The railbed that the trail uses was originally built by the Intercolonial Railway just prior to World War I and absorbed into Canadian National when the Government of Canada created it.

The rails originally ran from Dartmouth to Upper Musquodoboit, hauling timber, gravel, and agricultural goods, as well as passengers.

An intersection to the Bayer Lake Loop Trail (which goes along the top of the cliffs) is present at 2.4 km (1.5 mi), and a few hundred meters beyond that lies the first picnic table.

From this point onwards the trail passes mainly through the rich lower Musquodoboit Valley, sometimes approaching the granite cliffs to the east, sometimes with glimpses of the river to the west.

At around the halfway point is Norma's Place, a picnic shelter, and a connection to the North and South Granite Ridge Trails.