Highlands Hostel

902-383-2371

Experience Adventure in a Historic Setting!

Stay in a charming 100-year-old church at Highlands Hostel, the perfect base for your Cabot Trail adventures!

29295 cabot Trail.Cape North Nova Scotia B0C1C0

902-383-2371

info@highlandshostel.ca
Book Your Stay

Our Accommodation

Relax in comfortable rooms designed for adventurers and nature lovers alike.

Choose the ideal space for your trip—from cozy singles to shared dorms, all close to hiking trails and scenic spots.
Book Your Stay
Look out loft

6 Bed Mixed Dorm

Look Out Loft

Our cozy loft-style dorm overlooks the heart of the hostel and offers a unique place to stay in our historic building. Located above the main living area, this dorm is accessed by stairs and perfect for travellers who enjoy the social energy of a hostel.
BaseCamp dorm

11 Bed Mixed Dorm

BaseCamp Dorm

Your home base for exploring the Highlands. Located on our accessible lower level with its own entrance, this dorm offers spacious shared accommodation for solo travellers, friends, and groups. It includes one dedicated wheelchair-accessible single bed.
Highland Haven

Private Room - Sleeps 4

Highland Haven

Ideal for families, couples, or small groups, our room features one double bed, two twin bunks, and an assigned private bathroom just across the landing. Enjoy the privacy of your own room while still experiencing the friendly atmosphere of hostel life, stair access only.

Room for the family

Shared Kitchen

Fully equipped shared kitchen with a fridge, stove, oven, microwave, coffee maker, toaster, cookware, dishes, utensils, and plenty of counter space for preparing and enjoying meals.
fire pit


Fire Pit

Join us for nightly fire pit gatherings, where guests can unwind after a day of exploring, share stories, meet fellow travellers, enjoy the evening air, and make lasting memories.
movie night

Ideal for quick getaways

Movies

Enjoy movie nights around the fire pit and the friendly shared atmosphere at Highlands Hostel. Meet fellow travellers, swap stories, relax together, and make new memories under the stars.

Welcome to our hostel.

We are located on the North end of the Cabot Trail, in Cape North, in a beautifully renovated 100 year old church, we are literally as close to heaven as you could ever imagine, with the majesty of the Highlands national park right on our back door step, minutes from the beaches and trails.

Your hosts for your stay are Bricin,Patricia,Billie, Cassius & Peter.

What you can expect

  • Shared kitchen

  • 5 x bathrooms (Total) (4 x Shared)

  • Look out loft bunks,shared area (4 x bunks, 2 x single beds plus storage) with assigned full bathroom

  • Each bunk comes with private reading lamp

  • 1 x family (Private with lock) room sleeps 4 (1 x Double bed,1 x bunk)

  • Highland Haven room with own full bathroom across hallway

  • Base Camp Dorm area 11 x bunks 2 x shared bathrooms

  • Pre-made beds with fresh linens

  • Non smoking environment

  • Laundry available

  • Free parking

  • BBQ

  • **New** Outdoor cooking station on the deck

  • Herb and veggie garden

  • Enjoy music by local fiddlers who drop in periodically.

  • Restaurant,gas station and grocery store, just a few steps away

For Your safety Each room or area has the following.

  • Smoke detector.

  • Heat detector.

  • Carbon monoxide detector.

  • Fire Extinguisher.

  • Pull Fire alarm.

  • At each station is an escape map.

  • The large dorm has 2 egress windows.

  • The small dorm has two egress skylights.

  • The private room has an egress skylight.

  • We also have an AED defibrillator.

  • All the above in compliance with the Nova. Scotia fixed roof and building specifications. The alarm system is tested and certified annually.

  • AED Defibrillator

  • Fire pit

  • Outdoor Shower

  • Jam Room

  • Drums

  • Guitars and amps

  • Horseshoe pit (Regulation 40')

  • Large deck

  • Colourful hammocks in the back woods.

  • Cook a feast in the kitchen or BBQ on the deck

  • Internet desk

  • Board games

  • Toddler/Kids play area

  • Art table

  • Free Fibre optics WiFi 150mbps download - 150mbps upload

  • Full cell coverage

  • Charging areas for cell phones

  • All bunks have own USB charging sockets

  • Air conditioning

  • Bed linen supplied

  • hairdryer supplied

  • Shoe/Boot dryer

  • Towels supplied

  • Shower soap & hair shampoo supplied.

  • Luggage storage

  • Secure bike storage.

  • No Smoking allowed

  • No pets allowed

Want to cook "Al Fresco", we have that covered, with our outdoor cooking station.

Outdoor shower anyone

After a day hiking the Cabot Trail or swimming at one of Cape Breton’s beautiful beaches, cool off with our refreshing outdoor shower. Surrounded by fresh air and nature, it’s a simple way to rinse away sand, sweat and trail dust. One temperature, refreshing and invigorating—just what you need after an active day.

Movie nights anyone

Gather around the fire pit for movie nights under the stars at Highlands Hostel. After a day exploring the Cabot Trail, hiking Cape Breton Highlands National Park or relaxing at the beach, settle in with fellow travellers, enjoy the warmth of the fire, watch a movie and share stories together.

The Fire Pit

End your day at Highlands Hostel around our fire pit, where our shared hostel atmosphere comes alive each night. Gather with fellow travellers, enjoy the warmth of the fire, share stories and make new friends. After a day of adventure, unwind together under the stars and enjoy the simple pleasures of good company, laughter and connection.

You must check out the views from the Bell tower

Bell Tower

Check Out the View from Our Bell Tower

Looking for a unique way to experience the Cape Breton Highlands and Cabot Trail? Climb 60 feet up into the bell tower at Highlands Hostel and take in the spectacular views from one of the most unusual viewpoints in Cape North, Cape Breton.

From high above the hostel, the bell tower gives you commanding 360-degree views of Aspy Bay and the surrounding Cape Breton Highlands. Look across the landscape, watch the changing light over the bay, and take in the mountains, forests and coastline that make this part of Cape Breton such a special place to visit.

But the bell tower is more than just a lookout. It is also a place to slow down and relax. Stretch out in one of our hammocks in the bell tower, put your feet up and enjoy the view. After a day hiking the trails of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, exploring the Cabot Trail or swimming at one of the nearby beaches, there is no better place to unwind.

Bring your camera for memorable photos, or simply sit back and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Depending on the time of day, you may see the colours of sunrise or sunset spreading across the landscape, with Aspy Bay providing an incredible backdrop.

Staying at Highlands Hostel puts you close to some of the best outdoor experiences on the Cabot Trail. Spend your days hiking, exploring waterfalls, visiting beaches and discovering the spectacular scenery of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, then return to the hostel and climb the bell tower for another perspective.

Whether you are travelling the Cabot Trail, hiking Cape Breton, or simply looking for a memorable place to stay, make sure you take time to climb the bell tower, enjoy the 360-degree views and relax in a hammock 60 feet above the ground.

Stay at Highlands Hostel and experience Cape Breton from a whole new perspective.

How to get to us

If driving from Halifax it will take 5 hours.

If driving from Sydney it will take 2.5 hours

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Just click on the moose below.

The question now is will it be 4 or more nights

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