If you’re anything like me, January is usually when I take a moment to plan out things I want to do over the next 12 months. One question I always come back to is “What hike/adventure am I going to go for this year?'‘. I know that there are many others that think the same so I asked some of my friends, local guides, and businesses for hikes they would recommend. Well, only a hand full have gotten back to me (classic) so these are some hike suggestions and a little bio on each person.

If you’re expecting classics like the Skyline trail or Peggy’s Cove, this is not the blog post for that but, these are a wide variety of options. Please note that some of these hikes are only to be done in certain seasons and some a much more difficult than others. I will note this with a short bio and link to a site with a route…

Dave Greene

Dave has spent the last decade traveling across various routes across Canada, traveling by bicycling, snowshoeing, skiing, and canoeing on numerous 30+ day expeditions. He’s also carried the flag for the Royal Canadian Geographic Society (Canadian Geographic) on two expeditions.

@greeneradventures / @night.of.adventure

Dave is the founder of A Night Of Adventure Speaker Series and has recently launched a podcast under the NOA brand.

Shelter Cove, 100 Wild Islands
Target Hill (a winter hike when the lakes are frozen) *couldn’t find much info online about this hike but feel free to reach out to Dave via the links above.

Ashley MacDonald

Ashley is a Cape Breton-based photographer who’s been put through the wringer on many of our backcountry trips and whose work you’ve likely seen on this website and one of our go-to photographers to take in the field.

@lifeofashmac

Tenerife Mountain - Cape Breton - This hike is short but steep. One of our recommended hikes for anyone wanting a bit more of a challenge. Be cautious of the look scree and last 100m or so of the ascent.
Blueberry Mountain - Cape Breton - This hike follows part of the old Cabot Trail and has a similar view to the skyline trail but a bit more of an actual hike and much fewer people. This trail is also not an official Parks Canada trail so you won’t find much info on the official Parks website.

@great.earth.expeditions

Admiral Lake Loop - Try this 9.3-km loop trail near Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 22 min to complete. This is a trendy area for hiking and mountain biking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring.
Polly’s Cove - Get to know this 3.9-km loop trail near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 56 min to complete. This is a trendy area for birding, hiking, and walking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash.

@alec.lefort

Tenerife Mountain (for sunrise), Cape Breton - If you want the best sunrise on Cape Breton Island then make sure this hike for sunrise is at the top of your list. Check sunrise times and plan to leave accordingly.
Seawall Trail, Cape Breton - For those of you wanting a real backcountry experience, this is it. Seawall Trail is not actually a trail yet but rather a proposed trail that has been consistently held up by various forms of '“red tape”. There is no marked trail which makes this something we recommend hiring a guide or going with previous backcountry experience. This hike is roughly 50km with close to 10,000ft of elevation gain and loss but some of the best views you’ll ever see. Live Life In Tents provides guided trips throughout the summer months and you can find more information here.

If you have any questions or want more recommendations or advice on hikes read here or others, feel free to reach out and if one of our crew can’t answer it for you we’ll send you in the proper direction. As always, if you have any suggestions on what we should cover in a vlog or blog post, send a quick email. I’d love to hear from you!

Happy Adventures,

Lee