SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN FALLS
Big Intervale, Inverness County
46° N 25.522 060° W 56.324
UTM:  20T  E 658380 N 5143375

RIVER: Allan Brook
WATERSHED: Sugarloaf Mountain (NE Margaree)
CLASS:  fan, steep cascades
SIZE: 60'
RATING: excellent (****)

TRAIL: roadside views, river crossing, upstream hike
DISTANCE: 400m
HIKING TIME: 60 minutes
CONDITIONS: challenging

GEOCACHE: none

NS Atlas Page: 
NS topo map: 011K07 (Kingross)

(long view from West Big Intervale Road)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: from Baddeck, at the Tim Hortons on the highway, head southwest (towards Port Hawkesbury) along HWY105 (TCH) for 7.6km, turning right onto HWY19 (Cabot Trail) at The Red Barn. Follow HWY19 for 31.8km and turn right onto East Big Intervale Road (just before theDancing Goat Cafe and Bakery). Drive along this road 4.9km, then keep right at the Crowdis Crossing Rd intersection to remain on E Big Intervale. Continue 11.6km, with the high flank of Sugarloaf Mountain dominating your lefthand side, to Kingross Crossing Road. Turn left, and follow this road 700m to its end, just past a bridge over the Northeast Margaree River. Turn left again, onto West Big Intervale Rd, and drive 3.4km to its end, at Big Intervale Fishing Lodge.

(Where the falls meet NE Margaree River, approx 6 feet high. You can see the cascades from the brook through the trees in the foreground, where they are fed from the main falls above. This brook meets the river near Old Bridge Pool)

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: during low water in the river, generally high summer to autumn, one can wade across the Northeast Margaree River, and climb up alongside the brook to the main falls. I cannot say how the condition of this trail might be, as I arrived here on a fairly high water day in the Margaree River. 

I spoke with the owner of the Big Intervale Fishing Lodge (website), who was really helpful. The lodge has accommodations (cabins) available from May to October, and the restraunt features licenses dining for breakfast, lunch and supper. I most definitely plan another trip (or three) into the Margaree River valley in search of many of the waterfalls that surround it. I desperately want to get to the base of these falls to photograph them this year. 

 

KINGROSS FALLS
Kingross, Inverness County
46° N 26.804 060° W 55.922
UTM:  20T  E 658832 N 5145762

RIVER: Allan Brook
WATERSHED: Margaree River
CLASS:  seasonal horsetail
SIZE: 60'
RATING: excellent (****)

TRAIL: roadside
DISTANCE: 350m
HIKING TIME: 10 minutes
CONDITIONS: moderate

GEOCACHE: none

NS Atlas Page: 
NS topo map: 011K07 (Kingross)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: from Baddeck, at the Tim Hortons on the highway, head southwest (towards Port Hawkesbury) along HWY105 (TCH) for 7.6km, turning right onto HWY19 (Cabot Trail) at The Red Barn. Follow HWY19 for 31.8km and turn right onto East Big Intervale Road (just before the Dancing Goat Cafe and Bakery). Drive along this road 4.9km, then keep right at the Crowdis Crossing Rd intersection to remain on E Big Intervale. Continue 11.6km, with the high flank of Sugarloaf Mountain dominating your lefthand side, to Kingross Crossing Road. Turn left, and follow this road 700m to its end, just past a bridge over the Northeast Margaree River. Turn left again, onte West Big Intervale Rd, watching for Kingross Quilts and Fibre Art on your right.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: you can see these falls from the road during the spring freshet or after a heavy rainfall. They originate from a hole in the mountain, and disappear again not far from where they reach the ground. Approach the base from across the field, and watch for the gypsum sinkhole in the field as you go along.

Stop in at the Kingross quilt shop. Ive spoken with the owner, when inquiring about these falls, and he was very informative about other sites, falls and caves, in the area. They have "an ever changing supply of fine quilts, primitive hooked rugs, wearable art and dolls" for sale, and also host retreats, workshops and classes.

MACPHEES BROOK FALLS
Boularderie East, Victoria County
45° N 58.285 061° W 14.472
UTM:  20T  E 636245 N 509292

RIVER: MacPhee's Brook
WATERSHED: MacPhees Brook
CLASS:  small cascade
SIZE: 5'
RATING: excellent (****)

TRAIL: roadside
DISTANCE: 25m
HIKING TIME: 2 minutes
CONDITIONS: moderate, steep sections

GEOCACHE: none

NS Atlas Page: 14/V1
NS topo map: 011K01 (Sydney)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: from downtown Sydney, (basepoint intersection of Prince St and the Esplanade), follow Kings Road (HWY 4) south towards Sydney River, 4.8km, merging onto HWY125 WEST(Peacekeepers Way) at EXIT6. Drive 19km, taking EXIT1W onto HWY105 WEST (TransCanada Highway) towards Baddeck. Drive 17.1km and turn right onto Old Route 5. Follow this road approximately 500m, parking well off the side of the road before the guard rail.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: follow the evident trail alongside the guardrail down into the ravine. MacPhees Brook Falls are fairly small, but the real draw here is to see them flowing from beneath a massive stone wall, from what i understand, was a bridge over MacPhees Brook.