Get ready for an overdose of scenery, fresh air, and some of the most
unbelievable hospitality you will ever encounter.

Welcome to Cape Breton's glory, the Cabot Trail. Stretching across
the northern tip of Cape Breton Island, the Cabot Trail, which
channels through a national park at its northern tip, is an
outdoorsman's paradise. Lush, green mountains, blazing
sunsets and sandy beaches engulf over 296 km (187 mi.) of one of North
America's most spectacular scenic drives.

Named for explorer John Cabot, who is believed to have landed in Cape
Breton in 1497, the Cabot Trail accommodates some half million
vehicles yet maintains its pristine beauty and wilderness character. 

Be sure to have your camera ready at the flash of a lash as the bald
eagle, moose, hare and deer have a reputation for popping out when
you least expect it. And don't be surprised if you happen to stumble
across the occasional coyote, fox, bear or bobcat. Our beloved
animals are protected within the various wooded valleys and barren
plateau habitats of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

Most visitors like to cover this circular route clockwise beginning
in the village of Baddeck. Originating from the Mi'kmaq word
"Abadeck", which means 'an island nearby', Baddeck has achieved an
international reputation as being one of Canada's finest resort
communities. 

This village was also the location for the Canadian residence of
Alexander Graham Bell. The Alexander Graham Bell National Historic
Site exhibits the world's most comprehensive collection of
contributions and achievements of this famed inventor.

From Baddeck you will be on your way to an area that has attracted
fishermen from as far away as Japan, Hawaii, Great Britain and New
Zealand. Although it has been considered something of a secret among
East Coast anglers, the Margaree River is ranked among North
America's best sources of Atlantic salmon.

As you venture through the various towns and villages of this
captivating trail, you will enter the largest National Park in
Atlantic Canada. With the establishment of the Cape Breton Highlands
National Park in 1936, the Cabot Trail became an even more attractive
destination as the Park provided access to beaches, waterfalls,
fishing and lakes. A wide variety of sporting opportunities are in
the area as well with hiking, golf, tennis, cycling, swimming and
sunbathing all making Cape Breton Island a perfect holiday
destination. Take a break and stay at one of the six campgrounds and
tour some of the diverse scenic trails.

At Pleasant Bay you will be amazed to see how the whales swim close
enough to shore for great whale watching boat tours. Once across the
vast plateau that makes up the Cape Breton Highlands, you descend
into Ingonish. Rising one hundred feet above the Atlantic Ocean on
rock cliffs is the Keltic Lodge Resort which has been pampering
guests for decades. Before you make the journey to the end of the
trail, don't forget to test your luck at the # 1 ranked golf
course in Canada, the Highland Links, maintained by the Cape
Breton Highlands National Park.

The Cabot Trail continues to captivate, charm and dazzle. It's a magical
wilderness tour that takes but a few days but lives on in memory for a
lifetime.