Nova Scotia
Hiking Nova Scotia: Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Program No. 21494RJ
Hike the great trails of Cape Breton and learn the region’s story as you discover ancient geology, picturesque villages, unique wildlife and historic national parks.
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9 days
8 nights
22 meals
8B 7L 7D
2
Cape Breton, Uisge Ban Falls Trail, Baddeck Ceilidh
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
3
Hiking, Cape Breton Island History, Alexander Graham Bell
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
4
Hiking: Salmon Pool Trail, Le Chemin du Buttereau
Pleasant Bay, NS
5
Skyline & MacIntoch Trails, Trois Pignons, Église St-Pierre
Pleasant Bay, NS
6
Hiking Mica Hill and Jack Pine Trail
Ingonish, NS
7
Hiking Middle Head Trail, Fresh Water Lake Trail
Ingonish, NS
8
Highland Village, To Halifax
Halifax, NS
9
Program Concludes
Halifax, NS
At a Glance
Explore Cape Breton while hiking some of the most memorable landscapes in the Maritimes. Low mountains, verdant valleys, wind-raked barrens and varied seacoast expose an ancient geological saga, transforming a simple hike into an outdoor lesson in the history of our planet. Experience small-town charm, coastal vistas and the natural beauty of the Cape Breton Highlands and world-famous Cabot Trail. Go on daily hikes in a breathtaking Atlantic setting rich in wildlife like whales, moose and eagles. Learn about coastal ecology and the cultures that shaped the province, from the Mi’kmaq and Basque fishermen to Loyalists and Gaelic immigrants.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Hiking 2-5 miles for 2-4 hours daily over varied terrain, including rock-strewn hills, river canyons, highland taiga, steep inclines, boardwalks, and dirt trails. Elevation change varies from 50-600 feet, with max elevation of 1,350 feet. Sturdy hiking boots are required.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Enjoy an eagle’s view of the Cabot Trail and watch for whales in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence from the Skyline Trail.
- Hike the Salmon Pools Trail along the Chéticamp River into a gorge with deep salmon pools where black bears are sometimes spotted.
- Learn about Cape Breton Island’s first inhabitants — the Mi’kmaq people — and the settlers that followed from England, France, Ireland and Scotland.
General Notes
Due to the nature of this program, listening devices will be unavailable.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Linda Lavoie
Linda Lavoie was born and raised in Prince Edward Island and graduated from the University of P.E.I. with a degree in modern languages. She worked for the federal government in Halifax and Ottawa and Charlottetown for 33 years. In these years she also taught project management at the University of P.E.I. and has tutored adults and children in English and French. After retiring in 2013, she began working in the travel industry for Parks Canada and other organizations.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Linda Lavoie
View biography
Linda Lavoie was born and raised in Prince Edward Island and graduated from the University of P.E.I. with a degree in modern languages. She worked for the federal government in Halifax and Ottawa and Charlottetown for 33 years. In these years she also taught project management at the University of P.E.I. and has tutored adults and children in English and French. After retiring in 2013, she began working in the travel industry for Parks Canada and other organizations.
Routes Adventures Mobile Phone
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Please call the toll free line at 1-866-745-1690 during regular business hours or for non-urgent matters (Mon - Fri 8:30 - 4:30 EST). The mobile phone #1-613-331-5777 is for after hours and weekends for emergency use only. The phone is carried by a staff member.
Suggested Reading List
(7 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Hiking Nova Scotia: Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Program Number: 21494
Cape Breton Road
Cape Breton Road tells the story of just-adult Innis, deported from his home in the United States for car theft and returned to his mother’s birthplace on Cape Breton Island to stay with his uncle Starr. Their relationship, fragile to begin with, is threatened by the arrival of Claire, who, romantically involved with Starr and on the run from a previous relationship, moves in with the two men.
In lesser hands, this situation might have been mined for simple domestic drama, but MacDonald has his sights set higher. Cape Breton Road functions, on one level, as a suspense novel, the tension of the domestic situation building slowly and inexorably. It is also solidly a novel of place, vividly evoking the Cape Breton landscape, its people, and its culture. Most significantly, the novel is an exploration of Innis’s mind and slow-building maturity, of guilt and history, of belief and escape, of dreams lost and sacrificed. With an almost alchemical talent, MacDonald transmutes the domestic and regional to the stuff of myth, of archetypal richness.
Island, The Complete Stories
Raised in Cape Breton, Alistair MacLeod writes of family, the pull of old Gaelic traditions, love and the landscape and folkways of Nova Scotia in this collection of 16 stories. Winner of the Pen/Malamud Award.
The Geology of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, or, Acadian Geology
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.
This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Birds of Atlantic Canada
Full of interesting facts and useful information, Birds of Atlantic Canada has something for anyone with an interest in birds, from the casual backyard observer to the keen naturalist. There are 284 of Atlantic Canada's most abundant or notable birds species featured.
Nova Scotia Travel Guide 2025
Inside this guide, you'll find detailed maps, stunning pictures, expert recommendations, hidden gems (including secluded coves, secret hiking trails, and quaint villages), cultural insights, and seasonal highlights.
The Long Way Home: A Personal History of Nova Scotia
Equal parts narrative, memoir and meditation, The Long Way Home chronicles with enthralling clarity a complex and multi-dimensional story: the overwhelming of the first peoples and the arrival of a mélange of pioneers who carved out pockets of the wilderness; the random acts and unexplained mysteries; the shameful achievements and noble failures; the rapture and misery; the twists of destiny and the cold-heartedness of fate.
The Atlantic Coast: A Natural History
The Atlantic Coast draws upon the best and most up-to-date science on the ecology of the region as well as the author’s lifetime experience as a resident, biologist, and naturalist. The book explores the geological origins of the region, the two major forest realms, and the main freshwater and marine ecosystems, and describes the flora and fauna that characterize each habitat. It ends with a look at what has been lost and how the remaining natural heritage of the region might be conserved for the future.