St. Mary’s Spring Trail Features
The fresh water spring
Escarpment trail
ABOUT
Unlike most places on Haida Gwaii, St. Mary’s Spring Trail is quite young in terms of its history. At the beginning of the 20th century, this area was known as “Duncan’s Well,” named after an early homesteader.
It is said that travellers used to stop and re-hydrate their horses at the small well. Beginning in the early 1920s, however, Annie Richardson took it upon herself to name the spring after one she’d known in England – St. Mary’s. The wooden carving that is most associated with this spot was carved a few decades later.
Time has not been kind to Haida Gwaii’s wooden saint. Now, when you visit St. Mary along Highway 16, she looks a bit tired and weathered. Her cloak is starting to decay and both arms have rotted away.
It’s only time before old St. Mary is returned to the earth from which she sprang. It’s sad but, in a way, is reflective of Haida Gwaii: When poles are carved, or houses made, they’re fresh and vibrant.
They give life; however, with the passage of time they, too, grow tired and eventually return to Mother Earth. Such a cycle is actually pretty beautiful if you think about it.
Despite having seen better days, St. Mary’s Spring is still quite attractive. People will visit, lay gifts at Madonna’s feet and drink from the freshwater well nearby. Signage beside St. Mary suggests that those who “Drink of these waters [. . .] will always return to the islands.” It’s a pleasant contemporary legend, though we would note that it’s “drink at your own risk” because the water is untreated and there’s a written notice stating as such.
You will also notice a trail to the left of St. Mary. This is the “St. Mary Spring escarpment trail,” so it is fairly steep (with an elevation gain of approximately 40 meters at its zenith), and goes towards Lawn Hill. The trail markers are scant and poorly done, but the trail itself is easy to follow. As you climb the escarpment, you will encounter dense forest, thick mosses (home to fairy slippers in Spring), ferns and plenty of deadfalls.
The trail is single-track and narrow. Parts of it are perilously close to the edge and one misstep could result in significant injury. An old blog write-up indicated nice views of Hecate Straight could be had from the trail but, while that might’ve been true at one time, it’s not the case any longer.
Of course, the trail is not the primary attraction; it is the wooden carving. If you visit, we’d suggest posing for a photo beside St. Mary and then admiring the black basalt rock formations across the road.
They hint at some old geologic activity! And, hey, you can also get some nice views of Hecate Strait 😉
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
TOTAL DISTANCE: 3 kilometres (return)
TIME: 2 hours
TYPE: Out-and-Back
ELEVATION GAIN: 40 meters