Plan your visit

Cape Breton Island is a 2.5-hour drive from Halifax. Cross onto the island via the Canso Causeway, then drive another 2 hours to the park along the Cabot Trail. This is one of the world’s most breathtaking drives, so take time to enjoy the lush forests and rugged cliff-side views as you cruise along the coast. Plan to spend at least a day or two in the park, accessible via Chéticamp on the west side, or Ingonish on the east side.

Getting here

Location

37639 Cabot Trail,
Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia
B0C 1L0

There are many ways to get to Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Two main auto routes lead to the western entrance of the park near Chéticamp, while two other options lead to the eastern entrance in Ingonish. The scenery you experience while traveling the Cabot Trail will be vastly different depending on the direction you choose to travel—clockwise or counterclockwise—but either way, the views are breathtaking.

The Cabot Trail, one of North America's most scenic travelways, loops around northern Cape Breton and runs for nearly 300 kilometres. Approximately one-third (106 km) of the Cabot Trail is located within the park's boundaries.