The East Coast Trail

Walking the edge of the continent. The East Coast Trail (ECT) is a network of 26 individual wilderness paths stretching 336km along the rugged eastern shore of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula. It links historic fishing villages with dramatic sea stacks, deep fjords, and ocean caves. Whether you're watching icebergs drift past in June or spotting whales from the cliffs in July, the trail offers a raw, maritime beauty that is distinctly Newfoundland. Most hikers explore the ECT as a series of day hikes from St. John's rather than attempting a continuous thru-hike.

One of the most frequented day hikes from El Chaltén, the route to Laguna Torre leads to a glacial lake at the base of the Torre massif. The 18 km out-and-back trail follows the Fitz Roy River valley, moving through sub-antarctic forests of ñire and lenga. The terrain is primarily well-maintained gravel paths and packed dirt, with a short initial ascent followed by mostly level walking through the glacial valley. The destination offers direct views of Cerro Torre (3,128m) and the Adela range, with icebergs frequently calving from the Torre Glacier into the lake.