highlands hostel

Highlands Hostel

 Call: 1-902-383-2371

Highlands Hostel
"Remember one night is never enough"
"Book one night and you won't regret it, book 3 or more nights and you won't forget it"

Winter fun in Cape Breton - Skiing - Snow Shoeing - Cross country skiing



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Hike Nova Scotia

Winter 2023/24 guided hikes. Click here

All these hikes within 30 minutes from Highlands Hostel

  • Clyburn Valley
  • North Highlands Nordic (2)
  • Paquette lake
  • Skyline
  • Freshwater lake
  • Warren Lake
  • Mica Hill
Tourism

Winter at the Hostel

Our Backyard - Our Playground

Yours to explore and Yours to enjoy

This winter why not come and enjoy what mother nature gives to us in amazing amounts...Snow and lots of fun. The perfect winter weekend getaway.

Come ski Cape Smokey only a 45 minute (36km) drive from our hostel or go cross country skiing, snow shoeing at the North highlands Nordic Ski trail only 15 minute hike from our hostel.

Apres Ski

Your  Accommodations

After a days skiing and having the best fun of your life,come back to the Highlands Hostel and snuggle up to our warm fire,enjoy a hot chocolate and dream about the next days fun.

Dry your boots off on our air drying racks.

Enjoy some music, play some board games, good company, and plan your next days adventures.

Cape Breton Music

Born & Raised Cape Breton Fiddler Shawn W MacKinnon stopped for a couple jigs at the Highlands Hostel on a stormy island Saturday night!!! Thanks Shawn!!! COME VISIT!!!

Snowshoeing in the Highlands

Were are next door to the North Highlands Nordic trails, your fun begins at our back yard.

The North Highlands Nordic club has 11 km of groomed trails, they have snowshoes and cross country skis available for you to use should you need them.

Should you want to go ice fishing then, hike down to the North Harbour and catch your dinner.

After an enjoyable time at the Nordic trails, hike back to the Church for a roaring fire and hot apple cider to warm you up.

Check opening times and weather conditions first

Before booking please check all Facebook pages for opening times and ski conditions

Come ski Cape Breton

Ski Cape Smokey

Cape Smokey

Now open (See Cape Smokey FB page for latest info)

45 Minutes from Highlands Hostel, Book your accommodation now, after a day of skiing relax in front of our roaring fire.

Address:

38696 Cabot Trail

Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia


Phone:

Call (902) 285-2760

Website

https://capesmokey.ca/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/skicapesmokey/

FaceBook

https://www.facebook.com/capesmokey/

Map: Here


North Highlands Nordic

North Highlands Nordic right on our doorstep

North Highlands Nordic

Check our ski-Stay packages for North Highlands Nordic

North Highlands Nordic Ski Club

North Highlands Nordic in Cape North has the finest cross country ski trails in the province. There are 11 km of groomed and track set trails.

Our Highlands Hostel is only 15 minutes hike, (2 minutes drive) snowshoeing through the bush from our back door to the start of 11 km of groomed trails, or if you feel up to it go off trail for some real exercise.

Web site: North Highlands Nordic

Contact Us

  • Email

    nhn@xcski.ca

  • Phone

    (902) 383-2479

  • Address

    29481 Cabot Trail, Cape North, Nova Scotia

The North Highlands Nordic Ski Club (NHN) was founded in 1977 by a small group of enthusiastic cross country skiers, who shared a love of winter and of the splendid scenery in the Northeast Highlands Area of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. From humble beginnings of skiing on ungroomed trails, the club has developed a very high-class facility and trail system in the village of Cape North.

NHN and operates out of a heated waxing/warmup/ski rental room in the Cape North Community Centre. A trail network consists of 12 kms of mechanically-groomed and tilled track by a Pisten Bully grooming tractor, and offers panoramic views of some of Atlantic Canada’s best scenery.

The club is proud to have hosted any number of major national and regional ski races including the 1987 Canada Winter Games, 1989 Canadian Junior Nationals, and the 1986, 1987, 1994 and 1998 Atlantic Championships and numerous Loppets and Provincial Championships.

South Ridge Wilderness trails

Opening in February 2024

South ridge wilderness trails

902-South ridge Road

South Harbour NS

Email: cbubbst@gnspes.ca

South Ridge Wilderness trails is located about 8km from the hostel, turn onto South Ridge road and the trails are at the end of the road, use of the trails is by donations. Trails are groomed, perfect for cross country skiing, snow shoeing and fat bikes are welcomed.

Tommy the owner will be able to share what current conditions are like and make suggestions for your day.

south ridge wilderness trails
wilderness trails
wilderness trails
wilderness trails

Cape North Weather

This is a magical time of the year for us here in Cape North, people ask us what is there to do there in the winter?.

Spend a weekend with us and we can fill your phone with spots to see and maybe, just maybe you will have time to see them all, if not you know where we are for your next visit.

Make sure you and your vehicle are prepared for our winter wonderland weather.

booked.net
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Dingwall
Monday, 06 January
See 7-Day Forecast
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Wilderness Skiing

We have many groups vising us each year to go wilderness skiing in the mountains around us, below are some images from previous guests enjoying the skiing in our local mountains.


Andrew leaving the hostel for a days skiing in the mountains

wilderness skiing

The crew out at Meat Cove

French Gulch

Meat Cove Mountain

After a days skiing, heading to a kitchen party up the road

What better way to spend an evening with friends and music

When the evenings over come back to a roaring fire at the hostel..perfect end to a perfect day..time to plan tomorrow's adventures.

let it snow, let it snow,let it snow

This is just the start of our winter December 18th 2018 North Mountain, they figure the drifts are over 12 feet

Snow shoe Cape Breton National Park

All Trails listed below (side bars) are within one (1) hours drive from The Highlands Hostel, so all the more reason to make us your one stop resting place for your Highlands adventures. Start the adventure now by calling 1-833-381-6553 to book your spot

Highlands hostel winter activities

Your winter wonderland weekend getaway

Here’s what Tineke wrote

“Great place to stay! We felt very welcome and with the other guests we had a good time! Because of the storm no electricity for a few hours but right away cosy oil lamps everywhere. What a romantic evening!”

Ski cape breton
Ski Cape breton

Winter at Cape North Pole

Book now for your winter getaway, come snowshoeing with us this winter, spend a memorable time with us in Cape North Pole, we can accommodate up to 25, so bring family and friends for a winter never to be forgotten. We could still have our 18 foot Christmas tree standing  Book here

Christmas tree

Guess who did some fishing before coming to the hostel

Santa with lobsters

After his nap he let us take some photo's,before he left

Santa posing for pictures

You never know who will be staying here..Ho Ho Ho!

Yes we have caught him taking a well deserved nap in front of our roaring fire, don't worry kids we wake him up and send him on his way, well fed and warm for his journey.Don't forget your bag of toys Santa.

Santa at Highlands Hostel