Background

The East Big Intervale Road has two start points in Northeast Margaree; the western start point traverses a spur of 700 m (⅖ mi) that joins the main road 410 m (¼ mi) north of the eastern start point on the Cabot Trail. So far as I can ascertain, both segments are designated as the East Big Intervale Road.

The Nova Scotia Atlas and the topographical map both refer to the area on the east bank of the Northeast Margaree River north of Sugarloaf Mountain as Kingross and that on the west bank as Big Intervale. I follow that practice here, even though the church in Kingross is now named the Big Intervale United Church (and was named the Big Intervale Presbyterian Church when it was originally built nearly a century and a half ago); I have been unable to determine where the distinction between Kingross and Big Intervale arose.

Google Maps Name

East Big Intervale Road

Local Usage

East Big Intervale Road

Direction

South to North

Start Point

eastern start point: 46°19.560′N 61°00.066′W, at its junction with the Cabot Trail in Northeast Margaree
western start point: 46°19.580′N 61°00.522′W, at its junction with the Cabot Trail in Northeast Margaree

End Point

46°27.839'N 60°54.738'W, at its end in Kingross

Length

18.5 km (11½ mi)

Classification

Local Road

Surface

Paved from the Cabot Trail to north of Margaree Valley, gravel thereafter

Condition

Good (paved), very good (gravel)

Route Description

From the western start point on the Cabot Trail, the East Big Intervale Road heads north towards Margaree Valley, joining the spur road on which the Margaree Salmon Museum is located at the 410 m (¼ mi) mark. A bit further on, at 525 m (⅓ mi), the road passes over the Lake O’ Law Brook, which Watsons Brook joins just northeast of the bridge; there, the road turns to the northeast. At 1.4 km (⅞ mi), it reaches the Cranton Crossing Road, which leads across the Northeast Margaree River to Margaree Centre. This area of the road is fairly well populated and, in the fall, the trees in the yards are gorgeous at the peak of colours. At the 2.9 km (1¾ mi) mark, the Margaree Air Strip Road is on the right; it offers a fine open panorama of the eastern part of the Margaree Valley and the Highlands all around, making it well worth a detour there. The bridge over Nile Brook is reached at the 3.2 km (2 mi) mark and Egypt Road at 4 km (2½ mi); turn right here to reach the Normaway Inn. Just beyond, at 4.2 km (2⅝ mi), one reaches Fielding Road, one of the two main routes to Cape Clear. One then passes through the community of Margaree Valley and reaches Crowdis Crossing Road at the 5 km (3.1 mi) mark; in 2014, it was still closed pending the replacement of the bridge there over the Northeast Margaree River, damaged by flood waters a couple of years earlier. At this point, the East Big Intervale Road bears to the right and takes on a very different character than it has had previously: it now begins a long stretch through a sparsely settled valley between Sugarloaf Mountain on the left and Frasers Mountain, MacLeods Mountain, and John Peters Mountain on the right. At 5.7 km (3⅗ mi), the junction with Hatchery Road is reached, which leads off to beautiful Portree and the southern portion of the West Big Intervale Road; the Margaree Fish Hatchery also lies just a short distance down this road. At the 6.8 km (4⅕ mi) mark, you will cross a small green steel bridge over Ingram Brook, where, if you stop, you can get a glimpse of a small part of Frasers Mountain at the right. This bridge announces your arrival in the locality of Rivulet, where a few homes are still located. The next 8.7 km (5⅜ mi) through and beyond Rivulet provide a lovely excursion through the Highlands as the mostly level road closely hugs the base of Sugarloaf Mountain. Although much of this part of the road is forested on both sides, openings from old farms do occur and offer views, more often to the right (east) than to the left (west). At the end of this stretch at the 15.4 km (9⅗ mi) mark, just a bit south of the north end of Sugarloaf Mountain, you reach the south edge of Kingross, marked by open fields that offer gorgeous views of the Margaree Highlands on both sides of the Northeast Margaree River. At the 16.2 km (10.1 mi) mark, you reach the historic Big Intervale United Church, dating from 1868. The Kingross Crossing Road is reached at the 16.6 km (10.3 mi) mark; this road leads across the plains on the east side of the Northeast Margaree River to the new Bailey Bridge (replacing the beautiful old green truss bridge, which was still standing, though closed, in October of 2014) across the Northeast Margaree River to the West Big Intervale Road in Big Intervale. It is worth continuing to the end of the East Big Intervale Road at a private residence for the views you will have of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Highlands on the return to Kingross Crossing Road.

