The Wilkie Sugarloaf Trail is a

hiking trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

in northern Cape Breton Island in the

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province of

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

. The trail leads to the summit of Wilkie Sugar Loaf in the

Cape Breton Highlands The Cape Breton Highlands (french: Plateau du Cap-Breton, gd, Àrd-thalamh Cheap Bhreatainn), commonly called the Highlands, refer to a highland or mountainous plateau across the northern part of Cape Breton Island in the Canadian province of N ...

Trail outline

The trail is approximately (return) in length and is mostly a steady upward climb, rising over to the peak of Wilkie Sugar Loaf Mountain. The trail offers two different mountain top look-offs. A trail to the summit has existed since at least 1969, probably much earlier. The south-western look-off presents views toward the Pollets Cove-Aspy Fault Wilderness Area, the Aspy Fault plateau and Aspy Fault to the west, the plateau of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park in the distance to the south, as well as Aspy Harbour, the beach at Cabots Landing and the villages of Cape North and Dingwall to the south and east. The northern look-off presents a view of the hills to the north and to the hamlets of Bay St. Lawrence and St. Margaret Village, the Bay St. Lawrence and the open Gulf of St. Lawrence beyond. On a very clear day it is possible to see the across the

Cabot Strait Cabot Strait (; french: détroit de Cabot, ) is a strait in eastern Canada approximately 110 kilometres wide between Cape Ray, Newfoundland and Cape North, Cape Breton Island. It is the widest of the three outlets for the Gulf of Saint L ...

to Newfoundland to the north-east.

Trail access

Wilkie Sugarloaf Trail can be accessed from the Bay St Lawrence Road, north of the entrance of

Cabots Landing Provincial Park Cabots Landing Provincial Park (official spelling Cabot's Landing Provincial Park) is a small picnic and beach park on the shore of Aspy Bay in the community of Sugarloaf, north of the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. ...

in the community of Sugarloaf,

Victoria County Victoria County is the name of several locations: In Australia: *Victoria County, Western Australia * County of Victoria, South Australia In Canada: * Victoria County, New Brunswick * Municipality of the County of Victoria and the eponymous histo ...

. The trail head is at 46°57'11.76"N, 60°27'39.66"W (N46 57.196 W060 27.661) and is marked by orange flagging tape and two yellow stones. This trail lies on privately owned land and is maintained by local volunteers.

Triangulation station

Natural Resources Canada Natural Resources Canada (NRCan; french: Ressources naturelles Canada; french: RNCan, label=none)Natural Resources Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Natural Resources (). is the dep ...

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Survey Division Station, Unique Number (Station Number): 23107, Station Name "SUGAR LOAF 19659", is located near the summit, consisting of a copper bolt sunk about 1 inch in a standard concrete monument. The remains of an astronomic pier lie about away to the east. In the late 1960s there was a tall wooden tower on the summit, located over the survey station. While the station can still be found, there are no remains of the tower.

Cape Breton Highlands 3 Peaks Challenge

While Wilkie Sugar Loaf trail has been regularly featured in the annual Hike the Highlands Festival since at least 2007, on July 17, 2010 the Wilkie Sugar Loaf trail was one of three mountain trails featured in the 1st Annual Cape Breton Highlands 3 Peaks Challenge, part of the Hike the Highlands Festival for 2010. 10 teams of 4 hikers climbed Franey, Wilkie Sugar Loaf and Acadien mountains in one day. July 19, 2014 was the date of the 5th Annual Cape Breton Highlands 3 Peaks Challenge which once again featured Wilkie Sugar Loaf trail when 24 teams of 4 hikers hiked Roberts Mountain, Wilkie Sugar Loaf Mountain and Franey Mountain all in one day. Wilkie Sugar Loaf was voted by the teams as the toughest mountain. The Wilkie Sugar Loaf trail was cleared and re-flagged in early July 2014 in preparation for this event.

References

External links

Wilkie Sugar Loaf on Geocaching.comWilkie Sugar Loaf on TrailPeak.comWilkie Sugar Loaf on Moosebait.com
{{Canadian Trails Hiking trails in Nova Scotia Geography of Victoria County, Nova Scotia Tourist attractions in Victoria County, Nova Scotia