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Sackville Lakes Provincial Park Hike, Nova Scotia

ByHikers Movement

Sackville Lakes Provincial Park is a beautiful nature park located in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, which features numerous trails enjoyed by hikers. The 183-hectare park offers a great place to get some nature time without leaving the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Walking/hiking through this park, you’ll find yourself between two big lakes (First and Second Lake) on beautifully groomed trails that take you through a wooded area and along the banks of the lakes.

This is a great hike for locals and those visiting the HRM. If you find yourself in the area and are looking for a long (or short) walk through nature, the Sackville Lakes Provincial Park is a fantastic option!

Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2 – 7 km (depending on trail route)
Suggested Duration: 1 – 3 hours
Signage: Maps and signs throughout the trail
Facilities: Parking lot and washroom at the main trailhead, benches throughout

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Key Features Of Sackville Lakes Provincial Park

  • Wide, groomed, accessible and stroller-friendly trails
  • Dog-friendly (on leash)
  • Bike-friendly
  • Several pedestrian access points
  • Offers various trails of different lengths and difficulty levels
  • Scenic routes pass through forested areas and lakes
  • Ideal for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts of all skill levels
  • Opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife sightings.

Facilities And Services

  • Parking lot located at the trailhead of Great Oak Trail
  • Washroom located at the trailhead of Great Oak Trail
  • Benches throughout
  • Garbage cans
  • Dog bags

Before You Start Hiking Sackville Lakes Provincial Park

Before you begin, three different trails make up the Sackville Lakes Provincial Park.

The first is the Great Oak Trail. This is a 2.8-kilometre loop that begins at the official Trailhead at the parking lot located on First Lake Drive. The trail offers perfect views of Second Lake.

Next is the Second Lake Loop. This is a 2.05-kilometre (one-way) out-and-back trail. There are a few options for this trail. Visitors can either begin at the First Lake Drive parking lot and add an additional 2.1 kilometres (one way) to this trail. There are additional access points to Second Lake Loop on both Armcrest Drive and Cavalier Drive. These access points are side streets and do not have any official parking spots.

The third trail is the Glen Slaunewhite Trail. This is a 3.3-kilometre (one-way) trail located across the street from the First Lake Drive parking lot.

The park is both accessible and stroller-friendly. It is also a dog-friendly (on-leash) park. Visitors will find numerous garbage cans and dog bags provided by the park throughout the trails.

There are several benches throughout for those looking to rest or enjoy the beauty and nature in Sackville Lakes Provincial Park.

Other activities within the park include:

  • Canoeing and/or kayaking
  • Hiking/walking
  • Snowshoeing
  • Biking

Our Experience Hiking Sackville Lakes Provincial Park

About a month ago, I (Julia) injured my Achilles hiking the Admiral Lake Loop (which happens to be one of my favourite hikes). Because of this, I haven’t been able to hike until I started to recover.

My recovery is going well, and I am no longer using my crutches at all. With the help of my brace, I have slowly begun getting back on the trails. Arthur and I have been looking into light walking trails around Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) that we have yet to explore. This led us to the Sackville Lakes Provincial Park.

We explored this park on two separate days. While this is an easy park with many trails that can be completed within one day, my Achilles is still not fully healed. So, we are starting with short distances to get me back in hiking shape!

The first trail we did was the Great Oak Trail. We went on a Wednesday and found the parking lot (and the park itself) to be pretty quiet. When we arrived, we were greeted with a large board that contained the trail map, dog bags, and advice for the trail.

It is possible to run into coyotes in this area. As in the photo above, the park indicates safety tips in case a coyote approaches you. If you want to learn more about wildlife safety in Atlantic Canada, check out our article “Wildlife Safety While Hiking In Atlantic Canada”.

The Great Oak Trail is well-groomed and wide. The trail takes you past Second Lake, which offers many great lookout points featuring benches to take in the view. Many folks come here to kayak and/or canoe in the summer months.

Here is a photo of Second Lake from the Great Oak Trail.

Above is one of the various lookout points along the trail of Second Lake.

There are few hills on this loop, making it great for all-level hikers.

We also spotted what we believed to be a muskrat in Second Lake. It was hard to see from a distance but was too small to be a beaver. Keep an eye out for wilderness on the trails and in the lake.

The following weekend, we came back to the Sackville Lakes Provincial Park to complete the Second Lake Loop. We parked at the Cavalier Drive pedestrian entrance. The only parking is located on the side of the road, which can get pretty congested.

We followed the trail down to the main Second Lake Loop trail. Once you get on this trail, take a left onto the bridge (photo located below). This is the beginning of this trail.

The pathway down to the main trail is a steady decline.

The Second Lake Loop trail is not a loop. It takes you 2.05 kilometres to the pedestrian entrance at Armcrest Drive, which also only consists of side street parking.

We actually enjoyed this trail much more than the Great Oak Trail, as it featured beautiful tall trees and green moss. This trail really makes you feel as though you are hidden hours away from the city.

There are much more hills on this trail than on the Great Oak Trail. However, all are relatively small and just enough to get the heart pumping without winding you.

This trail seemed much busier than the Great Oak Trail, but this could have also been because we went on the weekend rather than a weekday.

We have yet to explore the Glen Slaunewhite Trail due to my injury. However, we plan on going back to see this trail. From what we have heard, it gives great views of First Lake, which cannot be seen from the other trails.

Even though Sackville Lakes Provincial Park is a short hike, we’d still recommend bringing some supplies with you.

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Julia and Arthur are the owners, creators and writers of Hikers Movement, Homestead Fox and owners of Fox Media Tech Inc.. As seasoned hikers, Julia and Arthur don't just write about the great outdoors – they live it. Their firsthand experiences, shared through hiking adventures around the world, reflects their genuine commitment to inspiring a community of outdoor enthusiasts.

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