This blog was in paid partnership with Visit Nova Scotia – visit their website for everything you need to know before your trip!

If you live in New England (or love the New England coastal landscape) you will LOVE Nova Scotia.

The landscape is similar, but more rugged and less populated. It felt wild and untouched which is something I always hope to find when traveling somewhere new.

Nick, Winnie, and I road tripped from Rhode Island to Nova Scotia, Canada at the end of August for a week-long camping trip.

We stayed at the Porters Lake Provencial Park Campground (more details all the way at the bottom), and while it was only about 30 minutes from Halifax, it felt quiet, remote, and relaxing.

One of my favorite parts of traveling to Nova Scotia was that every trail and beach was dog-friendly. It was incredible!

While a primary reason for the trip was for Nick to go wing foiling, I was blown away by the abundance of hiking trails and nature spots to explore.

Here are the 7 best hikes & nature spots we explored while in Nova Scotia ⤵️

Atlantic View Trail
Cole Harbor to Three Fathom Harbor, Nova Scotia

➡️ Get the AllTrails link here.

Quick facts:

• 12.7 mile out & back
• 364 feet elevation gain
• Flat, mix of hard-packed gravel and pavement
• Parking & Restrooms at Lawrencetown Beach
• Dogs allowed
• Bike & Stroller friendly
• Great spot for birding – herons, bald eagles, and more!

This trail is a segment of the much longer Trans Canada Trail which is the longest network of multi-use recreational trails in the world. The Trans Canada Trail literally stretches aross the entire country reaching over 17,000 miles.

The Salt Marsh Trail segment connects on the west end of this segment, and the Blueberry Run Trail segment connects on the east end.

We saw so many birds here, including a bald eagle that flew right over our heads!

Admiral Lake Trail
Ship Harbor-Long Lake Wilderness Area, Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia

➡️ Get the AllTrails link here.

Quick facts:

• 5.8 mile loop
• 656 feet elevation gain
• Parking & Restrooms at the trailhead
• Dogs allowed
• Lots of view points and vistas!

The first (and last) mile of this trail is on the Musquodoboit Rail Trail which is a flat, open trail until you get into the entry to the woods with elevation.

It’s also a popular biking trail, so could even bike the beginning (and ending) flat sections if you wanted to.

We hiked to the Skull Rock Lookout, then the next lookout and back which was about 4.5 miles. If you continued the entire loop you’d have a number of lookouts and views along the way.

Half Island Point Trail
East Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia

➡️ Get the AllTrails link here.

Quick facts:

• 2.6 mile loop
• 114 feet elevation gain
• Parking & Restrooms at Lawrencetown Beach
• Dogs allowed
• Flat paved path, meadow, woods, and open ocean views up high on the cliffs!
• Be aware of dangerous cliff drop offs

We actually parked right at the base of where the bluff meets the road. There was a pull off area that looked friendly for parking and didn’t seem to be a problem.

If you park here, the hike will be more like 1 mile total by removing the “road walk” on the Atlantic View Trail from Lawrencetown Beach to the bluff.

Lawrencetown Head
East Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia

No AllTrails link.

Quick facts:

• .5 mile or less out & back
• Parking for about 6 cars
• Dogs allowed
• Meadow and open ocean views up high on the cliffs!
• Be aware of dangerous cliff drop offs

This short bluff trail doesn’t actually have a name, but is wedged between Lawrencetown Beach and Stoney Beach, right next to the Lawrencetown Beach Cafe.

There is actully a small “trailhead” parking lot for about 6 cars a few hundred feet down the road from the Lawrencetown Beach Café (I’d avoid parking at the cafe unless you plan to spend money there).

On a big wave day, this would be the spot to watch surfers from up high above on the bluff. We saw a few!

Martinique Beach Trail
East Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia

➡️ Get the AllTrails link here.

Quick facts:

• 5.1 mile out & back
• 150 feet elevation gain
• Parking & Restrooms at Martinique Beach
• Dogs allowed
• Sandy ocean-facing beach & marsh

We actually made this trail a loop by cutting through to the marsh side of the peninsula (we didn’t go all the way to the end). There were short trails that connected the two and it was another really beautiful, different view in contrast to the open ocean.

I also recommend coming here for sunset because the wildlife was incredible!

There were multiple foxes (that locals told me live here and are visible almost every day) and lots of deer. You’ll see them right on the long access road through the middle of the peninsula and in the meadow, dune-like areas on each side!

Grand Desert Beach Trail
Grand Desert, Nova Scotia

➡️ Get the AllTrails link here.

Quick facts:

• 1.3 mile meandering loops
• 16 feet elevation gain
• Parking anywhere along the beach
• No Restrooms
• Dogs allowed
• Faces both a marsh & the Chezzetcook Inlet

There isn’t really a “trail” here per se, but a beach and series of gravel roads that you can drive or walk to view the marsh on one side or the inlet on the other side.

We just picked a place to park our car and walked around from there.

We saw lots of birds, wildflowers, and even seals in the water! Absolutely worth a stop if you’re in the area and I imagine it might be great wildlife viewing at dawn and dusk.

West Porters Lake Trail
West Porters Lake, Porters Lake Provincial Park, Nova Scotia

➡️ Get the AllTrails link here.

Quick facts:

• 2.4 mile loop
• 52 feet elevation gain
• Parking & Restrooms at the Porters Lake Provincial Park Campground
• Dogs allowed
• Mix of wooded trails and gravel campground roads
• Lots of picnic tables & lake views!

I’d mostly recommend this trail for those staying at the Porters Lake Provincial Park Campground, which is where we stayed. This trail looped through the campground, so it was super convenient!

We barely saw anyone on the trail and it was perfect to just get up and go right from our campsite in the morning without needing to get in the car.

Camping in Nova Scotia, 30 minutes east of Halifax ⤵️

Porters Lake Provincial Park Campground
West Porters Lake, Nova Scotia

➡️ More about this campground from Visit Nova Scotia.

Quick facts:

• 30min from Halifax
• 2.4 miles of hiking trails
• Dogs allowed
• Central Restroom area with Showers & Flush Toilets
• Composting Toilets throughout campground
• Firewood & Ice for purchase
• Boat Launch
• Small Beach
• Hiking Trails
• 80 partially wooded tent sites (70 unserviced; 10 with water and electrical services; 3 wheelchair accessible sites)

If you plan to visit this area, I highly recommend the Porters Lake Provincial Park Campground – site 53 in particular!

The campground was so beautiful with lots of trees and water views.

We opted to book one of the “walk-in” sites. They were a bit more private and further from the main part of the campground out on a peninsula that was entirely surrounded by Porters Lake.

And while it was technically a “walk-in” site, I purposely chose one that was very close to where you park since our dog Winnie loves to hang out in the car while we camp. The car was only about 15 steps from the car to our tent, so honestly, it felt almost like a regular tent site. But extra private!

If being close to your car is important to you, be sure to look at the map before booking because some walk-in tent sites are lot further from your car. Or you might like that!

Even during Labor Day weekend the campground was not super busy, which was really nice and relaxing. Groups came and went from tent sites around us during the week we stayed, but it was not nearly as busy as I had expected.

We especially loved site 53 because we had an open view to the water with easy access to swim right from our tent site!

I actually walked around to many of the tent sites in the area when they were empty just to confirm we had the most desirable one. And I think we did!

This blog was in paid partnership with Visit Nova Scotia – visit their website for everything you need to know before your trip!

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