Corney Brook Falls

Corney Brook Falls is a 9 m cascade at the end of a forested brook canyon in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Keep it for a day when the walk matters as much as the waterfall: the full route is a 6.5 km return hike of about two hours, so this is a planned outing rather than a quick roadside stop. The falls are modest, but the brook and woods make up much of the visit.

The trail follows a meandering brook through hardwood forest, with cliffs along the river near the start. Farther in, it enters a box river canyon with only one way out. The route is rated easy, though roots and rocks can make it feel more moderate underfoot.

The waterfall is the trail's payoff, dropping over dark rock into the brook. For a photo, include the rock channel and the water below the cascade; a tight crop loses the shape of the falls and their wooded setting.

Local Acadians call Corney Brook Rivière à Lazare. Watch the brookside woods for birds and snowshoe hare, and keep an eye out for a moose as well. The route is a quiet way to see the park's hardwood forest, even if you decide the waterfall alone isn't enough reason for the walk.