Cabot Trail Direction
 

Clockwise or counterclockwise auto touring & why?

Counterclockwise...because that's the way we ended up doing it!!!

You may see different views - but either way it is a spectacular drive!

Hi:

We've made the trip four times and have always driven counterclockwise. The AAA TourBook recommended this direction so that you're not driving along the guardrail next to the sheer drop-offs in many places.

Regards.

Hm... Clockwise are you're on the land-side. Counterclockwise, and you're closer to the water.

Anyways, I did it clockwise. I came up from the mainland, and then wanted to stay the night at Sidney. Clockwise makes more sense for my itinerary, so I did it this way.

Hi rkkwan:

Thanks for posting the correction to my driving direction. I'll chalk it up to a "senior moment".

i did both and couldn't really say that one was much better then the other but, the advantage to clockwise is that most of the pull off areas are on the right.

Definitely counter-clockwise starting from Baddeck. For me, it's all about going "Up" Cape Smokey(not "down") & "Up" Kelly's Mountain(not "down"). It's something that I cannot really explain & I have been "around the Trail" a hundred times. It just "feels better" to do it counter-clockwise. When are you going?

This is hard to explain...b/c you are probably thinking "What's all of this "up" & "down" stuff? When you go "up" the mountains then, when you get to the top, you come "down"! I guess what I mean is that the "up" from the counter-clockwise direction is more spectacular than the "up" from the clockwise direction.
This will all make sense when you get there! Trust me! :)

We did it twice, a couple days apart.
First time clockwise, on a cloudy, stormy day (no rain, though). Loved it!
Second time around, counter clockwise, on a bright, sunny day. Loved it!

It was the same road, but the experience was totally different (not because of the direction we were driving, but the weather). No matter how you do it, you will love it.