Cape Breton Highlands National Park protects the broad basalt plateau that forms the roof of the island, where the boreal forest thins to windswept tundra and the cliffs drop straight into the Gulf of St Lawrence. The park covers about 950 square kilometres and the Cabot Trail bisects it, giving access to trailheads, viewpoints, and the two main park communities at Cheticamp (western entrance) and Ingonish (eastern entrance).
The Skyline Trail is the signature hike: a 9km loop that climbs through forest before emerging on a headland jutting into the Gulf, where the view back toward Cheticamp at sunset is one of the best in Atlantic Canada. Allow 3 hours. The boardwalked section at the headland keeps foot traffic off the fragile heath. For shorter walks, the Franey Trail above Ingonish gives panoramic views over the eastern highlands in under two hours. Fishing Cove — a 16km return hike down to a wilderness campground on the gulf — is the reward for those who go further.
Wildlife is abundant: moose are common at dawn and dusk near ponds and bogs, bald eagles nest along the coast, and pilot whales sometimes appear offshore. Entry fees apply; buy a pass at the park gates.