A Complete Guide To Hiking Cape Split Trail
The Cape Split Provincial Park is a 447-hectare natural environment park in Scots Bay, Kings County, Nova Scotia. It is home to one of the more well-known hiking trails in Nova Scotia and one of the most rewarding lookoff points over the famed Bay of Fundy (which has the largest tides in the world)!
As of 2021, Cape Split was upgraded to feature a loop trail that spans 13.2 km. While it is still possible to complete the original out-and-back trail (now known as the Minas Basin Trail), the newly added Scots Bay Trail features numerous coastal lookout points that you do not want to miss!
No matter which trail you choose to take to begin this hike, both will lead you to the awe-inspiring Cape Split Lookoff (pictured above in the featured photo). This lookout features a beautiful view of the Bay of Fundy and makes for a great mid-way rest spot for hikers.
Difficulty:Â Moderate
Length: 13.2 km (loop)
Suggested Duration:Â 3 – 4 hours
Signage:Â Markers and signs throughout
Facilities: Parking and washrooms at the trailhead
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Key Features Of Hiking Cape Split
- A popular hiking trail with a spectacular coastal reward
- Offers stunning panoramic views of the Bay of Fundy
- Passes through diverse landscapes, including forests and meadows
- Numerous coastal lookout points
- Opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife sightings
- A must-visit destination for those seeking breathtaking coastal vistas
- A chance to witness the dramatic tides of the Bay of Fundy
- Vault toilets at the trailhead and additional toilets 2 km into the trail
- Shorter 9 km loop option
Before You Start Hiking Cape Split
Although Cape Split is a provincial park, there is no information centre or entrance fee. The park is described as a day-use trail and is open year-round. The best time to explore this trail is late spring to early autumn. It is quite a popular trail and tends to get busier around noon. We recommend hiking earlier in the morning if you want to avoid the crowds.
It was announced in 2021 that the Cape Split Provincial Park would expand its original out-and-back trail into a loop trail. This is quite exciting as it adds in an additional 7 km of coastal hiking.
- The Scots Bay Trail features four new lookout points: Big Cove Lookoff #1 and #2, Lobster Hole Lookoff, and Scots Bay Lookoff.
- The Minas Basin Trail takes hikers through 6.2 km of forest terrain. Two new lookout points have also been added along the way: Minas Basin Lookoff and Funday Shore Lookoff.
As for topography, the trail starts at about 20 metres above sea level and only ascends to about 100 metres above sea level. The trail offers a gentle incline from the parking lot to the lookoff without any overly gruelling climbs.
Both trails will take you to the breathtaking Cape Split Lookout. We recommend trying out the full loop so you can experience the newly added lookout points.
There is a smaller loop option that is roughly 9 km for those looking for a shorter hike. This loop starts on the Minas Basin Trail until you reach the 4 km marker. Then, there will be an option to cut through to the Scots Bay Trail to complete this smaller loop. However, we highly encourage you to try completing the full loop (or in-and-out trail), as the Cape Split Lookoff is absolutely worth the extra kilometres.
It is important to note that there is no camping permitted on this trail. Hikers are advised to keep track of the time to avoid hiking in the dark. Parks Nova Scotia suggests having at least 5 hours to hike the full trail and make the return trip.
Hikers are urged to stay on the trail and keep a reasonable distance from the cliff edges as the cliff line erodes, and there are no barricades or fences. This goes for pets as well. Keeping your pets on a leash helps to keep them a safe distance away from the cliffs.
Parts of the trail can get quite muddy, particularly in the spring months, as the snow is melting. For this reason, it’s best to wear quality water-resistant hiking boots or shoes that they do not mind getting dirty.
Lastly, whenever you are out hiking, we recommend keeping an eye out for ticks. It is important to keep a tick removal tool kit on you and check yourself and your dogs after hiking. Check out our article How To Avoid Ticks When Hiking for more tips on tick safety.
