Cabot Trail
Scenic Route / Cape Breton Highlands National Park · Chéticamp, Nova Scotia
The Cabot Trail is a road loop of about 300 km around the northern end of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, climbing over highland plateau and dropping to the sea along the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic. About half of it runs through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where the Skyline Trail boardwalk leads to a headland above the water. Villages carry Scottish Gaelic and Acadian French heritage, with fiddle music in halls and kitchens. The drive takes five to eight hours without stops, but plan one to two days so you can hike, eat and see whales from Pleasant Bay. It is commonly driven clockwise or anticlockwise; the outer lane gets the sea views. Expect steep grades, fog, moose and a few stretches without fuel or food, and a Parks Canada pass inside the park. Confirm services in October, when the leaves peak and rooms fill fast, since many businesses close for the winter soon after the colour fades.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Chéticamp entrance, Chéticamp, Nova Scotia, B0E 1H0, Canada
The road is open all year, but conditions and services change a lot by season. Many cafes, lodgings, whale boats and visitor centres run from late spring to mid-October and close after, so confirm what is open if you travel in shoulder season. A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop inside Cape Breton Highlands National Park, with entrance points at Cheticamp and Ingonish; confirm gate and centre hours. Daylight is best for driving, since moose are active at dusk and fog can drop in. In winter the highland sections can be icy or closed during storms. Fall colour usually peaks around early to mid October, but confirm timing, and book rooms well ahead then.