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.

KEWSTOKE BROOK FALLS
Kewstoke, Inverness County
45° N 58.285 061° W 14.472
UTM:  20T  E 636245 N 5092926

RIVER: Kewstoke Brook
WATERSHED: Indian River->Skye River
CLASS:  tiered plunge
SIZE: 20'
RATING: average (***) 

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

GEOCACHE: none

NS Atlas Page: 
NS topo map: 011F14 (Whycocomagh)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: from the Canso Causeway in Port Hastings, proceed to the roundabout and take HWY19 (the Ceilidh Trail) northwest for 32.1km, then turn right onto Rear Intervale Road, just past the vilage of Judique. Follow this dirt road for 9.8km, and turn right on Glencoe Road. Continue 7.0km along this road thru Glencoe Valley and turn right onto Whycocomagh-Port Hood Road. Follow this road 7.0km to a sharp left hand turn at the bottom of a long hill. The falls are visible dropping off the ridge above into Kewstoke Brook just upstream from the bridge. 

CAMPBELL BROOK FALLS
Glengarry, Inverness County
46° N 02.181 061° W 28.484
UTM:  20T  E 618027 N 5099217

RIVER: Campbell Brook
WATERSHED: Southwest Mabou River
CLASS:  steep cascades
SIZE: 10', 10', 12'
RATING: average (***) 

TRAIL: bushwhacking
DISTANCE: 600m
HIKING TIME: 30 minutes
CONDITIONS: moderate, off-trail

GEOCACHE: none

NS Atlas Page: 12/V5
NS topo map: 011K03 (Lake Ainslie)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: from Port Hastings, at the Canso Causeway, follow the roundbout onto HWY19 (the Ceilidh Trail). Follow this road northwest for 49km and turn left onto Hunters Road, a few kilometers past the village of Port Hood. Continue up this dirt road for 2.6km, where there is a nice pull-out spot on the left side of the road (the upstream side of the road). Park here. Google Maps estimates this to be a 46 minute trip.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: hike back down Hunters Road about 100m and hike upstream along the main branch of Campbell Brook. The hike will require simply hopping back and forth across the brook where the easiest path presents itself. 

There are three distinct falls along this brook, each of between 10 to 12 feet in height, overall. The lower set (pictured second) are set in an open valley with a nice series of low cascades extending for some distance below. They are located about 300m up the brook. The middle set of falls (pictured above) are about the same height as the first set, dropping oround a right hand turn in the brook. The upper falls (pictured at the top of this article) are also the highest, but still below 15feet total drop in its setting.

These are a pretty set of falls, and are found on the lands originally granted to John Larraby, one of the earliest Loyalist pioneers in Cape Breton, arriving in 1788 and settling on his original grant, which he called Hill Row, an 84-acre parcel along with Larraby's Island, at the mouth of the Southwest Mabou River (This island is known called Nicholsons Island). By 1824, he sold the land to Archibald McDonald as he was already in residence on his lands here, which he had been granted in 1809.

Mr. Larraby, a cooper by trade, had his homestead downstream from the road, which traces can still be seen today by the depressions in the ground near where both branches of Campbell Brook meet. He was born 1764 in Carroll County, New Hampshire and was married to Elizabeth Hawley. He arrived in Cape Breton with his whole family, including 6 sons and 4 daughters. 

The brook is named for John Campbell ("Iain Chambiel"), who held the land surrounding the headwaters of Campbell Brook on Rocky Ridge Road. 

NORTH BRANCH CAMPBELL BROOK FALLS
Glengarry, Inverness County
46° N 02.565 061° W 27.992
UTM:  20T  E 618648 N 5099940

RIVER: Campbell Brook (North Branch) 
WATERSHED: Southwest Mabou River
CLASS:  steep cascades
SIZE: 10'
RATING: average (***) 

TRAIL: bushwhacking
DISTANCE: 550m
HIKING TIME: 30 minutes
CONDITIONS: moderate, off-trail

GEOCACHE: none

NS Atlas Page: 12/V5
NS topo map: 011K03 (Lake Ainslie)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: from Port Hastings, at the Canso Causeway, follow the roundbout onto HWY19 (the Ceilidh Trail). Follow this road northwest for 49km and turn left onto Hunters Road, a few kilometers past the village of Port Hood. Continue up this dirt road for 2.6km, where there is a nice pull-out spot on the left side of the road (the upstream side of the road). Park here. Google Maps estimates this to be a 46 minute trip.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: an old trail, recognized on my GPS topo map as an 'abandoned railline' makes a more or less undergrowth and snaggle free hike for more or less the entire hike to these falls. There are several spots along the low-lying portion of this brook that you have to jump over the stream, but it isn't a very wide watercourse. The LONG abandoned rail line eventually follows the second tributary of the North Branch of Campbell Brook, the main brook continues straight along the valley bottom. Along this tributary, at the head of the small valley, is where you will find these small, but charming, falls.

The valley is quite wide and shallow above the falls, with barrens surrounding the upper slopes, with an open and airy overstory, light penetrates these south-facing falls. Found on the lands of grantee John Hammond, a Loyalist settler for whom nearby Hammond Brook Falls is named. 

DRYERS BROOK FALLS
Glengarry, Inverness County
46° N 02.502 061° W 28.010
UTM:  20T  E 618627 N 5099823

 

RIVER: Dryers Brook 
WATERSHED: Southwest Mabou River
CLASS:  cascades
SIZE: 4', 8'
RATING: average (***) 

TRAIL: bushwhacking
DISTANCE: 400m
HIKING TIME: 20 minutes
CONDITIONS: moderate, off-trail

GEOCACHE: none

NS Atlas Page: 12/V5
NS topo map: 011K03 (Lake Ainslie)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: from Port Hastings, at the Canso Causeway, follow the roundbout onto HWY19 (the Ceilidh Trail). Follow this road northwest for 49km and turn left onto Hunters Road, a few kilometers past the village of Port Hood. Continue up this dirt road for 2.6km, where there is a nice pull-out spot on the left side of the road (the upstream side of the road). Park here. Google Maps estimates this to be a 46 minute trip.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION: an old trail, recognized on my GPS topo map as an 'abandoned railline' makes a more or less undergrowth and snaggle free hike for the first 250m. There are several spots along the low-lying portion of this brook that you have to jump over the stream, but it isn't a very wide watercourse. 

The first tributary into this brook, joining into North Branch Campbell Brook from the left is Dryers Brook. turn up into the low, open valley this brook occupies. The brook turns to the left with a small 4foot cascade which leads to the larger fall, approximately 8feet high, a short distance upstream.

Named for Ann Dryer, the land grantee. I wasnt able to find much information regarding this individual, although an Ann Dryer, born abt. 1821 in Cape Breton was recorded to be living in Essex, Massachusetts during the 1865 census. Early land grant petitions in this area recorded William Dryer Jr seeking the lot adjoining his fathers (William Dryer Sr.) in this area during 1807, but had "removed to Mabou"  unable to make a living on these lands. Loyalist grants were granted in 1785 and 1790 to two separate individuals bearing the name William Dryer in Guysborough County, so it is possible they arrived to this area along the same narrative as John Hammond, their neighbour and fellow Loyalist, whose story is told on the page for Hammond Brook Falls.