The third stop on our 2024 east-coast road trip took us to from Prince Edward Island (PEI) to Nova Scotia (NS) by way of the Northumberland Ferries. We crossed at Wood Islands, PEI and arrived Caribou, NS just over an hour later. This was one of the most relaxing parts of our whole road trip. Once we arrived in Nova Scotia, we made quick work of getting to Cape Breton Island and the infamous Cabot Trail.
We entered the trail on the south-east corner, around Baddeck. Before braving this adventure, you will want to be reasonably confident in the quality of your brakes. The tight S-turns, steep inclines with nothing but a guardrail between you and a 100ft+ drop to the ocean makes for a very exciting (nerve-wracking?) drive. While the driver is white knuckling and staring ahead the passengers can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the ocean, the cliffs of Cape Breton, and beautiful sea-side homes.
We stopped at the Cape Breton Highlands Visitor Centre in Ingonish, which had some supplies, was very clean and the staff were helpful and knowledgeable of the area. From there we proceeded through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park to the Broad Cove campground where we checked-in at a small kiosk that had maps, firewood, and change for the laundry, and then proceeded to our campsite.
Campsite: I’ll admit that having camped at provincial and national parks before, I had some expectations of what the campground would look like, previous locations had tall mature trees, forest canopies and picturesque landscapes… but we were greeted by what was essentially a clearing with no privacy and even less shelter from the sun that your own trailer, awning or tents did not provide – however, it was far too windy to put out the awning! When setting up our trailer, every site looked very level and only a little adjustment was required for ours (site 69) which was a full electric / water / sewer hook-up, this was a pleasant surprise as full service in provincial and national parks is fairly uncommon (to us!). Our campsite was spotless, not a piece of trash in sight, thanks to ample and conveniently located garbage and recycling receptacles on site… or maybe it was the bear warnings that kept everyone tidy!
Campground: The washroom and shower facilities were excellent, there were clean laundry facilities open 24-hours. The campground lists a playground on the map, but sadly it was two swing sets and a teeter totter, the kids were unimpressed. The campground had a mix of fire pits and “fireplaces” turned out to be elevated bar-b-cues. We, unfortunately, had the fireplace so our campfire was sad and awkward. The neighbouring campsites with actual fire pits had excellent campfires roaring. You can purchase wood at the check-in kiosk and we found the price for size of bag excellent, the wood was very dry, plus the bags camp with a small homemade firestarters which were very effective. There is no water access from the campground, but there are oodles of beaches nearby.
Value: Our full service (electrical, water, sewer) site was $42.50 CAD a night (plus the $11.50 online booking fee). This is a great rate and helps to support our National Parks. You do, however, also need to purchase a National Parks pass to use the beaches and trails within the park, but this was only around $20 for the day – 100% worth it!
Caution! Two cautions today:
- Your campsite may have zero sun coverage and be too windy to deploy the awning or put-up umbrellas for shade.
- Make sure to book a site with a firepit and not a fireplace, in our opinion.
Tip! Getting out and exploring the Cabot Trail further is a must! We spent a full day at Black Brook Beach, about 10 minutes further onto the trail. It was, hands down, the best beach we have ever been to in Canada. A U-shaped beach, bookended by beautiful rocky cliffs, including a freshwater waterfall and clean shoreline. This beach seemed to be naturally sheltered from wash-up weeds or debris, it was spotless! Everyone enjoyed the short walk up the beach to climb on the boulders and wade in the freshwater pool that was at the base of the waterfall.
Final word: I was in absolute heaven, laying in my portable hammock, reading the latest Jack Reacher novel, glancing up on occasion to see my kids boogie boarding in the surf of beautiful Black Brook Beach. Our experience at this campground and the surrounding sections of the Cabot Trail have sparked a desire to return in the future and camp all along the trail.
We’d love to hear about your adventures! Feel free to leave comments describing your own experiences, good or bad, or join our private Facebook community Glamping Essentials Campfire Collective. Should you have any specific questions, please email Jason@GlampingEssentials.ca.
~ Jason
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