Taylor Head Provincial Park

Last updated: July 26, 2026. Trail conditions, park advisories and weather can change quickly on the Eastern Shore. Verify current details before hiking.

Taylor Head Provincial Park is one of Nova Scotia’s best coastal hiking areas, with interconnected trails, beaches, barrens and exposed shoreline. The preserved route summary below keeps Jim’s recorded trip information, photos, Garmin reference and map content intact.

Current Planning Notes

Nova Scotia Parks describes about 14 km of interconnected trails and 16 km of coastline at Taylor Head.
Wear sturdy footwear, bring layers and tell someone where you are going before taking the longer headland routes.
Dogs should be leashed and garbage packed out.

Current References

From the Nova Scotia Hiking Trail Guide

Guide category: Water Trails
Length: 8 km (return)
Difficulty: 2D
Duration: 4 hours
Book trailhead: N44 48.442 W62 33.722

Litter Receptacle

Pets on leash / Dog friendly

Trailhead

Parking

Excellent location to enjoy the rugged, unspoiled Eastern Shore.

T aylor Head Provincial Park is worth the drive along the Eastern Shore. Not only is there a great beach, there’s a series of shoreline trails ranging from easy to difficult. Combining the Spry Bay & Headland trails will get you the most out of the rugged conditions and backcountry scenery. The park is a natural habitat to all kinds of wildlife visible along the trails. The nonprofit society Friends of Taylor Head offers a number of free events during the year that are especially popular with bird watchers. The gates to the park are open much later than other Provincial Parks for some great late fall hiking trips. Parking is available near the trailhead when the park gates are open. Watch this trail on YouTube.

Trip Summary

Trip Stats

4.4km

Distance

2.7mi

Distance

1h 51m

Total time

2.3km/h

Avg speed (incl. stops)

2.3km/h

Moving speed

286m

Elevation gain

282m

Elevation loss

24m

Highest point

Elevation Profile

Terrain & Pace Summary

Steep Hike

A demanding climb with 286 m of elevation gain over 4.4 km (66 m/km). Expect sustained ascent and a real workout.

Leisurely Walk

Easy 2.3 km/h pace — plenty of time to take in the surroundings.

Trails Near This Route

🧭️ Trails from avoidingchores.com within 10 km of the trailhead, sorted nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the trailhead.

7.9 km trail · 0.0 km away

Taylor Head – Headland Trails and Spry Bay Loop

Taylor Head Provincial Park is a natural environment park occupying a rugged wind-swept peninsula jutting six and a half kilometres(4 miles) into the…

Trailhead map · Watch on YouTube

4.37 km trail · 0.0 km away

Taylor Head – Spry Bay Trail Loop

From the main parking lot, We started by following the Beach trail which eventually hooked up with the Spry Bay Trail. We did it clockwise, although…

Trailhead map · Watch on YouTube

Nearby Trails

🗺️ The links below open trail maps centred on the trailhead. Always cross-reference with a local club or land manager before riding an unfamiliar trail.

Gaia GPS

Browse trails on Gaia GPS

Opens Gaia GPS topo map centred on the trailhead. Shows recorded routes, public land layers, and trail overlays. Free account required to save routes.

Open Gaia GPS

AllTrails

Explore on AllTrails

Searches AllTrails for trails near this location. Useful for reviews, photos, and difficulty ratings.

Open AllTrails

Trail Access & Pass Information

⚠️ Trail pass and gate information changes seasonally. The notes below are based on publicly available information at time of generation — verify before you go.

Check your provincial / state OHV registration requirements before riding.
Verify gate and seasonal-closure status with a local ATV club or land manager.
Some trail networks require a separate trail pass — confirm with the local OHV association.