1. MacKinnon's Brook Trail - 4 km, moderate grade, alongside shoreline cliffs, wonderful views, be careful of eroding cliffs at cove (watch for poison ivy along trail)

 

 2. MacKinnon's Brook Lane - 4 km, travelled road , level to hilly

 

 3. MacEachen Trail - 6.4 km, connects Cape Mabou to Sight Point, gradual descent into Sight Point

 

 4. Fair Alistair's Trail - 3 km, at Mabou Mines trailhead, beautiful lookoff at top, gradual uphill with gradual descent into MacKinnon's Brook area, site of MacPhee foundation

 

 5. Highland Forest Trail - 1.5 km,  connects MacEachen to Beinn Bhiorach Mt

 

 6. Beinn Bhiorach ( Steep Mt) Trail - 1.8 km, steep ascent, beautiful views towards PEI, trail splits at lower end into two branches

 

 7. Bear Trap Trail - 2.8 km, a hardwood valley , connects to MacEachen Trail at top

 

 8. Oak Ridge Trail - 1.7 km, connects MacKinnon's Brook Trail to Beinn Bhiorach, fairly steep with nice views towards Margaree Island

 

 9. Scree Path - 300 m, short cutoff to Oak Ridge

 

10. Poet's Ridge - 1.5 km, use this trail to access Enchanted Valley and MacEachen Trails ( watch for poison ivy) - This trail is NOT cleared, but it is marked.

 

11. Enchanted Valley - 2 km, use Poet's Ridge to access this trail which  ascends into beautiful hardwood glen to Beinn Bhiorach

 

12. MacArthur Trail - 2.8 km, fairly steep trail follows ridge from MacKinnon's Brook to Edge of the Valley or MacEachen Trails

 

13. Edge of the Valley Trail - 1.6 km, connects  MacKinnon's Brook Lane to MacArthur Trail and beyond, beautiful hardwood forest with great view of MacKinnon's Brook as it empties into the ocean

 

14. Highland Link - 300 m, shortcut between MacArthur and MacEachen Trails

 

15. Rocky Hillside Trail - 1 km, very steep route from MacKinnon's Brook to Oak Ridge Trail near Beinn Bhiorach. This trail is NOT cleared.

 

16. MacPhee Trail - from lower end the trail begins off MacKinnon's Brook Lane and ends as it joins up with Fair Alistair's Trail, beautiful hardwood trail following old cart track

 

17. Beaton Trail - from lower end the trail begins just up from the junction of MacKinnon's Brook Lane and Trail, a steep climb with a great view at the top, beautiful highland  forest, trail connects to MacPhee Trail at its upper end

 

 

SUGGESTED LOOPS
 

- Fair Alistair's to top of mountain and lookoff, continue past old foundation, turn onto MacPhee Trail which takes you back into the woods on level ground and then follows an old road down the length of MacPhee to the road. Once on the road turn right and you are about one kilometer from your start point. ( approximately 1.5 to 2 hours)

 

- Fair Alistair's to top of mountain and lookoff, continue past old foundation, turn onto MacPhee Trail which takes you back into the woods. You will reach a junction with the Beaton Trail, turn onto Beaton Trail which takes you through a mixed wood then beautiful hardwoods. You will eventually come to a viewpoint of the ocean just as you start down the other side of the mountain. The Beaton Trail ends on the MacKinnon Brook Lane. Once on the lane or dirt road you can either turn right and continue back to parking lot ( about one hour), or turn left and follow the road until you reach a gate which you pass through and shortly thereafter watch for and take the trail to the left back to the top of Fair Alistair's Mountain and back to the parking lot. ( one hour) The third option is to turn left again at the junction of Beaton and MacKinnon Brook Lane for a short distance, then turn right at the signs directing you to MacKinnon's Brook. From here you can access several trails.

 

- If parking on MacKinnon's Brook Lane where  MacKinnon's Brook Trail starts ( one should only consider this if they have a vehicle with good clearance, and road is narrow with few turning stops), one can walk MacKinnon's Brook trail to Scree Path which is lower end of Oak Ridge, follow Oak Ridge up to Steep Mountain and walk down Steep Mountain onto MacKinnon's Brook trail.