Off-Grid Eco Friendly Wilderness Cabins & Lodge in the heart of Cape Breton Island
Off-Grid Camping Cabins on Cape Breton Island
Retreat to the mountainside and spend the night off-grid, in a heated, four-season camping cabin. Pillow-top queen bed, one set of single bunk beds, with a fire pit and picnic table. We are dog friendly too. This is a perfect place to unwind.
- Guests: 4
- View: Mountainside
- Bed Type: Queen + 2 single bunk beds
- Categories: Cabins
- Amenities: Deck Chairs, Dining Table for Four, Fire Pit, Off-grid Propane Heater, Picnic Table, Pro Series Weber BBQ with Side Burner, Shared Washrooms and Showers (in Main Lodge), Solar Lights and Radio, Stainless Steel Food Prep Table
Prices start at: $167 per night
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 well insulated and heated, offering year-round comfort. The open-concept, one-room cabins have a queen size pillowtop bed, a set of single bunks, table and chairs for 4, a food prep table, and solar lighting. 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. 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!
Outdoor Adventure Packages for Winter & Spring 2022
& Lodge
Owner operated, family business – “Where the sun keeps our beer cold!”
We are a 100% off-grid sustainable tourism accommodations and lodge in the Southern Cape Breton Highlands of Nova Scotia. Home to Canada’s first off-grid pub, our trailside mountain location is a haven for snowmobilers, atv riders, hikers, campers and locals alike. Nestled in the hills in the Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Reserve we embrace the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere challenge to balance human needs and benefits with the ecological systems that sustain us and the Bras d’Or Lakes watershed. We invite outdoor enthusiasts to unplug and reconnect in nature from our comfortable and unique eco-friendly facility. We are also a venue for live music, special events and workshops. Jess and Grant are your friendly hosts.
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 200 acre mountain property. On the worlds longest recreational trail, The TransCanada Trail, 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 by off-road trail.
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 recharge your batteries and leave the crowds behind!
If you are eager to share your adventures with others – gather round in Canada’s 1st 100% off-grid pub and restaurant (opening in 2022, we hope!) at Iron Mountain Lodge! With 4 premium craft beer from Unfiltered Brewing in Halifax and a sweet selection of fine Scotch, Gin, Rum, Bourbon, and Vodka – cocktail hour in the Lodge is the perfect way to wind down after a days adventure. We also offer organic free trade coffee, tea, fruit juice and soft drinks.
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.
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” – 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 Charlene’s Cafe/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 Charlene’s Cafe/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).
Click here for more detailed travel information, including winter road conditions.
Home to Canada’s 1st 100% off-grid pub!
The Lodge is currently only accessible to registered guests.
Welcome to Iron Mountain Lodge, where the sun keeps our beer cold! It is the heart of our off-grid facility and is a social space for all ages. With wonderful views across the Bras d’Or Lakes down Denys Basin, you can see all the way to mainland Nova Scotia, and five different counties from up here on a clear day.
For guests, this is where you check-in, enjoy the fireside licensed bar and lounge, access water and the dish washing station, as well as the male and female accessible washrooms and showers. You can also rent snowshoes at the Lodge, and is the meeting place for tours and workshops.
Our facility is a unique and inspiring space for special gatherings, ceremonies, private events or workshops. Please contact us to inquire about renting the lodge for these purposes!
We host special events throughout the year – including live music performances, ATV and snowmobile BBQs and rallies, private parties, concerts, courses, workshops and more.
About our Iron Mountain Wilderness Cabins
We designed our eco-friendly camping cabins ourselves and had them fabricated in Nova Scotia from recycled steel. They have been engineered to serve our guests for many decades to come and withstand the wind and snow we receive at our mountaintop location.
We built our cabins with the outdoor lover in mind. Sit back and enjoy the absolute peace found only in the woods. At night, enjoy the night sky and sounds of the forest – free from environmental 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 for adventure!
The cabins have solar lighting and a propane off-grid heater. You can cook on the BBQ outside (propane provided). Bring along your favourite camping cooking gear and a cooler. Water and a dish wash up area is available in the main lodge. The cabins are not serviced with water or electricity. Our spacious new male and female washrooms and showers are a short walk from your cabin (40-85 meters).
If you are planning on enjoying the snowmobile or ATV trails, they are accessible right from our facility. We have ample parking available for your trailers.
We also have bedding and towels available for rent, as well as snowshoes.
Cabin Availability Calendar
