'Cape Breton Highlands National Park' is located on northern
Cape Breton Island in the province of
Nova Scotia. A section of the
Cabot Trail passes through the park featuring spectacular ocean and mountain views. The park was the first
National Park in the Atlantic provinces of
Canada and covers an area of
950 km².
At the western entrance of the park is the
Acadian village of
Chéticamp on the
Gulf of Saint Lawrence and a park information centre. On the eastern side of the park are the beaches at
Ingonish on the
Atlantic Ocean. In between are mountains, valleys, forests, waterfalls, rocky coastlines and a
tundra-like
plateau known as the
Cape Breton Highlands.
Also on the east side of the park located in Ingonish at the
Keltic Lodge resort is Highland Links, an 18-hole
golf course designed by Stanley Thompson. Golf Magazine ranked it as one of the top 100 courses in the world and the best public course in Canada.
George Knudson suggested leaving your clubs behind and just walking the course. The course has been certified by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, a program aimed at conserving wildlife habitat in spaces used for other purposes.
The park's forested areas include
★ Acadian forest of mixed
deciduous trees and
conifers, mainly found at lower elevations
★
boreal forest found on the plateau and uplands
Park wildlife includes
moose,
black bears and
bald eagles.
Whales and
Northern Gannets can often be seen from the park's coastal
hiking trails. The park's forests provide habitat for the uncommon
Bicknell's Thrush. The rare
Gaspé Shrew, ''Sorex gaspensis'', can be found on rocky slopes in the park.
Rivers in the park include the:
★
Chéticamp River
★ North
Aspy River
See also
★
Canadian National Parks
★
List of Canadian national parks
★
List of parks in Nova Scotia
External links
★
Official Site
★
The Gift of Quiet in the Cape Breton Highlands