Background

Google Maps shows this road continuing past its end in Meat Cove up over the Highlands and then heading south towards Polletts Cove along what is now known as the old Polletts Cove Trail, before dead-ending in the bogs on the Cape Breton Highlands Plateau. The road to Lowland Cove, which forks off the Meat Cove Road, was driveable at least until the 1970’s I’m told, but no longer is beyond its current end in Meat Cove. In any case, nearly all of the area west of Meat Cove is now part of the Aspy Fault Polletts Cove Wilderness Area and, as such, is closed to all motorized vehicles. In this catalogue, I consider the Meat Cove Road as ending where shown below in Meat Cove; the old Lowland Cove Road is covered under the Lowland Cove Trail, which I take as running from the Meat Cove Road to Lowland Cove; the old Polletts Cove Trail, which leaves the Lowland Cove Trail, is not included in this catalogue, as I have not yet hiked it and have no photos from it.

Google Maps Name

Meat Cove Road

Local Names

Meat Cove Road, Capstick Road

Direction

East to West

Start Point

46°59.111′N 60°28.282′W, in St Margaret Village at its junction with the Bay St Lawrence Road

End Point

47°01.524'N 60°33.672'W, in Meat Cove

Length

13.2 km (8⅕ mi)

Classification

Local Road

Surface

Paved to just west of Capstick, gravel for the last 8 km (5 mi)

Condition

Both the paved and gravel portions are generally fair to good, but curvy; the gravel portion is bumpy in places and loose gravel may occasionally provide poor traction on the steep hills.

Route Description

The Meat Cove road starts across from the Coöp in St Margarets Village and heads north to the Bay St Lawrence coast, where it climbs a hill and turns west. A small parking area at the side of the road there offers great views of that coast out to Cape North. From the parking area, the road briefly turns inland and crosses the Salmon River on a Bailey bridge, the replacement for the bridge destroyed in the great deluge of 2010. It then returns to the coast and follows it to and through picturesque Capstick. Beyond Capstick, the road turns to gravel and continues on to Black Point well above the waters below, offering at several points along the way stunning views of the coast and of the Cape North Massif and, on a clear day, of St Paul Island in the Cabot Strait. A stop of Black Point is mandatory for its fabulous views of Meat Cove, Blackrock Point, and Cape St Lawrence. From Black Point, the road heads inland and crosses Jumping Brook on a very sharp turn at the bottom of a hill and then climbs back up to the coast. The Meat Cove Brook Valley soon comes into view as the road turns inland and descends along the southern edge of the valley with stunning views of the Highlands across the valley and of the village and the valley below. Once down in the village, the road crosses the Meat Cove Brook on a new bridge (replacing the one destroyed in the great deluge of 2010) and then follows along above the brook to the campground at the coast. The road continues for a short distance inland past the campground to its end at a residence and the trail head for the Lowland Cove Trail.

Vic’s Scenic Rating

☆☆☆☆☆

Comments

To my mind, this gorgeous road, which rises well above the nearby waters below, is the equal of any part of the more renowned Cabot Trail: it has stunning views of the northern coast of Cape Breton, from Cape St Lawrence at the northwestern corner of Cape Breton Island to the Cape North Massif rising to the east behind Bay St Lawrence and ending at Cape North. On a clear day, St Paul Island can be seen off the coast. The descent from Black Point into Meat Cove is breath-taking. You will want to stop to savour the views at many points all along this beautiful route.

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

Thumbnail	Date	GPS	Locality	Where	Caption
	2005 October 13	46°42.337′N 60°56.439′W	Black Point	4.8 km (3 mi) (by road) east of the Meat Cove camp and picnic grounds	Meat Cove
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Little Grassy and Blackrock Point from the Hines Oceanview Lodge
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	The northern Highlands west of Meat Cove village
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	St Paul Island in the evening twilight
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	The Meat Cove Brook Valley at twilight
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Little Grassy summit in the setting sun
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	The northern end of Meat Cove Village and the Meat Cove Campground
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	A partially changed orange tree near Edwards Brook
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Campfire at the lodge
	2014 October 6	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	The northern Highlands west of Meat Cove village at dusk
	2014 October 7	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Part 1 of the panorama
	2014 October 7	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Part 2 of the panorama
	2014 October 7	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Part 3 of the panorama
	2014 October 7	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Part 4 of the panorama
	2014 October 7	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Part 5 of the panorama
	2014 October 7	47°01.425′N 60°33.327′W	Meat Cove	at the Hines Oceanview Lodge	Part 6 of the panorama: Little Grassy and Blackrock Point