This Cape of Gold, as it translates into English, is named for the particular hue of the incredible sunsets over the water. There has been a lighthouse on this cliff-edged point of land where the Bay of Fundy runs into the Minas Basin since 1922. Today’s lighthouse, built in 1965, is the only lighthouse facility in Nova Scotia with overnight accommodations.
Book an accommodation in a former lightkeeper’s cottage. From there explore the towering cliffs and 4,200 hectare natural environment of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park and the rest of the Glooscap Trail. Enjoy a sunset dinner in the Lightkeeper’s Kitchen Restaurant and later, roast marshmallows over the fire pits.
The rocky beach surrounding the island as well as the hiking and walking trails afford a great view of the awesome tidal rip formed by the world’s highest tides. Keep an eye open for:
- Peregrine falcons
- Seabirds
- Dolphins
- Seals
Cape d’Or offers an incomparable view of Cape Split, the headland separating the Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin, and Ile Haute (High Island), an island about a kilometer long (1.5 miles) and 0.8 kilometer wide (0.5 miles) whose cliffs loom upwards of 100 meters (300 feet).
Cape d’Or Lighthouse is open to visitors from mid-May to mid-October. Learn about the history of the lightkeeping services with a visit to interpretive centre and information services on site.