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The Cape Breton Highlands National Park is introducing a reservation system that will allow visitors to book hiking times on the Skyline Trail, near Chéticamp.
The system for “parking and timed access” will launch in late June. It’s intended to reduce overcrowding, to help protect fragile ecosystems and is considered the first of its kind on the island.
In an emailed statement, Parks Canada said further details about the reservation system will be shared as the plan progresses, likely in early 2026.
“The Skyline Trail’s natural beauty and popularity on social media have made it the most visited destination in Cape Breton Highlands National Park,” said acting communications officer Adam Young in the statement.
“To protect this iconic landscape and ensure visitors continue to enjoy it for years to come, careful management is essential.”
In the past few years, the Skyline Trail has become so popular that a local tourism group says Parks Canada asked them to stop promoting it.
Popular trail
“We’ve been taking care to do that, just trying to ease congestion,” said Terry Smith, the CEO of Destination Cape Breton.
“We’ve seen the [Skyline Trail] parking lot — even though it was expanded — still be full and people are parking along the sides of the roads and that can create a safety issue.”
The owner of a café located just outside the national park said in recent years, they’ve heard regular complaints from customers who were unable to access the Skyline Trail during peak summer and fall months.
“It was a very, very common occurrence,” said Erin Boyd, owner of Last Chance Sandwich in Chéticamp.
“People come from all around the world. They’ve driven up from Halifax to do the Skyline and they only have that small window to do it, and then when they’re turned away some people are really disappointed.”
The trail is a two-to-three hour hike that winds its way along the top of French Mountain, offering dramatic views of the Cabot Trail and the Atlantic ocean along with possible sightings of wildlife, such as moose and bald eagles.
Protecting fragile and endangered plants
More than 50,000 people walk the Skyline Trail in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park each year, according to Parks Canada.
But in recent years many visitors have been stepping off the boardwalk and onto some fragile and endangered plants.
Janet Barlow, executive director of the non-profit group Hike Nova Scotia said it’s not uncommon for popular natural attractions around the world to implement some type of metered system.
She said she’s in favour of a reservation system if it means protecting the Skyline Trail for generations to come.
“I love that people want to hike,” said Barlow. “It’s an idea worth trying out because we really do need to protect that ecosystem, to protect that natural area around the trail. If that means restricting access, I’m all for it.”
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