Franey Trail

• Posted on July 3, 2009 at 4:38 PM
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Photo courtesy Marie Stradeski/Parks Canada

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In the Cape Breton Highlands section of "The Best of Our Parks" (explore, June 2009), the description of the Franey Trail contained several inaccuracies. Sorry about that. Here's a revised description.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park

Best view

Franey Trail

Millions of years of erosion have reduced the Cape Breton Highlands from their one-time Himalayan might (26,000 feet) to today’s stooped summits (maximum elevation 1,745 feet). However it’s still possible to get a sense of their former grandeur by grunting up the Franey Trail, as it climbs more than a thousand feet to a natural resting place of large flat rocks. From here, there’s an epic view, with the Atlantic to the east, Franey Mountain to the west and the Clyburn River valley far below. This fall, Franey is one of the hikes featured in the Hike the Highlands Festival, which runs September 11 to 20.

Length (loop trail): 7.4 kilometres, two to three hours.

Elevation gain: 1,100 feet.

Directions: Take the Cabot Trail into the east park entrance and then turn west, just north of the Clyburn River bridge, and follow a fire access road to a small parking lot and the trailhead.

Resources: Cape Breton Highlands National Park.