Off-Grid Mountain Wilderness Resort

Get ready for outdoor adventure, off-grid, in the southern Cape Breton Highlands. Centrally located on Whycocomagh Mountain, you are trailside on groomed snowmobile and 4×4 trails at 270m elevation. Our fully serviced lodge, home to Canada’s 1st 100% off-grid pub and comfortable camping cabins make for the perfect base camp for wild adventures.

Couple snowmobiling in front of Iron Mountain Wilderness Cabin

Exclusive Trailside Off-Grid Wilderness Cabins, centrally located in the Southern Cape Breton Highlands.

Welcome to Iron Mountain Cabins – Exclusive Trailside Off-Grid Wilderness Cabins, located in the Southern Cape Breton Highlands at the centre of the Island.

Head for the Hills!

At Iron Mountain Wilderness Cabins, we invite you to travel up to the top of Whycocomagh Mountain to enjoy time in nature. Our exclusive property affords panoramic mountain views and access to trails. 900 feet above sea level, we at the southern gateway to the Cape Breton Highlands off-road trail network. With access to onsite hiking, ATV, snowmobile, and snowshoe trails you can immerse yourself in the wilderness on an outdoor adventure or simply relax in nature.

Solar Powered Facility

Iron Mountain is 100% off-grid! Our family homestead and wilderness retreat offers 4 insulated, heated, camping cabins that can accommodate up to four people each. They are comfortable, spacious, family and pet friendly. The cabins are heated and have solar lights, a dinette, pro-series BBQ, covered porch, picnic table and fire pit. Shared male/female washrooms and showers are available a short walk away in the main lodge, where we live on-site.

At the Centre of the Island

5km off the TransCanada Highway, we are centrally located on Cape Breton Island just 35 minutes from the Canso Causeway. We are trailside on the SANS 104 Cape Clear Snowmobile Trail where you can travel to Lake Ainslie, Margaree, Mabou, Inverness, Baddeck and more. Explore world class attractions like the Cabot Trail while having handy access to local parks, a grocery store, liquor store, gas station and restaurants.

Off-Grid Camping Cabins

Retreat to the mountainside and spend the night off-grid, in a heated, four-season camping cabin. Our cabins include 1 pillow-top queen bed, 1 set of single bunk beds, a pro series BBQ, fire pit and picnic table outside. We are dog friendly too. This is a perfect place to unwind.

Prices start at: $167 per night


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Enjoy beautiful groomed snowmobile trails for days from our serene mountain top location!

Search for accommodations availability below. If you experience any difficulties please call us to book a cabin: (902) 932-7137. For same day bookings please call to book before 5pm.





What is a camping cabin?

A camping cabin is an alternative accommodation offered by a camping establishment, licensed in the Province of Nova Scotia. Our camping cabins were built in 2019. They are insulated and heated, offering year-round comfort. We have four, open-concept, one-room cabins available currently for short-term rental. Each private cabin has a queen size pillow-top bed, one set of single bunk beds, a table and 4 chairs, a stainless steel food prep table, and solar lighting and a radio. You can cook outdoors on the Pro-Series Weber Grill with side burner (dishes and cookware are not provided – we have a set available for rent if needed). Our off-grid cabins are not serviced with electricity or water. Full service accessible male and female washrooms and showers are located in the main lodge, a short walk from your cabin site. You can wash your dishes and get drinking water at the main lodge. As we have limits on our water and electricity consumption, we encourage guests to bring their own sleeping bags/bedding and towels – or you can add these services to your booking if you prefer us to provide them for you. Make us your comfortable basecamp for outdoor adventure!

About us
Iron Mountain Cabins – Off-Grid Wilderness Accommodations

Owner-operated, off-grid, family homestead and cabins.

We are a 100% off-grid sustainable tourism accommodations and homestead in the Southern Cape Breton Highlands of Nova Scotia. Our trailside mountain location is an ideal basecamp for snowmobilers, ATV riders, hikers, campers and locals alike. Nestled in the hills at 900ft elevation we seek to live close to nature, to be as self-reliant as possible, and to preserve the land and resources here for future generations. We invite outdoor enthusiasts from all walks of life to unplug and reconnect in nature from our comfortable and unique off-grid facility.

Our Location
the Centre of the Island

Our location is pretty much in the centre of the island – from here you can take day trips to anywhere on the island; drive the Cabot Trail; play a round of golf on world class courses; check out heritage museums and interpretive centres; or spend the day exploring the Cape Breton Highlands by ATV, snowmobile, mountain bike or on foot right from your cabin door. We are located half way between the sailing haven of Baddeck, home to Alexander Graham Bell, and the coastal golf mecca of Inverness.

Leave your car parked and hike, bike, or ride your way into the wilderness on two multi-use trails that connect on our mountain property. We are part of the worlds longest recreational trail, The TransCanada Trail, on which you can travel from the sparkling shores of the Bras d’Or, to the warm waters of Nova Scotia’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Ainslie, or down to the unparalleled ocean beaches of Inverness or Mabou.

Whatever your plans for the day,  your quiet off-grid cabin is waiting for you at your return to Iron Mountain Wilderness Cabins. Head for the hills when you are ready to leave the crowds behind and relax in nature.

