Little Harbour: Park, Coast and Cycling Routes

Little Harbour combines a long tradition of coastal fishing with a strong focus on nature. Owls Head Provincial Park and two cycling routes offer practical starting points for planning your trip. When choosing where to stay, you can consider whether the protected area, the community’s history or the routes’ destinations matter most to you.

Owls Head Provincial Park

On June 14, 2022, Owls Head Provincial Park was designated on approximately 266 hectares (659 acres) of Crown land. The park is home to the Piping Plover and the Barn Swallow, two endangered species. The park area and these two bird species give Little Harbour’s nature theme a specific point of reference. For travellers who take landscapes and protected areas into account when choosing where to stay, this clearly identified area and its resident species go hand in hand.

The Coastal Landscape of the 100 Wild Islands

Little Harbour is at the entrance to the 100 Wild Islands protected area. The 100 Wild Islands are a remote, largely untouched group of islands and headlands, with more than 7,000 acres of diverse, ecologically valuable coastal habitats. The combination of islands, headlands and coastal habitats extends the area’s nature appeal beyond the park and gives the coastal landscape a focus of its own. The park was designated on approximately 659 acres of Crown land; the 100 Wild Islands encompass more than 7,000 acres of diverse coastal habitats.

Fishing History and Getting There

Coastal fishing has been part of Little Harbour’s history for many generations. This tradition complements the protected areas and cycling routes with a historical connection to the coast. If you are interested in the character of a coastal community, it is another aspect to consider when deciding whether to visit Little Harbour.

Little Harbour is accessible via a side road from Owls Head. When planning your trip, you can consider getting to the community separately from choosing a cycling route. Route length, surface and destination are the main factors in choosing a route; the two routes described here differ in these respects.

Cycling Routes to Different Destinations

The Clam Harbour Loop follows a four-kilometre paved route along Little Harbour Road to a public wharf and a small fishing community. A second route is two kilometres long and gravel-surfaced. It runs from Little Harbour Road along Southwest Cove Road to a boat launch and a viewpoint. Your options therefore differ not only in length, but also in destination: the paved route leads to a wharf and fishing community, while the gravel route leads to a boat launch and viewpoint.

Check road conditions and facilities before setting out. For the gravel route, you should also confirm access to the boat launch in advance.

Discover more destinations: Wellington, Eastern Passage, Head Of Jeddore, Port Dufferin, Musquodoboit Harbour, Sambro, Lower Sackville, Three Fathom Harbour

For the broader travel overview: Halifax County.