Our Experience Hiking Cape Split
We have hiked Cape Split a few times, and each time, we love it more and more. The most recent time we went, we hiked in on the Minas Basin Trail to the Cape Split lookoff, then completed the full loop by taking the Scots Bay Trail back.
The trail starts will take a bit of an incline, and after about 1.5-2 km, the muddiness of the trail subsides. For us, this meant we could quicken our pace since we didn’t have to avoid puddles and mud. Around the 1.5 km mark, you will reach the fork in the trail, where you can choose the trail you want to hike! As mentioned above, we started on the shorter of the two trails, the Minas Basin trail and then finished the loop on the Scots Bay trail.
The majority of the look is spent in the forest surrounded by tall trees and well-groomed terrain. There are a few areas that can get quite muddy. However, it’s nothing a good pair of shoes can’t get around. The first lookoff we reached on this trail was the Minas Basin Lookout (pictured below). This lookoff has a large platform that lets you get a great view of the Minas Basin.
This trail is well maintained and easy to have a good pace on. After another 1.5 km, we reached the next lookoff, Fundy Shore Lookoff. Apparently, we forgot to take photos of this look-off, so you will have to go see it for yourself!
After this lookout, there was just under 2km left until we reached the breathtaking Cape Split lookout. Compared to other times we went, this lookoff was not as windy as it normally is. However, we still packed in some hats and gloves just in case.
The lookoff overlooks the Bay of Fundy, which is home to the largest tides in the world. The Cape marks the point where the Bay of Fundy becomes the Minas Basin so that hikers can see both. This is an excellent spot to take a mid-way break and have a snack while enjoying the amazing views. Just be sure to pack out everything you pack in and leave no trace behind!
Here are a few photos from the Cape Split Lookoff.
As mentioned in the before you start section, it is important to be careful around the cliff edges as they are constantly eroding, and it is unsafe to get too close. There are no fences or barriers to help prevent falling. Therefore, hikers need to proceed with caution and at their own risk.
That being said, hikers are free to roam around the Cape and explore different angles of the Cape. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the Bay of Fundy, and in the distance, you can see Cumberland County of Nova Scotia, which is home to one of our favourite hikes, the Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail.
On the way back to the parking lot, we took the Scots Bay Trail. This trail had a similar terrain to the Minas Basin Trail. After around 1.5 km, we reached Big Cove Lookoff #2. As the name suggests, we got a beautiful view of a cove. We did not spend too much time on these lookouts as we had already taken a small break at the Cape Split Lookoff.
The next is Big Cove Lookoff #1. This was around 1.5 km away and featured another great cove view!
After this point, we started to see a few manmade bridges along the trail. It really shows you how much work they put in to expand and create the new loop.
The next lookoff is Lobster Hole. It is a little bit further off the trail than the other ones. It takes around 0.3 km each way. We didn’t see many other hikers on the trail this morning until we reached this lookout, which seemed to be quite popular. There is a bit of a decline to reach it (yes, this means there will be an incline coming back out, but it’s not a long one). This had the best view out of the four, in our opinion.
Last but not least, the final lookoff is the Scots Bay lookoff. Now, I’m not sure if maybe it’s just us.. but this was not like the rest of the look-offs that were well-defined and had a clear opening to admire the views. We actually accidentally took an off-trail past the Scots Bay lookoff and had to turn around when we realized it was not part of the main trail.
After we saw all the lookouts, we made our way back to the parking lot with another Cape Split adventure in the books!
Checklists And Recommended Gear
The following is our recommended gear list for hiking the Cape Split trail.
- Hiking shoes – Women’s // Men’s
- Cascade Hiking Poles (optional)
- Atlantick Tick Removal Tool Kit
- Water Bottle
- Snacks (the lookout is a perfect picnic spot – but be sure to pack out what you pack in)
- Sunscreen
- Insect Repellent
- Hat
- Camera
