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Where is Cape Breton Island? Cape Breton Island is on the northern tip of Nova Scotia, Canada.  There are five different touring trails on Cape Breton Island.  The five touring trails are the Cabot Trail, Ceilidh Trail, Bras d’Or Lake Scenic Drive, Fleur-de-lis Trail, and the Marconi Trail.

We explored the Cabot Trail.   The trail is one hundred eight-five miles in length and is open year round.  We started our journey in Baddeck and drove clock wise on the trail.  There are three Visitor Information Centers along the Cabot Trail.

The Visitor Centers offer a rest stop as well as a wealth of other information about the area of the trail that your are on.  You can book sunset hikes and other excursions from the visitor centers.  There are kayaking tours, zip lining, rock climbing and paddle boarding.

As well as hiking, biking, and helicopter tours.  Let’s not forget the tubing, sailing, and whale watching.  There are so many things to see and do.  You could easily spend a few days to a week just on the Cabot Trail.  We enjoyed the beauty of the drive.

During our Cabot Trail drive, we saw a sign for Mary Ann Falls and took the dirt road several kilometers.  At the end of the dirt road there was a short hike to the water fall.

The waterfall was a very nice waterfall.  As we approached the waterfall, we observed that one couple was enjoying a picnic lunch and a dip in the water that pooled at the bottom of the falls.  A few other young men were jumping off the falls into the pool of water.  The water was a very nice temperature.

We were expecting it to be freezing cold because it is running water but I was pleasantly surprised.  There were only about ten people total so it was a very relaxing and enjoyable time.

The Cabot Trail passes through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Canada. Cape Breton National Park was the first National Park in the providences, on the Atlantic, in Canada and is one of Canada’s forty-two National Parks.  Cape Breton is also known for its steep cliffs and deep river canyons.

Some of the wildlife that you may see are owls, bald eagles, beaver, three different species of hawks, fox, bear, whale and dolphins to name a few.

Baddeck is where we began our journey and is also the home of the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.  There is enough information in the museum to draw your attention for a few hours.

Cheticamp was once a booming coastal fishing village.  But as quotas were imposed, tourism became an important part of Cheticamps economy.  There is also a local beach named St. Peter’s Beach.

St Peter’s Beach is available to locals and tourists alike.  It is used for swimming, camping and recreational activities. You can also find a golf course called Le Portage Golf Club.  For more information visit their website: http://www.leportagegolfclub.com

Pleasant Bay is the half way point on the Cabot Trail and is known as the “whale watching capital of Cape Breton.” For more information, you can visit this website:   http://pleasantly.cabottrail.com

As you walk around the town you see why it is named Pleasant Bay.  You smell the fresh ocean salt air, watch fishermen, take a hike, shop, or go for a whale watch.  There are also a few restaurants and places to lay your head for the evening.

Ingonish was one of the first villages on Cape Breton.  Ingonish relies on its fishing and tourism for its economy.  Some points of interest in Ingonish are  Highlands Links Golf Course, Ski Cape Smokey, Cape Smokey Provincial Park, The Keltic Lodge, and Cape Bretons National Park.

The Cabot Trail is an amazingly beautiful scenic drive.  We thoroughly enjoyed our travel and we did make several stops to photograph the Cabot Trail’ s beauty.

We highly recommend a visit to epic Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia! Trust us with so many choices on how you spend your time at Cape Breton and the Cabot Trail it will be well worth the trip!

Happy Travels!!!

For more information on Nova Scotia, visit these blog links: https://lifeoftheemptynesters.com/2018/08/14/long-island-nova-scotia/

https://lifeoftheemptynesters.com/2018/08/01/why-explore-the-beauty-of-peggys-cove-nova-scotia/

https://lifeoftheemptynesters.com/2018/08/21/prince-edward-island-nova-scotia/