Parking
Use the Brackley Beach Complex at 4021 Brackley Pt Rd for the western start. This is a point-to-point trail, so arrange a pickup, second vehicle or return ride from the Dalvay Gate end at 48 Gulf Shore Parkway.
Overview
About Gulf Shore Way East
Why go
- Long, smooth paved route through dunes and salt marshes
- Covehead Lighthouse and beach stops break up the crossing
Heads up
- One-way logistics require a return plan
- Much of the route runs beside the parkway
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Prince Edward Island map
Full mapElevation0–14 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Prince Edward Island alerts
- ClosureOceanview cliff area closed beyond signs and fencingStay out of all unmown areas beyond the signs or fencing at Oceanview (46.49951N 63.38272W), including the rocks and cliff edges.Official details
- ClosureHomestead trails closed because bridges are outDo not use Homestead Long Loop or Homestead Trail Short loop: both trails are closed because bridges are out. - Respect all posted warnings, closures, notices and signs while using other park trails.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Prince Edward Island Tour Guide
Your drive to Gulf Shore Way East, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Prince Edward Island National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Brackley Beach0:00 / 0:32
“You're coming up on Brackley Beach, a broad white-sand beach with a seasonal canteen, picnic space, and outdoor showers at the complex.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Prince Edward Island Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Quiet Side of Brackley Bay
- Robinsons Island Underfoot
- Covehead Lighthouse and Harbour
- Stanhope Cape Beach
- 29 audio storiesacross Prince Edward Island’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bald Eagle, Osprey, Great Blue Heron, and 12 more
- Works offlinemaps, 15 trails, 25 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Gulf Shore Way East
A long, easy coastal crossingGulf Shore Way East is a 12.2 km (7.
Gulf Shore Way East is a 12.2 km (7.6 mi) one-way paved, point-to-point trail between Brackley Beach Complex and Dalvay Gate. It follows the Gulf Shore Parkway through dunes, wetlands and salt marshes, mostly flat with gentle rolling stretches. Allow two to three hours one way, depending on how often you stop. This is a good choice for a long walk, ride or roll on smooth footing. It is not a short loop, so arrange your return before you set off.
What you see along the wayThe route's payoff is the changing coastal corridor rather than a single summit or waterfall.
The route's payoff is the changing coastal corridor rather than a single summit or waterfall. Expect open dune country, wetland views and patches of krummholz forest, with the parkway beside much of the path. Covehead Lighthouse is the standout landmark, and the beach access points around Covehead and Dalvay make useful breaks from the pavement. At the lighthouse, frame the red-and-white tower with dune grass and beach rather than taking another road-only view.
Make the point to point workStart at Brackley Beach Complex, where the park provides parking, washrooms, a ramp, a mobility…
Start at Brackley Beach Complex, where the park provides parking, washrooms, a ramp, a mobility mat and beach wheelchairs. The Dalvay end is at 48 Gulf Shore Parkway, with washrooms and EV chargers at the trailhead. Dalvay-by-the-Sea is a separate stop for lunch, not a café on the trail. Dogs are allowed on the trail on a lead no longer than 3 m, but not on park beaches from April 1 to October 15. Trails and facilities are not maintained between Thanksgiving and Victoria Day.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Prince Edward Island
100 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
95 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
67 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
104 sightingsRed FoxMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
97 sightingsSnowshoe HareMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsMuskratMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Prince Edward Island. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
