Vacation Cottage on The Cabot Trail


World Class Hiking Trails

World Class hiking trails on your doorstep

The following is a list of Cape Breton Highlands National Park's hiking trails. Distances are round-trip with average walking times. Click on the trail name for more detailed information.

The trails have been rated for difficulty with the internationally recognized symbols:

You may also want to load a favourite app of ours for more info on local hiking trails. AllTrails
Easy Easy Family-friendly trails that are suitable for all visitors.
Moderate Moderate Medium-length trails with moderate elevation gain and some short, steep sections. Suitable for most visitors.
Difficult Difficult Longer trails with long, steep sections that are suitable for visitors who have trail experience and are prepared (proper equipment and water).

Trail Difficulty  Distance Time Elevation
1 Acadian (loop) Moderate 8.4 km 3 - 4 hours 20 - 365 m
2 Salmon Pools Moderate 7.8 km 3 - 4 hours 15 - 110 m
3 Le Chemin du Buttereau Easy 4.6 km 1.5 hours 25 - 65 m
4 Le Buttereau (loop) Easy 1.6 km 30 - 45 minutes 0 - 55 m
5 Le vieux chemin du Cap-Rouge Easy 9 km 2.5 - 3.5 hours 40 - 110 m
6 Corney Brook Easy 6.5 km 2 hours 30 - 170 m
7 Skyline Easy 7 km or
8.7 km (loop) 		2 - 3 hours 290 - 405 m
8 Bog (loop) Easy 0.5 km 15 minutes 410 m
9 Benjie's Lake Easy 3 km 1 - 1.5 hours 400 m
10 Fishing Cove Difficult 12 km 5 - 6 hours 0 - 355 m
11 MacIntosh Brook Easy 1.7 km 30 - 45 minutes 30 - 65 m
12 Lone Shieling (loop) Easy 0.6 km 15 minutes 70 m
13 Aspy Moderate / Difficult 9.6 km 3 - 4 hours 60 - 450 m
14 Mica Hill Moderate 7.9 km 3 - 3.5 hours 260 - 410 m
15 Jack Pine (loop) Easy 2.3 km 1 hour 0 - 50 m
16 Coastal Moderate 11.3 km 3 - 4 hours 0 - 45 m
17 Jigging Cove (loop) Easy 2.4 km 40 - 50 minutes 50 - 65 m
18 Green Cove Easy 0.2 km 10 minutes 10 m
19 Broad Cove Mountain Moderate 2.3 km 1 hour 35 - 180 m
20 Warren Lake (loop) Moderate 4.7 km 1.5 hours 15 m
21 Branch Pond Look-off Moderate 8.4 km 2 - 3 hours 100 - 305 m
22 Franey (loop) Difficult 7.4 km 2 - 3 hours 95 - 430 m
23 Clyburn Valley Easy 8.5 km 2 - 3 hours 5 - 50 m
24 Middle Head Moderate 3.8 km 1.5 hours 0 - 45 m
25 Freshwater Lake Look-off Moderate 0.3 km 10 minutes 10 - 45 m
26 Freshwater Lake Easy 1.7 km 30 - 40 minutes 0 - 15 m

Trails Less Traveled

For those hikers that enjoy less populated trails off the beaten path; these are some of their favorites. These trails are not part of the national park circuit but are well worth it if you enjoy moderate to challenging remote hiking with some good grade ascents and descents and spectacular views. These trails are not recommended for beginner hikers or young children. If you click the trail name you will get trail head coordinates plus other trail details. Note: many of these trails do not have cell service. These areas are the home to bears, coyotes, and moose so hike prepared.
Trail Distance Time Elevation
1 Sugar Loaf 3.2 km 1.5 hours 350 m
2 Blueberry Hill (Close to Cheticamp) 6.6 km 2-3 hours 440 m
3 Mountain Trail (Meat Cove) 5.22 km 2 hours 10 min 277 m
4 Roberts Mountain (Pleasant Bay) 3.73 km 2 hrs 10 minutes 328 m
5 Pollets Cove (Pleasant Bay) 13.2 km 10 hours 830 m
6 Kauzmann Trail 3.7 km 2 hours 106 m
7 Money Point Trail 13.74 km 5hrs 30 min 750 m
8 Tenerife  MountainTrail 3.7 km 1 hour 298 m