Cape Smokey Provincial Park

Located approximately 8 miles south of Ingonish Beach near the western entrance of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Cape Smokey Provincial Park offers a convenient stopping-point on the way into or out of the Highlands. Perched on top of 900-foot vertical granite cliffs that rise dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean, visitors will find no shortage of spectacular views looking to the north and south.

Wildlife sightings are not uncommon within the park, as bald eagles as well as a variety of hawks and other birds frequent the area. Keep your eyes peeled for moose, black bears, and other wildlife when venturing away from the parking lot.

Cape Smokey Provincial Park encompasses a picnic area with individually sheltered picnic tables, scenic lookouts, vault toilets, and a 6.2-mile round-trip hiking trail running north-south along the coastal cliffs. While many simply use the park as a rest-stop along the Cabot Trail, it may be worthwhile to escape the crowds by exploring the out-and-back trail and its associated viewpoints.