Outdoors & Nature in Inverness & Western Shore
Type
Region
Cape Mabou Highlands Trails
Network of community-maintained ridge and shoreline trails high above the Northumberland Strait.
Chestico Trail (part of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail)
Inverness Shean Trail (part of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail)
Mabou Rivers Trail (part of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail)
Salt Mountain Trail
Want a starting point?
Locally-ranked outdoors lists
25 Best Places to Visit in Cape Breton (2026)
A locally-curated, ranked guide to the island's essential stops — beaches, lookoffs, fortresses, lighthouses, fishing villages, and the drives that connect them
25 picks →
The best beaches on Cape Breton Island
Sandy stretches, warm-water swimming, and the wild Highlands coast
10 picks →
The best hikes on Cape Breton Island
From the Skyline Trail to quiet local lookoffs — ranked by what they deliver
12 picks →
The 15 best Cabot Trail stops, in driving order
A clockwise loop with the must-stop lookoffs, beaches, hikes, and meals — plus where to skip and where to spend extra time
15 picks →
Cape Breton in fall — the 12 best stops for autumn colour
Where to be in early-to-late October when the Highlands turn red and gold — plus when to go and what else is on
12 picks →
Cape Breton lighthouses worth visiting
Working harbour beacons and dramatic Highlands cliff posts
8 picks →