We are located at 901 Whycocomagh Mountain Rd., Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia. 4.5km north off the TransCanada Highway 105. 40 min from the Canso Causeway near the village of Whycocomagh. When coming from Inverness/Margaree, Google Directions may try to send you up Lewis Mountain Road – Do Not Use This Road – it is impassable for most vehicles.

Getting here – Driving Directions
Up the mountain road to freedom…

Getting here by car

We are 4.25 km off of the TransCanada Hwy 105 in the village of Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia. The mountain road is very much a “back road” – it is a bumpy gravel road with some rough areas and a steep incline. Small cars need to travel the road with caution and at low speeds in sections. In winter, we recommend a 4 wheel drive vehicle and/or good snow tires. Cars can make it up the road in fair conditions, but will struggle in icy or heavy snow conditions.

From the Canso Causeway 

Whycocomagh is approximately 35 minutes by car from the Canso Causeway via the TransCanada Highway 105 heading East towards Baddeck.

Continue on the 105 around the Bay in Whycocomagh, past the Irving/Tim Hortons and Firehall. Turn left on the paved road just before The Bayside Garden Centre, across from the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre.

We are located at civic #901, on the west side of the road past the first blueberry fields (on your left).

From North Sydney

From the Marine Atlantic North Sydney Terminal we are 95km or just over an hours drive; about 30 minutes past Baddeck via Highway 105 West.  On entering Whycocomagh, be on the lookout for the Whycocomagh Mountain Road once you have passed the Provincial Park. Turn right onto the paved road just past The Bayside Garden Centre, across from the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre, to head up the mountain.

We are located at civic #901, on the west side of the road past the first blueberry fields (on your left).

Open Four Seasons
Your basecamp for year-round adventure!





About our Iron Mountain Wilderness Cabins

The Iron Mountain Wilderness Cabins are our own custom designed steel cabins with an integrated porch. We had them prefabricated for us here in Nova Scotia from 60% recycled steel and used a plant based spray foam to insulate them. We are proud of our unique 100% off -grid steel cabins. They have been built to serve our guests for a long time to come in all four seasons and to withstand our backcountry mountain environment while being comfortable, practical and cozy to spend time and rest in. Guests use washroom and shower facilities available close by in the lodge.

We built our cabins with the outdoor lover in mind. Sit back and enjoy the peace found only in the woods. At night, enjoy the night sky and sounds of the forest – free from background noise. Sit out on the covered porch or around a campfire (firewood is available for purchase) and enjoy the serenity of the mountainside. Bring along your hiking boots, mountain bike, snowshoes or other outdoor adventure equipment and head out into the wilderness on the TransCanada Trail.

The cabins have solar lighting and a propane off-grid heater. You can cook on the BBQ outside (propane and BBQ utensils are provided). Drinking water and a dish wash up area is available to guests in the main lodge. The cabins are not serviced with water or electricity. Our spacious male and female washrooms and showers are a short walk from your cabin (40-85 meters).

If you are planning on enjoying the on-site snowmobile or ATV trails, they are accessible right from our facility. We have ample parking available for your trailers.

We also have cookware, bedding and towels available for rent, as well as snowshoes.

We recommend that you bring:

  • Lantern, headlamp or flashlight
  • Camp cookware and dishes
  • A cooler for food and drink (do not leave any food outside!) and water jug
  • Folding chairs for fireside lounging
  • Sturdy shoes, layers of clothing, rain gear, sunscreen & bug deterrent
  • A sense of adventure!

Cabin Size: 16 feet x 21 feet, including the covered porch.

Interior Floor plan: Open concept. Sleeping: 1 Queen pillow-top bed with two pillows and 1 set of bunk beds – 2 twin beds with a pillow each (the top bunk is suitable for people under 130 lbs). All of the 4 mattresses are encased in 2 layers of breathable, waterproof, protective coverings. Simply cover with your favourite sleeping bag and linens. We thank you in advance for covering the beds with your own bedding as soon as you arrive. Need bedding/towels/cookware provided? No problem, you can add these on to your booking.

Each cabin has an off-grid propane heater, 2′ x 2′ stainless steel food prep table, dining table with 4 chairs, mirror, garbage bin, broom and dustpan, and solar powered LED lights. You may wish to bring along a flashlight or headlamp for night time. We have one LED lantern available for each cabin.

Outside: Cook on our premium Weber Genesis II BBQ grill with side gas burner and cooking light. BBQ utensils and propane are included. Relax on our 2 wooden deck chairs. There is also a fire pit and picnic table for hanging out, cooking and eating.

Parking: Available behind your cabin or in the nearby parking lot – its a short distance away.

People & Pets: Nightly rental fees are based on occupancy of up to two adults and two children or one adult and three children. While the cabins can accommodate 4 adults, they are most comfortable for 3 adults or less. We welcome up to 2 dogs per cabin. A $15 pet cleaning fee is applicable.

Off-Grid Camping Cabins

Retreat to the mountainside and spend the night off-grid, in a heated, four-season camping cabin. Our cabins include 1 pillow-top queen bed, 1 set of single bunk beds, a pro series BBQ, fire pit and picnic table outside. We are dog friendly too. This is a perfect place to unwind.

Prices start at: $167 per night

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