Dalhousie Mountain Trail

Distance: 10 km

Due to a few navigational challenges on the Dalhousie Mountain Trail, walkers are advised to use the following directions with caution. The pathway is fairly well-defined, but navigation is complicated by intersections with other roads and trails; however, most of these intersections are marked with Cape to Cape Trail signs and directional arrows.

From the access point on the Glen Road the trail follows the Old Dalhousie Mountain Road that is shaded by trees for the first few kilometres. Then near the top of the mountain it is more exposed. At one point on the trail where the old road is boggy and flooded with water, there is a short detour off the road through the trees.

At the top of the mountain the trail intersects with a service road that is part of the Dalhousie Mountain Wind Farm. As you walk along this service road in a northerly direction, you will see Wind Generator #43 up on the bank to your left. Walk about 100 metres on the service road until the trail intersects again with the Old Dalhousie Road that leads to the Willis Cemetery and Millsville. This intersection is marked with a red directional arrow on a wooden pole.

Since these directions are intended only to serve as a general guide, walkers should be prepared with the necessary navigational aides.

Trail Access Points: Glen Road (N45 33.697 W63 00.272)  and Willis Cemetery (N45 36.066 W62 56.966)

Directions to the Glen Road from Exit 18A (and Exit 19) on Highway 104: From Exit 18A, travel East on Highway 4 (i.e. towards New Glasgow) about 5 km to the Glen Road turn-off. From Exit 19 travel West on Highway 4 (i.e. towards Truro) about 10 km to the Glen Road turn-off. Then, on the Glen Road, travel about 5 km until coming to the trail access point where there is a sign (on the right side of the road) with the Cape to Cape Trail logo. There is room for parking on the other side of the road at the entrance to a gravel pit.

Direction to the Willis Cemetery (via Millsville) from Exit 19 on Highway 104: From Exit 19, travel East on Highway 4; i.e. towards New Glasgow. After travelling about 5 km on Highway 4, turn to the left onto Highway 376 towards Pictou. Travel about 5 km on Highway 376 to the centre of Durham village where there is a paved road between Durham and Scotsburn called the Durham Road. From Highway 376 in Durham, turn to the left onto the Durham Road towards Scotsburn. After travelling 3.5 km on the Durham Road, turn to the left onto the Millsville Road and  travel 6 km to the community of Millsville.  At the end of the pavement turn left onto the Porter Road and travel about 2 km to the turn-off to the Willis Cemetery.

Since the road to the Willis Cemetery is not a listed road, there isn't a proper road sign other than one presumably  erected by "friends of the cemetery".

From the Porter Road turn-off to the Willis Cemetery, the access point to the Dalhousie Mountain Trail is about  2 km up the hill at a road junction where there is a sign with the Cape to Cape Trail logo. The Willis Cemetery is just around the corner to left on the road to the Six Mile Brook Trail.

Take note that the road to the Willis Cemetery (beginning at the turn-off from the Porter Road) is not a listed road and, as such, it is not regularly maintained by the N. S. Department of Transportation. While it is often possible to drive a highway vehicle on this road, it isn't usually possible to do so during the winter months.