Parking
Use the Warren Lake picnic area access off Cabot Trail; the trailhead is at the picnic area.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park, NS
A quiet forest loop follows the shore of the park's largest lake.
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike

The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Cape Breton Highlands Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Cape Breton Highlands National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Cape Breton Highlands audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Warren Lake and Broad Cove Mountain“You're approaching the Broad Cove Mountain trailhead on Warren Lake Road. For a picnic or a summer swim, the lake's beach and day-use area are a separate stop along this road, with parking beside the shore.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Cape Breton Highlands Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
Trail guide
Warren Lake Trail circles the shore of the park's largest lake through Acadian forest. Start at the Warren Lake picnic area. The listed circuit is 4.7 km (2.9 miles) with about 15 m of elevation gain and a 1.5-hour estimate; mapped traces and older recorded walks are closer to 5.4–5.6 km, so allow up to two hours. This is a mostly level walk for lake scenery and a quiet stretch in the woods, not a summit hike.
The route stays close to the water and is generally level, but it is not a smooth path. Expect roots, rocks and wet ground; the western side can be especially muddy. Take your time where the ground is slick, and bring footwear that can handle damp trail.
The loop follows Warren Lake, a freshwater lake with resident loons, through Acadian forest. Birdlife is common, and there can be signs of larger animals such as moose and bears, though sightings are never guaranteed. Small streams feed marshy inlets with grasses and lily pads along parts of the shore.
The picnic-area start has accessible pit privies and a sandy beach; a beach wheelchair and access mat can be reserved through the park. A park entry pass is required. Dogs are allowed on leash. No food service or drinking-water source was confirmed at the trailhead or on the loop, so bring what you need. The beach beside the start gives the clearest lake-level view; keep the water and wooded opposite shore in the frame.
Wildlife
180 sightingsMooseMost seen around 5 AMSighting map
60 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
48 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
29 sightingsGrey SealMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
14 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
10 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Cape Breton Highlands. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateBroad Cove Mountain2.3 km · 1 hr · 1 km awayA steep forest climb ends on a bench above the Atlantic.
ModerateMary Ann Falls13.8 km · 5.5 hr · 1.4 km awayA 13.9 km old-road hike to a 6 m waterfall.
EasyGreen Cove0.2 km · 10 min · 6.1 km awayA short boardwalk leads to a wave-battered granite point.
ModerateClyburn Valley Trail10 km · 3 hr · 6.2 km awayA gentle river walk to the old mine remains.
EasyMiddle Head Trail5.3 km · 1.8 hr · 6.5 km awayA mostly level coastal walk to Atlantic-facing headland cliffs.
ChallengingFraney (Full Loop)12.9 km · 5.5 hr · 6.5 km awayA difficult 13 km loop to Franey’s canyon and Atlantic views.
EasyFreshwater Lake Trail1.7 km · 35 min · 7 km awayFlat shore paths, a beaver pond, and ocean air in one loop.
ModerateFreshwater Lake Look-off0.3 km · 10 min · 7.6 km awayA short stair climb opens onto a lake-and-coast panorama.
Beach · At the trailheadWarren Lake Beach and Picnic AreaA small swim and picnic stop on the park’s largest lake.
Campground · 1.4 km awayBroad Cove CampgroundA roomy eastern base with a sandy Atlantic cove beside camp.
Beach · 2.5 km awayBroad Cove BeachAn ocean swim, then a freshwater rinse in a nearby brook.
Sight · 4.6 km awayLakie's HeadA rocky Atlantic look-off with seasonal stories of sea and shore.
Sight · 5.6 km awayMary Ann FallsA six-metre cascade at the end of a 13.9 km hike.
Beach · 5.7 km awayNorth Bay BeachA sandy Atlantic beach with a walk toward the Clyburn estuary.
Sight · 6.2 km awayGreen CoveA pink granite headland where Atlantic waves break.
Sight · 6.4 km awayHighlands LinksA hilly Thompson course with ocean views and Scottish hole namesParkwolf’s Cape Breton Highlands ranking