Hiking Up Fitzpatrick Mountain

I’d hiked part of Fitzpatrick once before-and I hate hiking only part of a trail. I was determined to get back to it ,but before that happened, Category 4 Hurricane Fiona decided to devastate Pictou County and much of the rest of province,causing significant damage, including extensive flooding, roofs torn off buildings, roads washed out and storm surge.Wind gusts of 179 kilometres per hour were recorded.Fiona snaked across the eastern shore and up to the Northumberland Shore and PEI.

Damage to forestry was tremendous. Fitzpatrick Mountain was not spared.

New Trail at Fitzpatrick Mountain

The Fitzpatrick I hiked in 2020 is not the Fitzpatrick I hiked this week.

It’s better. Or so it seemed to me. All thanks to hard working volunteers-I am forever grateful.

The Scotsburn to Fitzpatrick Mountain Trail is an a looped hike through a variety of woodland habitats in northern Nova Scotia. Rated moderate, the trail is open year-round and is a segment of Nova Scotia’s Cape To Cape Trail system.

It would be gorgeous in fall.

Although the trail is listed at just over 9k, we shortened outs to just under 7.5 .Parking at Scotsburn Elementary school, we continues short way across the field and into the woods.

We crossed just below Smith Rock Lodge and Chalets instead of going right to the top of the loop, spent some time enjoying the view at the Chalets and then continued down. From the clearing atop the summit, we could see, to the south, wind turbines on Dalhousie Mountain, and, to the north, the Northumberland Strait and, on the horizon, and Prince Edward Island.

We did not follow the complete route shown on Alltrails.

Roughly, our route was this: Start at the main trailhead behind the Scotsburn recreation grounds. Follow the Fitzpatrick Mountain Trail Turn around roughly 3.8 km into the hike—just after enjoying the scenic look-offs behind the chalets—to make a perfect 7.5 km return

The climb was moderate -not hard climbing all. There were roots and rocks-that’s what makes a trail fun. We passed a couple benches scattered along the trail.

Fitzpatrick is a multi-use trail , great for mountain biking, snowshoeing and horseback riding.

Speaking for horses,close by is Shelby Ranch, offering wagon rides, trail rides and riding lessons.