Forest Hill Wildlife Management Area

The Forest Hill Trail is located in a provincial Wildlife Management Area, in north central Kings County. This land has mixed ownership, including private landowners and publicly-owned land. Island Trails has specific permissions as well as a license from the provincial government to use the land.

There are two trail heads, one of which, the Corral trail head, is managed by Island Horse Council. This trail head has an area large enough for horse trailer parking but no longer has corrals in place. Trail maintenance has been performed by volunteers, notably by equestrian Kevin Taylor, who until recently sat on the board Island Trails. PEITR Board member Janice MacSwain now occupies that position.

In February of 2021, PET Trail Riders was advised that a parcel of land approximately 350 acres in size, located on the MacSwain Road very close to Forest Hill, was recently donated by Carl Hansen and Daniel MacIsaac to Island Nature Trust. The donors stipulated that the land transfer agreement include the inclusion of equestrian use/provision of equestrian trails. PEI Trail Riders hopes to develop a connecting trail between the Hansen-MacIsaac parcel and the Forest Hill trail system, which would significantly increase the number of kilometres of equestrian-friendly trail, currently standing at 7-15 km (trails indicated on map vs actual rideable trail distances).

Meetings have been held throughout the spring and winter between representatives from Island Trails, Island Horse Council, the provincial government, and members of the Trail Committee, to discuss these plans. In the spring of 2022, PEI Trail Riders submitted a funding proposal to the Active Transportation Project Fund, via Island Trails. This proposal included an upgraded equestrian trail head parking area - including the installation of a hand pump and corrals. The proposal was declined. We will be re-submitting in 2023.