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Nova Scotia - White Hill
You might think that the highest point
in all of Nova Scotia, located in the scenic Cape Breton Highlands
and in the center of a well-visited National Park, would be a
prominent, famous, and popular peak. You would at least expect
a well-marked hiking trail to the summit, perhaps crowded on weekends
with families and dogs, and with interpretive signs at the trailhead
or even at the top. Well, if that is what you thought, then White
Hill is almost the exact opposite of that picture.
White
Hill
532 metres
1,745 feet |
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· A remote bump covered with low scrub |
| Altitude |
532 m, 1,745 f |
| Location |
46°42’ 00”N
- 60° 36’ 00” |
| NTS Map |
Cheticamp River 11 K/10 1:50,000 |
| Calendar |
Summer or early Fall |
| Parks |
Cape
Breton Highlands National Park |
| Fast Facts |
CAPITAL: Halifax, Nova
Scotia
PROVINCIAL FLOWER: Mayflower
PROVINCIAL BIRD: Osprey
PROVINCIAL TREE: Red Spruce |
| History |
The highest point in Nova Scotia is at White Hill Lake in
Victoria County, and is part of the Cape Breton Highlands
National Park. It stands 530 metres above sea level and
is 17 kilometres west of Ingonish.
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| Routes |
It is an extremely remote, lonely, low bump on a marshy,
barren, windswept upland about 20 km/13 mi from the nearest
road and 10 km/6 mi from any maintained hiking trails.
Recommend the Lake of the Islands trail - you can camp at
the lake, and the next day make it to the summit, and maybe
even return that afternoon. I climbed White Hill as a 42
km/26 mile one-day hike via the Lake of the Islands.
Go to Cape Breton Highlands National Park. One suggestion
is to access the hill from the south via logging roads and
by traversing around the eastern shore of Cheticamp Lake
- an area out of National Park jurisdiction. Or do White
Hill via the Lake of Islands.
The first section to the Lake of Islands campsite is
relatively straightforward. The path is a highway amongst
trails and 90% of it can be done on mountain bike.
Route to White Hill via Cheticamp Lake to the south. The
lake can be accessed by a logging road which starts around
Wreck Cove off the Cabot Trail. A general store is supposed
to exist at the entrance. The road ends at the south end
of Cheticamp Lake. From this point, one will have to bushwhack
to the north east end of this huge lake to find a trail
which leads to the White Hill junction. The terrain will
be extremely wet and at least 2 rivers will have to be
crossed. A former Ranger cabin can be found just outside
of the park boundary on the trail. This would make a good
place to rest for the night.
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