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Bras d'Or Lake
A huge inland sea at Baddeck, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Home / Guides / Cabot Trail (Baddeck and Chéticamp)
Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
Cabot Trail (Baddeck and Chéticamp)
A loop around northern Cape Breton through Cape Breton Highlands National Park: cliff-top trails, Acadian Chéticamp, Celtic music, and Alexander Graham Bell's summer town of Baddeck.
Photo: Coast in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Mhsheikholeslami, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Cabot Trail loops about 300 kilometres around northern Cape Breton Island. On the west side, the road climbs steep headlands above the Gulf of St. Lawrence inside Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Expect to pull over a lot.
Chéticamp is an Acadian fishing town known for hooked rugs. Baddeck, on the Bras d'Or Lake, was Alexander Graham Bell's summer home. Gaelic and Celtic music run all through the island.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Cheap
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Highlands, canyons and coastline on the northern loop.
Cheap
Skyline Trail
A boardwalk out to a headland high above the Gulf, watch for moose and whales.
Cheap
Ingonish Beach
A beach between the ocean and a freshwater lake on the east side of the park.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Cheap
Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site
Bell's experiments with kites, flying machines and hydrofoils, in Baddeck.
Paid
Highland Village Museum
A living history museum of Gaelic settlers, at Iona.
Season Open roughly June 1–mid-Oct (check before you go).
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Paid
Celtic Colours International Festival
An October festival of Celtic music across the island.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Fortress of Louisbourg
A reconstructed 1740s French fortress, about two hours from Baddeck.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Highland Village Museum Tickets
- Celtic Colours International Festival Tickets
Part of our Cape Breton guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The loop needs at least two days if you want time for the trails.
- Ceilidhs and kitchen parties happen in the evenings.
- The Skyline Trail is at its best at sunset.
Nearby and worth the drive
Louisbourgabout 2 h · Guide ↗
A reconstructed 18th-century French fortress, a lighthouse trail and Atlantic beaches.
Halifaxabout 4 h 30 · Guide ↗The harbour capital.
Ready-made trips with Cabot Trail (Baddeck and Chéticamp)
Good to know
- Park pass: Cape Breton Highlands National Park requires a Parks Canada pass: parks.canada.ca/cbreton.
- Tourism: cbisland.com.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Coast in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Mhsheikholeslami, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Skyline Trail boardwalk, Andrea Schaffer from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bras d'Or Lake at Baddeck, Mykola Swarnyk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Chéticamp harbour, Michael Sprague from Candler, North Carolina, CC BY-SA 2.0