Salt Mountain

Just a preview of the Bras d'Or lake on the way up.

A "Provincial Park" in our end of Nova Scotia can mean almost anything--often no more than a roadside picnic table with a garbage can. That's all one needs for outdoor shenanigans, really--though do please consider the pending arrival of the gatekeeper when you are engaged in anything lewd at twilight. That said, the Whycocomagh park stands out as an exception. On my last visit, the day-park or camping section was a bit too overgrown to land in a list of top destinations, but that can likely be attributed to PM Harper and the shortened park seasons forced by budget cutbacks. The hiking itself was a delight.

The Bras d'Or Look-off

The Whycocomagh park can be found just past the main town heading in the direction of Sydney. While there was only a short trail accessible there as of a few years ago, the insatiable hiker can now spend hours in the park, with just about ten kilometers of trails between the initial "Highlander" trail and up the more rugged "Scout" trail. The trailhead is across from the DNR Office, right after the campground entrance--close enough to Highway 105 to be a decent spot for tourists to stop.

Me, 'pretending' I can't handle the steepness?

The Highlander and Salt Mountain trail portions total about 3 and a half kilometers, so the initial section of trail is not long. It does climb 750 ft above the Bras d'Or Lake in no time, though, so it presents a little bit of a challenge. Continuing on with the Scout trail is trickier.  If you're lucky, as I was, you'll hear the shouts and cries of tubby little kids ahead of you to keep you going. Children, surprisingly, seem to have no difficulties with this one.

Whycocomagh means "Head of the Waters" in Mi'kmaq, referring to the area surrounding Salt Mountain. Across the bay from the Provincial Park lies the Mi'kmaq reserve.

Geocaches in area:
"Whycocomagh Provincial Park" N 45° 57.963 W 061° 06.606 Status: Good (6/3/13)
"Salt Mountain-Whycocomagh Village Lookoff" N 45° 57.954 W 061° 05.750 Status: Good (6/3/13)
"Salt Mountain-Bras d'Or Lake Lookoff" N 45° 57.840 W 061° 05.741 Status: Good (6/3/13)