North River Falls

At roughly 32 metres, North River Falls is the highest waterfall in Nova Scotia. Reaching it is an adventure—an 18-kilometre out-and-back through North River Provincial Park along the wide North River valley with several brook crossings. The trail is well marked but long; allow six to seven hours and start early. A swim in the plunge pool is the perfect midpoint reward.

What to see

• The 32-metre cascade tumbling over a slate cliff into a deep amphitheatre — taller than any other falls in the province.
• A clear plunge pool at the base that's swimmable on warm days, surrounded by ferns and dripping mosses.
• Old-growth hardwood stands along the river — yellow birch and sugar maple of impressive size.
• River salmon parr and brook trout in the clearer pools along the way.
• Wood duck, kingfisher, and the occasional bald eagle along the corridor.

Tips

• Start no later than 9 a.m. — eight to ten hours is realistic if you linger at the pool.
• Late summer and early fall offer the best footing as brook crossings drop.
• Spring and after heavy rain make the crossings sketchy — there are no bridges on the inner stretches.
• Photographers should aim for late morning when the sun reaches into the amphitheatre but hasn't yet blown out the upper rim.
• Don't try to scramble down beside the falls; the moss-covered slate is treacherous and the consequences are severe.

Park & access

• North River Provincial Park, signed off the Cabot Trail at North River Bridge.
• Gravel access road and a small trailhead lot with a vault toilet — no water source.
• No fees, no gate; the park is open dawn to dusk year-round but the trail is unmaintained in winter.
• No cell service for most of the trail.

Combine it with

• A swim or picnic at St. Anns Bay's Englishtown Ferry beach on the way back.
• Cape Smokey provincial park trail or gondola for a wholly different highlands experience.
• Dinner at one of the St. Anns Bay or Wreck Cove waystops on the Cabot Trail.