New Trail - Rogart Mountain

Experienced hikers are always looking for new places to stretch their legs. In Nova Scotia that is becoming easier to do, in part because of the explosion of trail development that has occured over the past decade.

And few places in the province are showing more activity than in northern highlands: Antigonish, Colchester, Cumberland, and Pictou counties. This activity stems largely from interest in building the Cape to Cape Trail, a 400 kilometer footpath, extending from Cape Chignecto in Cumberland County to Cape George in Antigonish County.

Several new trail developments are underway, but one that opened recently is the 6.2 km Rogart Mountain Trail in Earltown, Colchester County. This charming little loop takes you onto the thickly wooded hills of the Cobequid Mountains close to the highest elevation on the mainland, Nuttby Mountain, 360m (1181 ft).

Rogart Mountain is a pleasant, though occasionally challenging, walk up and down the hillside that follows - for some portion of the trail, at least - two small brooks, Leattie and New Portugal. The highlight is the peak of Rogart itself, 1125 ft. high.

Scattered throughout this walk is an interpretive signage program, featuring 17 different stops. These include interesting stories both about the natural world and the cultural history of this now-remote corner of the province. Signage exists on the trail, and a text brochure may be downloaded from a Website.

As an added bonus, the Rogart Mountain trail begins and ends at Sugar Moon Farm, a working sugar maple farm and woodlot. (I admit a certain fondness for hikes where I can relax after I have finished and eat a hearty and tasty meal.)

This trail is built and managed by volunteers under the umbrella of the Cobequid Ecotrail Society. The Rogart Mtn. Loop is the first loop built in Colchester Co and happens to begin and end at Sugar Moon Farm parking lot. The trail will be part of the Cape to Cape Trail from Cape George, Antigonish County to Cape Chignecto, Cumberland County.

One aspect I particularly enjoyed, when I walked the loop in June 2009, was the lush flora of the area. The slopes of Rogart Mountain are thickly wooded, particularly with maple. There are also many varieties of flowering plants, and I was especially pleased to spot a Painted Trillium, the first I had seen in Nova Scotia.

The Rogart Mountain Trail is open year-round, and I am looking forward to snowshoeing this path at the first opportunity.

For more information, check out Cape to Cape Trail.