The 43.1 km (26.8 mi) trail in Cape Scott Provincial Park runs along beaches and through forests around the northern tip of Vancouver Island from Shushartie Bay to Nissen Bight.

At Nissen Bight, it links up with an existing 15 km (9.3 mi) trail which leads to the trailhead at San Josef River.

In two failed attempts, Danish pioneers tried to settle the area at the turn of the twentieth century and the trail incorporates some of their original routes.

In 1994, the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan recommended that the Nahwitti-Shushartie area be added to Cape Scott Provincial Park.

The trail is seen as a way to diversify the economy of northern Vancouver Island by providing a major tourist attraction that will bring visitors to the area.