Hiking Van Tassel Lake Trails In Nova Scotia
The Van Tassel Lake Trails are a network of trails that takes hikers through a combination of woodland trails and access roads. Located on 550 acres of land, these trails are incredibly well-maintained thanks to volunteers of Digby. The trails are for hiking and cycling. You can choose to complete the full loop, half loop, or one of the many off-trails, making the hike as long or short as you want!
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 3.5 km loop with two additional off-trails
Suggested Duration: 1 to 2 hours
Signage: Great signage and maps throughout
Facilities: Parking lot
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Key Features Of Van Tassel Lake Loop
- Multiple trail systems to explore
- Numerous views of Van Tassel Lake
- Dog friendly (on a leash)
Facilities And Services
- Parking lot
- Picnic tables and benches
Before You Start Hiking Van Tassel Lake Loop
At the entrance of Van Tassel Lake Loop, there was a sign stating that there is a bear that frequents the area. Be sure to make loud noises, keep children close by, and all dogs must be on a leash.
In addition to the Van Tassel Lake Loop Trail, there are two additional side trails:
- Cascades 500 m
- Look Off 1.4 km
Throughout the trails, there are numerous trail markers and maps, making it easy to navigate.
The trail is incredibly maintained. It is a combination of groomed wilderness trails and access roads. Many areas of the trail are covered in gravel or wood chips, with a few wooden boardwalks. However, a couple of areas had multiple roots and larger rocks. Be sure to watch your footing in these spots!
Here are a few photos of the different terrains along the trail.
As always, whenever you are hiking in Nova Scotia, we recommend bringing a tick removal tool and our favourite, Atlantick Spray, which helps deter ticks. To learn more about tick prevention, check out our article How To Avoid Ticks When Hiking.
Our Experience Hiking Van Tassel Lake Loop
Once we left the Gulliver’s Cove Trails, the rain started to clear up a bit. We took this as a sign to check out the Van Tassel Lake Loop before the rain started again, and we are glad we did!
The trail was quiet and beautifully maintained. We ran into two other groups of hikers on our trip, but other than that, it was not an overly popular spot (likely due to the rain). We were surprised at how groomed the trail was. It is a beautiful place to get out into nature.
We decided to skip the Cascade Trail but did the Look Out Trail (I mean, who can pass up a lookout). This trail was a little less groomed than the main loop, featuring more roots and rocks, but easy to follow. There were even motivational signs encouraging you to make it up the hill. Truthfully, when we made it to the top, we found the lookout to be a little lacklustre, but nonetheless, the incline was a great workout, and we are happy we did it!
Here is a photo of the lookout onto the woodlands.
Once we finished the Look Out trail, we continued back onto the Van Tassel Lake Loop and enjoyed much-needed time in the woods before the rain began again. And, just like that, another Nova Scotia hike is in the books!
Checklists And Recommended Gear
- Water Bottle
- Insect repellent
- Hiking shoes – Women’s // Men’s
- Sunscreen
- Sun hat
- Camera
- Cascade Hiking Poles (optional)
- Atlantick Tick Removal Tool Kit
- Atlantick Spray
