Description

Background: Up until recently, Google Maps has shown the West Big Intervale Road as a single connected road; it is not and has not been since well before I started coming to Cape Breton, though it once was. Today, the northern and southern sections of the historical road are maintained as two distinct roads that confusingly continue to bear the same name. The middle section of the historical road, between the Big Intervale Fishing Lodge and Portree, is no longer provincially maintained: it is driveable only for a short distance at Portree, providing access to the camps there, and is now used as a hiking trail in the summer and as a snowmobile trail in the winter.

This page describes the southern section of the former road; the description of the northern section of the former road can be found here.

The southern section features two distinct parts: from Portree to south of Margaree Centre, the road is paved, while southwest of Margaree Centre, where it is locally known as the Phillips Mountain Road, it turns to gravel as it crosses the side of Phillips Mountain, with its well-known look-off above the Margaree Valley, after which it follows above the Margaree River along the side of the mountain to end just north of Doyles Bridge on the East Margaree Road.
Google Maps Name: West Big Intervale Road
Local Names: West Big Intervale Road, Phillips Mountain Road
Direction: North to South (starts further east than it ends)
Start Point: 46°24.036′N 60°57.834′W, in Portree at its junction with Hatchery Road
End Point: 46°19.819′N 61°04.644′W, outside Margaree Forks just north of Doyles Bridge at its junction with the East Margaree Road
Length: 15.9 km (9.9 mi)
Classification: Local Road
Surface: The northern portion is paved; the southern portion across Phillips Mountain is gravel
Condition: Driveable. The paved section is poor to fair and often rough; in October of 2015, the section from the look-off south of Portree to Crowdis Crossing Road was horrible, heaved as bad as in spring and with pavement edges badly worn or missing altogether, a real danger when meeting an on-coming vehicle. The gravel section is generally good, but has some sharp curves and spots requiring care.
Route Description: The graceful old green truss bridge at the start of the road in Portree offers fine views of the Northeast Margaree River; it is rare to pass there without seeing fishermen in the water and, during high summer, swimmers in the waters near the bridge. Stunning views are found south of Portree where the road climbs up to an unofficial look-off (just a wide spot in the road) with a spectacular backwards view of the Cape Breton Highlands arrayed along the Aspy Fault, with Sugarloaf Mountain and Frasers Mountain to the right and with the Northeast Margaree River at one’s feet; this five-star scene is majestic any time of year, but especially so when the mountains have their fall foliage. From the look-off, fine views of the Highlands across the Northeast Margaree River are available on the left as the road descends to the Crowdis Crossing Road, where you are required to stop before going on. From there, the West Big Intervale Road continues on into Margaree Centre, offering fine views of Frasers Mountain across the Northeast Margaree River. From Margaree Centre, the road climbs again to the Phillips Mountain Look-Off (at GPS 46°20.031′N 61°01.579′W), with views of the Margaree Valley below and of some of the mountains surrounding the southern end of the valley. The drive up and across Phillips Mountain beyond the look-off does not offer the great vistas it might—the views of the valley are unfortunately largely tree-shrouded and, near the Doyles Bridge end, the river below is often too close to be seen from the road even if the trees were not in the way.
Vic’s Scenic Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ (Portree to the Phillips Mountain Look-Off); ☆ (the Phillips Mountain Look-Off to Doyles Bridge)

Photo Catalogue

Click on any thumbnail to be taken to the photo essay page for that photo.

Date	GPS	Locality	Where	Caption
2014 October 9	46°24.076′N 60°57.858′W	Portree	at the Portree Bridge	Looking downstream from Portree Bridge
2014 October 9	46°24.074′N 60°57.867′W	Portree	at the Portree Bridge	Colours along the Northeast Margaree River in Portree
2014 October 9	46°24.073′N 60°57.866′W	Portree	at the Portree Bridge	Looking downstream from Portree Bridge
2014 October 9	46°24.066′N 60°57.848′W	Portree	at the Portree Bridge	Changing trees on the banks of the Northeast Margaree River
2014 October 9	46°24.064′N 60°57.845′W	Portree	at the Portree Bridge	Looking upstream from the Portree Bridge
2014 October 9	46°24.059′N 60°57.853′W	Portree	at the Portree Bridge	Orange tree on the east side of the bridge at Portree
2014 October 9	46°22.696′N 60°58.794′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	The Highlands above the Aspy Fault seen from the Portree Look-Off
2014 October 9	46°22.693′N 60°58.784′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Sugarloaf Mountain from the Portree Look-Off
2014 October 9	46°22.693′N 60°58.775′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Red tree beside the Northeast Margaree River at the Portree Look-Off
2014 October 9	46°22.693′N 60°58.781′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Red tree below the Portree Look-Off
2014 October 9	46°22.690′N 60°58.784′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	The Highlands to the east of Sugarloaf Mountain from the Portree Look-Off
2014 October 9	46°22.689′N 60°58.786′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	The view from the Portree Look-Off
2014 October 9	46°22.687′N 60°58.788′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	The Northeast Margaree River Valley between the western Highlands and Sugarloaf Mountain from the Portree Look-Off
2014 October 9	46°22.687′N 60°58.780′W	Portree	1.4 km (0.9 mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	The Northeast Margaree River below the Portree look-off
2005 October 12	46°22.679′N 60°58.775′W	Portree	1.4 km (⅞ mi) north of the Crowdis Crossing Road at a look-off at the side of the road	The Northeast Margaree River Valley
2005 October 12	46°22.679′N 60°58.775′W	Portree	1.4 km (⅞ mi) north of the Crowdis Crossing Road at a look-off at the side of the road	A Rainbow of Colours
2014 October 9	46°22.460′N 60°58.802′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Young golden maple at the side of the West Big Intervale Road
2014 October 9	46°22.458′N 60°58.799′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Red maple at the side of the West Big Intervale Road
2014 October 9	46°22.454′N 60°58.800′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Young red maple at the side of the West Big Intervale Road
2014 October 9	46°22.451′N 60°58.797′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	The northern end of Frasers Mountain
2014 October 9	46°22.451′N 60°58.808′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Small red maple at the side of the West Big Intervale Road
2014 October 9	46°22.450′N 60°58.801′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Frasers Mountain from the West Big Intervale Road
2014 October 9	46°22.450′N 60°58.798′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Frasers Mountain
2014 October 9	46°22.450′N 60°58.800′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Frasers Mountain
2014 October 9	46°22.450′N 60°58.801′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Frasers Mountain
2014 October 9	46°22.450′N 60°58.801′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Frasers Mountain
2014 October 9	46°22.450′N 60°58.803′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Frasers Mountain
2014 October 9	46°22.449′N 60°58.802′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	The southwest end of Frasers Mountain
2014 October 9	46°22.449′N 60°58.796′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Orange maples below the West Big Intervale Road
2014 October 9	46°22.449′N 60°58.802′W	Portree	930 m (⅗ mi) north of its junction with the Crowdis Crossing Road	Trees below the West Big Intervale Road
2014 October 9	46°21.703′N 60°59.049′W	Margaree Centre	at its junction with the Marsh Brook Road	Maples in the morning sun at the junction of the Marsh Brook and West Big Intervale Roads
2014 October 9	46°21.701′N 60°59.047′W	Margaree Centre	at its junction with the Marsh Brook Road	The Margaree Highlands from the junction of the Marsh Brook and West Big Intervale Roads
2014 October 9	46°21.700′N 60°59.046′W	Margaree Centre	at its junction with the Marsh Brook Road	The Margaree Highlands from the junction of the Marsh Brook and West Big Intervale Roads