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Cape Breton Highlands National Park & the Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia (View Photos):
There is something mythical about the landscape preserved within Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia. The park consists of a vast forested plateau featuring sprawling highlands scenery, abrupt cliffs, and lush canyons carved out by rivers. The waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean border this breathtaking landscape, resulting in a dramatic natural setting. In some ways, it resembles the highlands topography of Scotland, but in reality the park has a distinctive flavor and grandeur all its own.
The diversity of plants here is outstanding. An Acadian forest system occurs in protected valleys and along the edges of the coast at lower elevations. The types of trees found in this forest are sugar maple, American beech, eastern hemlock, and yellow birch. The park boasts a rare stand of old-growth sugar maples and other hardwood trees in the Grande Anse Valley. In addition to the Acadian forest, the park also contains a large Boreal forest system and a Taiga ecosystem. The Boreal forest consists mainly of balsam fir and white birch trees, ideal habitat for animals such as moose, lynx, and snowshoe hare. Along the coastline, visitors can enjoy watching pilot whales and harbour seals.
The Cabot Trail, a world famous scenic drive, circumscribes most of the park's boundary line, making it possible for people to access spectacular overlooks and hiking trails. The section of the Cabot Trail from around Pleasant Bay to the western entrance is particularly memorable for the forested river canyons, pleateau scenery, and exceptional coastal views. The 27 hiking trails explore virtually every aspect of the park, from bogs and lush forest to highlands geology and sandy beaches.
In terms of human history and activity, the native Mi'kmaq people have lived in the area for thousands of years. The Cape Breton plateau is but one component of the ancestral homeland of the Mi'kmaq which encompasses most of Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula, the provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, along with Northern Maine. Much later on, from the 16th century onwards, Acadians and Scots moved here during successive waves of European settlement. It should not be surprising that an area so rich in natural beauty has helped inspire a vibrant and colorful tradition of Gaelic music that continues to this day. Fiddlers, piano players, dancers, and singers create beautiful Gaelic and Celtic music in numerous towns all over Cape Breton Island.
Some of the music is poignant while some of it is energetic in a foot-stomping kind of way. Much of this musical heritage can be explored on another scenic route, the Ceilidh Trail. World-renowned musicians like Natalie MacMaster, the Rankin Family, and Ashley MacIsaac are proud to call Cape Breton Island home. Perhaps the best time to visit Cape Breton Island is during the Celtic Colours music festival when numerous Irish/Celtic/Gaelic musicians crank out their music surrounded by a backdrop of incredibly vivid fall foliage that covers the evocative highlands.
Recommended Day Hikes:
Franey Trail - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 4.6 miles (loop)
Trailhead location: About 2 miles after entering the park from the east entrance, follow the sign for the Franey trail
along a dirt road to a parking area where the trail starts
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: A steep hike through a forest leads to the top of a bluff where hikers can take in broad views of the
Clyburn River canyon and the Atlantic Ocean
Skyline Trail - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 5.7 miles (loop)
Trailhead location: Trailhead begins off the Cabot Trail on the western side of the park near French Mountain
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: Beginning from a highland plateau forest, this trail leads to tremendous views of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence and the rugged coastline. The elevation at the viewing platforms is about 1,300 feet above sea level. Moose and
bear sightings are not uncommon. The only drawback to this amazing hike is that it can get quite crowded
L' Acadien - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 5.2 miles (loop)
Trailhead location: Just inside the western entrance of the park near the information center
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: This hike leads through a lush forest to an opening on top of the highlands with panoramic views of
a river canyon and the mountains sloping down towards the ocean. The French-speaking town of Cheticamp
can be seen off in the distance
Middle Head Trail - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 2.4 miles
Trailhead location: In a large parking lot behind the Keltic Lodge
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Attractions: A relatively easy trail that explores ocean headland and rugged shoreline. Lots of seabirds and a good
chance of seeing whales too
Freshwater Lake Lookoff Trail - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 0.2 miles
Trailhead location: Trailhead begins right off the Cabot Trail opposite Freshwater Lake and just north of Ingonish Beach
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous
Attractions: A short, but difficult ascent to an overlook that permits a grand view of headlands, forested bluffs, and ocean
Bog Trail - Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Round Trip Length: 0.3 miles (loop)
Trailhead location: The trail begins at a parking area directly off the Cabot Trail between MacKenzie Mountain and French Lake
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: A boardwalk allows visitors to step into a typical highlands bog enivornment, complete with Pitcher plants,
Sundews, Bicknell's Thrush, and orchids. Moose tend to frequent the area
Uisge Bahn Falls Trail - Uisge Bahn Falls Provincial Park
Round Trip Length: 2.0 miles (loop)
Trailhead location: This park is near Baddeck Forks. Take Highway 105 towards Baddeck and get off on exit 9. Drive for
9 more miles before reaching the park. Trail begins from parking lot
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Attractions: The main attraction here is a 50-foot waterfall that cascades down a granite gorge
Recommended Points of Interest:
Cap Rouge Lookout (Cabot Trail); Bras d'Or Lakes Scenic Drive (a scenic drive that skirts the edge of Bras d'Or Lake);
Cape Smokey Provincial Park; Ceilidh Trail (this is scenic drive on the southwestern side of Cape Breton Island that
features Gaelic folklore and gentle yet beautiful scenery)
Helpful travel tips and observations
The Celtic Colours festival is a one-week celebration of Celtic, Irish, Gaelic, and folk music featuring live
performances from many of the best international artists. It is held at multiple venues across Cape Breton Island and
begins around the middle of October to coincide with the wonderful peak fall color season on the island which rates with
the best anywhere on the planet (www.celtic-colours.com). One of the finest Bed and Breakfast establishments I've ever stayed at was in Baddeck,
just off the Cabot Trail. The name is Taigh Na H-Aibhne Bed & Breakfast (www.bbcanada.com/taighnahaibhne). Excellent
rooms, clean and quaint, nice owners, and a deluxe continental breakfast.
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More Photos: Page 1 > Page 2 > Page 3
Beautiful view of the ocean near Ingonish Beach, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, (August 2007)
Sea cliffs with Ingonish Beach in the distance, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, (August 2007)
Rugged coastline viewed from the Middle Head "e" trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, (August 2007)
More lovely coastal scenery, Middle Head "e" trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, (August 2007)
Forested coastal cliffs, Middle Head "e" trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, (August 2007)
Sweeping view from the Freshwater Lake Lookoff trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, (August 2007)
A view of the highlands of Cape Breton meeting the sea, Cabot Trail, (August 2007)
An idyllic view from the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, (August 2007)
