Cabot Trail

Why the Cabot Trail is special
The Cabot trail in Nova Scotia, Canada is a beautiful scenic road looping around northern Cape Breton. The drive winds through mountain wilderness and skirts a rugged coastline.

Cabot Trail tips & insights
Heritages
Along the route, you visit small fishing villages that reflect their Scottish and Acadian heritages. Some present performances of Scottish and Irish folk music in the local style.

Baddeck
It is the traditional starting and ending point of the loop in Nova Scotia. It boasts a museum devoted to Alexander Graham Bell (he regularly summered in Baddeck). It showcases his memorabilia and inventions, including the telephone.

Pleasant Bay
This bay (see photo) is the most photographic segment of the Cabot Trail. It's also a fine place for whale watching.

When to go
Vehicular traffic appreciably thickens during the summer tourist season. I recommend that you visit in the Spring when the forsythia bushes and wildflowers are in bloom - or during the Fall when Mother Nature puts on her colorful foliage show.

Cape Breton Highlands NP
Most of the Cabot Trail passes through this large national park. It has two dozen nature trails blessed with mountain scenery and wildlife. Some are short and easy, others are geared for the experienced hiker.

Bicyclists and bikers
Motorists are not the only ones who enjoy the Cabot Trail. It's popular with two-wheeled travelers.

Length of stay
The Cabot Trail is about 300 kilometers (185 miles) in length. It's possible to do as a daytrip, as some visitors do. But a duration of two or more days allows you more time to absorb the natural beauty and local Cape Breton cultures.

Name
The trail was named for John Cabot, an anglicized Italian explorer who "discovered" Cape Breton in 1497.

Location in Canada