students 25 and under, with subsidies available for those who need them. New for 2026 are optional Pre-Summit hikes on Brier Island, the wild island at the western tip of Digby Neck reachable by two cable ferries — a warm-up day through one of the province's best birding and whale-watching corridors. The full program drops hikers onto Digby-area trails with guided groups, and organizers ask that you read the Hike Details document before registering so you can rank the hikes you want; dogs are not permitted on Summit hikes except service dogs.

Digby in early October is close to a best-case setting: fall colour building inland, scallop-fleet harbour frontage, and the Bay of Fundy's extreme tides on display everywhere you look. The Summit organizers publish a local accommodation list and urge early booking — the Digby Pines offers Summit lodging rates, and the surrounding area fills quickly for Thanksgiving-adjacent weekends. Pair the weekend with a drive out Digby Neck toward Brier Island, a walk on the beaches and coastal trails of the Fundy shore, or a plate of the town's famous Digby scallops, and see our Nova Scotia in October guide for everything else the month offers.

Make the most of your time in Fundy Shore - pair Nova Scotia Hiking Summit 2026 with our Cliffs of Fundy Geopark guide, Best Day Trips from Halifax, and tidal bore rafting guide. They're each packed with itinerary ideas, local tips, and everything you need to extend your stay.