Field dispatch · on foot
Choose a trail by effort, not by photo.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park has more than two dozen named trails. Two of the most useful for a first-time loop are covered here in real detail; treat the rest as a reason to come back.
- Skyline Trail
- Coastal headland, sunset views
- Middle Head
- 5.3 km loop, Ingonish
- Pass required
- National park day pass
- Signal
- Download maps before you go
Field note 01 / Skyline
The trail on every Cabot Trail postcard.
The Skyline Trail, near Cheticamp on the park’s western side, is the loop’s best-known hike: a boardwalk-and-path route out onto an open headland with a long, elevated coastal view, popular at sunset. Its accessibility and short distance make it one of the busiest trails on the loop — arrive early or late in the day for parking and a quieter walk.
Field note 02 / Middle Head
A quieter peninsula on the eastern side.
Near Ingonish, the Middle Head Trail runs 5.3 km out along a narrow peninsula between two bays to a cliff-edge viewpoint, generally taking one to two hours at an easy-to-moderate pace, with some rocky and root-crossed sections near the end. It carries far less traffic than Skyline and pairs naturally with a beach stop at Ingonish.
Read the full Ingonish guide