Cabot Trail Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

Drive Cape Breton’s 298 km Cabot Trail counterclockwise from Buckwheat Corner at your own pace. This self-guided smartphone tour pairs GPS-triggered audio with a live route map and 48 listed itinerary entries, from Baddeck and Cape Smokey to Ingonish, Pleasant Bay, Skyline Trail and Chéticamp. Allow about 4–5 hours of driving, plus time for optional lookouts, walks and meals. Download the tour before departure for offline use; narration plays automatically as you follow the map, and you can pause and resume whenever you like. The route ends back at Buckwheat Corner and follows this direction only. Bring your own vehicle and smartphone or tablet; no in-person guide is included. Park admission, parking reservations and attraction access are separate and may change seasonally.

1. 1

   Bras d'Or Lake

   Pass by

   Start the counterclockwise drive beside the Bras d’Or Lakes, Cape Breton’s vast inland sea.

2. 2

   Baddeck

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   Pass through lively Baddeck, gateway to the Cabot Trail and home to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site.

3. 3

   Stop 3

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   Pass Plaister Mines and discover traces of the area’s gypsum mining past.

4. 4

   Saint Anns

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   St. Anns pairs sweeping coastal views with a rich Scottish heritage.

5. 5

   Stop 5

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   Goose Cove’s sheltered waters and wooded brooks make a scenic pause along the route.

6. 6

   Stop 6

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   The North River Wilderness Area protects rugged valleys and forested highlands beside the drive.

7. 7

   Stop 7

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   Enjoy the coastal scenery of St. Ann’s Bay as the road curves along its shore.

8. 8

   Stop 8

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   Pass the shoreline of Plaster Provincial Park, a peaceful stretch of the Cabot Trail.

9. 9

   Stop 9

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   The French River Wilderness Area offers a glimpse of Cape Breton’s protected backcountry from the road.

10. 10

    Stop 10

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    Pass the long-standing Wreck Cove General Store, a familiar Cabot Trail landmark.

11. 11

    Stop 11

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    Pause at a safe lookout on the ascent to Cape Smokey for dramatic Atlantic views.

12. 12

    Stop 12

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    Cape Smokey Provincial Park crowns the mountain with coastal lookouts and a picnic area.

13. 13

    Ingonish

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    Ingonish welcomes you with seaside villages, beaches and access to the national park.

14. 14

    Stop 14

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    Ingonish Harbour’s sheltered waters have long shaped life along this coast.

15. 15

    Stop 15

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    Pass Keltic Lodge on its coastal headland, with nearby views, trails and golf.

16. 16

    Stop 16

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    Ingonish Centre links several seaside communities with beaches and outdoor trails.

17. 17

    Cape Breton Highlands National Park

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    Cape Breton Highlands National Park brings forested mountains and ocean cliffs together along the road.

18. 18

    Neil's Harbor

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    Neil’s Harbour is a colourful fishing village and a gateway to Cape Breton’s points north.

19. 19

    Stop 19

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    The Bras d’Or terrane reveals Cape Breton’s ancient geological links to three continents.

20. 20

    Stop 20

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    Aspy Bay opens onto a broad sandy coast framed by the northern highlands.

21. 21

    Stop 21

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    Pollett’s Cove and the Aspy Fault reveal a rugged wilderness shaped by deep geological forces.

22. 22

    Beulach Ban Waterfall

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    Beulach Ban Falls is a forest waterfall beside the Aspy Trail trailhead, both optional side trips when open.

23. 23

    Stop 23

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    The Cape Breton Plateau offers sweeping lookouts over highland valleys and the Aspy Fault.

24. 24

    Lone Shieling

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    Pass the Lone Shieling area, home to a replica Scottish crofter’s hut; the site and nearby pull-offs are temporarily closed.

25. 25

    MacIntosh Brook Trail

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    Pass MacIntosh Brook’s wooded valley; its trail and campground are temporarily closed.

26. 26

    Pleasant Bay

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    Pleasant Bay is a scenic coastal village known for whale-watching excursions.

27. 27

    Mackenzie Mountain Lookout

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    MacKenzie Mountain Lookoff opens onto broad views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and nearby highlands.

28. 28

    Stop 28

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    Fishing Cove Lookout frames steep green headlands dropping toward the ocean.

29. 29

    Stop 29

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    Benjie’s Lake and its surrounding bog offer a glimpse of the highland landscape and moose habitat.

30. 30

    Stop 30

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    A roadside pull-off at French Lake overlooks still water and boreal forest.

31. 31

    Skyline Trail

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    The Skyline Trail overlooks the Gulf; parking reservations are required June 26–October 25, 2026 for anyone who plans to hike it.

32. 32

    Le Vieux Chemin du Cap-Rouge Trail

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    Near Veterans Monument Lookoff, Le Vieux Chemin du Cap-Rouge traces a former Acadian settlement amid striking coastal scenery.

33. 33

    Stop 33

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    Le Buttereau Trail passes the remains of a small Acadian settlement near Chéticamp.

34. 34

    Stop 34

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    Chéticamp Campground marks the park’s western entrance near river scenery and trailheads.

35. 35

    Stop 35

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    Petit Étang Beach stretches across a tidal estuary beneath the red bluffs of Le Buttereau.

36. 36

    Cheticamp

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    Chéticamp brings Acadian culture, coastal scenery and colourful village life to the drive.

37. 37

    Cheticamp Island Beach

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    Chéticamp Island Beach offers a sandy shoreline on a short side trip from the main road.

38. 38

    Grand Etang

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    Grand Étang is a coastal Acadian community associated with the lively Mi-Carême tradition.

39. 39

    Stop 39

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    Look across the Gulf of St. Lawrence as the western coast opens into wide sea views.

40. 40

    Stop 40

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    Belle Côte lives up to its name with beautiful coastal scenery and a nearby wharf.

41. 41

    Stop 41

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    Margaree Harbour and Beach meet at a broad river estuary with open coastal views.

42. 42

    Stop 42

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    From East Margaree Crossing, see the river winding across its green valley.

43. 43

    Stop 43

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    The Margaree River runs through an Appalachian valley known for its scenic bends and salmon waters.

44. 44

    Stop 44

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    Pass Live Life in Tents at Margaree Forks, where river country meets the inland Cabot Trail.

45. 45

    Margaree Valley

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    Margaree Valley’s rolling scenery marks the gateway to the river’s inland communities.

46. 46

    Lake O'Law Provincial Park

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    Lake O’Law Provincial Park offers lakeside views beneath the Three Sisters mountains, with a picnic stop when open.

47. 47

    Stop 47

    Pass by

    Middle River Wilderness Area protects forested hills and traces of the region’s mining past.

48. 48

    Middle River

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    Pass the two distinctive churches standing side by side in Middle River.

• Service animals allowed
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Self-guided drive in your own vehicle; sightseeing is mainly outdoors or from the road, and walks are optional. Nearby buildings and services may be closed without preventing the audio tour. Check current road and park notices before travel; MacIntosh Brook Trail and Lone Shieling are temporarily closed, and Skyline Trail parking requires a reservation June 26–October 25, 2026.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.