The Corner Brook Stream Trail consists of over 14 kilometers of meandering trail which runs along the Corner Brook Stream corridor.  Located in western Newfoundland and traveling through the City of Corner Brook, the trail extends from Three-Mile Dam to where the stream empties into the Bay of Islands.  Additional finger trails lead to other points of interest and new trails in the area are under development

The geological features of the trail are one of its main attractions.  The geology of the area has determined the development of the stream and its features, which include a narrow gorge (with a maximum depth of 60 metres), limestone caves, waterfalls, cliffs, sinkholes (collapsed caves or former underground streams) and potholes (deep, rounded and polished holes formed by the constant fall of water on that particular spot).  Diverse flora and fauna abound, with natural ecosites including black spruce bogs, balsam fir stands, and budworm-killed areas where white and yellow birch have become the dominant species among stumps, snags, and blowdowns.   

The Corner Brook Stream Trail was born with the commission of a study of the Corner Brook Stream area in 1983, which recommended a trail along the segment of the stream from Three-Mile Dam to the bridge on Main Street.  The Corner Brook Stream Development Corporation (CBSDC), formed in 1995, commissioned subsequent studies which led to several phases of expansion.  The most recent, a Master Plan in 2003, initiated the latest developments including a link to the port and cruise ship dock, along with other new trails (Three Bear Mountain) and associated infrastructure.  To date over $2,500,000 worth of infrastructure has been built throughout the Corner Brook Stream trail network. 

Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited (CBPPL) owns the land on either side of Corner Book Stream from Twelve-Mile Dam to the Mill, and an agreement exists to develop the trails with their approval.  CBPPL has been involved in the development of the trails since its inception, and currently sits on the Corner Brook Stream Development Corporation Board of Directors.  CBPPL does not intend to conduct any harvesting on this land.

The Corner Brook Stream Trail system may be used for hiking, viewscapes, ecological studies, etc.  The stream itself supplies drinking water and commercial water to the city, process water to Corner Brook Pulp and Paper’s paper mill, and supports an 8-megawatt hydroelectric plant.  The lower section of the trail system starts at the Corner Brook port and covers the downtown shopping areas and City Hall.  Margaret Bowater Park, part of the middle section of the trail, is a municipal park and has been the site of the annual ITU World Cup Triathlon, the Newfoundland Lumberjack Challenge, and other events.  The upper section of the trail leads to wilderness areas on the outskirts of the city, to the gorge, and other geological features.  Long-term plans include the possibility of a suspension bridge over the gorge.  More immediate future plans for the trail include:

 A wetland interpretation site at the marsh behind Brook Street

Upgrading links to downtown shopping areas

Upgrading the connection from Margaret Bowater Park to Sir Wilfred Grenfell College

The Corner Brook Stream Development Corporation has developed a guide and map for the trails which can be obtained at Corner Brook City Hall, the Tourist Information Centre and the CBSDC office.  For more information, visit their website at: http://www.cbstream.com