Vic’s Scenic Rating

☆☆☆☆☆

Notes

If you drive this road to Kingross, you will have to return as you came, as there is no other driveable way back.

Comments

This road, in all its different sections, is one of my favourites in Cape Breton. Especially in the fall when the colours are at their peak, but also during other seasons, it is an enchanting drive through the Highlands. If you reach Kingross, you should cross the bridge into Big Intervale and turn south along the West Big Intervale Road for more fine views of the Northeast Margaree River; continue on to the Big Intervale Fishing Lodge, which offers excellent dining in a gorgeous setting (check the web site for the hours, which vary throughout the year).

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

Thumbnail	Date	GPS	Locality	Where	Caption
	2014 October 9	46°22.505′N 60°57.379′W	Rivulet	1 km (⅝ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	The bridge over Ingram Brook on the East Big Intervale Road south of Rivulet
	2014 October 9	46°22.513′N 60°57.380′W	Rivulet	1 km (⅝ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Looking downstream at Ingram Brook on the East Big Intervale Road south of Rivulet
	2014 October 9	46°22.513′N 60°57.374′W	Rivulet	1 km (⅝ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Looking upstream at Ingram Brook on the East Big Intervale Road south of Rivulet
	2014 October 9	46°22.513′N 60°57.373′W	Rivulet	1 km (⅝ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Looking upstream at Ingram Brook on the East Big Intervale Road south of Rivulet
	2014 October 9	46°22.514′N 60°57.374′W	Rivulet	1 km (⅝ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Looking upstream at Ingram Brook on the East Big Intervale Road south of Rivulet
	2014 October 9	46°22.514′N 60°57.374′W	Rivulet	1 km (⅝ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Red tree near the Ingram Brook bridge on the East Big Intervale Road south of Rivulet
	2014 October 9	46°22.566′N 60°57.385′W	Rivulet	1.1 km (0.7 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Lovely trees at the side of the East Big Intervale Road
	2014 October 9	46°22.567′N 60°57.385′W	Rivulet	1.1 km (0.7 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Sugarloaf Mountain from the East Big Intervale Road south of Rivulet
	2014 October 9	46°25.130′N 50°55.258′W		7.3 km (4½ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	MacLeods Mountain seen from the East Big Intervale Road
	2014 October 9	46°25.132′N 60°55.254′W		7.3 km (4½ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Colourful trees on MacLeods Mountain as seen from the East Big Intervale Road
	2014 October 9	46°25.133′N 60°55.249′W		7.3 km (4½ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Colourful trees on MacLeods Mountain as seen from the East Big Intervale Road
	2014 October 9	46°25.134′N 60°55.252′W		7.3 km (4½ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	MacLeods Mountain seen from the East Big Intervale Road
	2014 October 9	46°25.134′N 60°55.256′W		7.3 km (4½ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Colourful trees on MacLeods Mountain as seen from the East Big Intervale Road
	2014 October 9	46°26.327′N 60°55.248′W	Kingross	9.7 km (6.1 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	John Peters Mountain from the East Big Intervale Road south of Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.332′N 60°55.256′W	Kingross	9.7 km (6.1 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Heading into Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.420′N 60°55.300′W	Kingross	9.7 km (6.1 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	John Peters Mountain from the East Big Intervale Road south of Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.421′N 60°55.300′W	Kingross	9.7 km (6.1 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Red trees near the East Big Intervale Road south of Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.422′N 60°55.301′W	Kingross	9.7 km (6.1 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Lovely trees lining the road into Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.423′N 60°55.297′W	Kingross	9.7 km (6.1 mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Close-up of the fireweed
	2014 October 9	46°26.831′N 60°55.173′W	Kingross	10.7 km (6⅔ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	The Highlands west of Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.832′N 60°55.172′W	Kingross	10.7 km (6⅔ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	The Highlands west of the Northeast Margaree River from Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.832′N 60°55.178′W	Kingross	10.7 km (6⅔ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Sugarloaf Mountain and the Highlands south of Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.832′N 60°55.172′W	Kingross	10.7 km (6⅔ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	Detail of the colour on the Highlands west of Kingross
	2014 October 9	46°26.834′N 60°55.170′W	Kingross	10.7 km (6⅔ mi) north of its junction with Hatchery Road	The cemetery in Kingross