Ben Eoin Provincial Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben Eoin Provincial Park |
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Ben Eoin Provincial Park
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| Type | Provincial Park |
| Location | Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Nearest town | Ben Eoin |
| Area | 90.16 hectares (222.8 acres) |
| Created | February 11, 1975 |
| Operated by | Parks and Recreation Division, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources |
| Visitors | Unknown, but fairly well used |
| Open | dawn to dusk, from May 15 to October 12 |
| Status | Designated; Operational |
| Hiking trails | Ben Eoin Trail |
| Website | Ben Eoin Provincial Park |
Ben Eoin Provincial Park is a quiet park located in Ben Eoin, Nova Scotia. It's on Cape Breton Island, right by the East Bay of the Bras d'Or Lake. This park is perfect for picnics and hiking. It used to be an old farm, surrounded by beautiful hardwood trees. The park covers about 90 hectares (225 acres) of wooded land.
You'll find open grassy areas with picnic tables. There are also washrooms and places to dispose of hot coals. The park was officially created on February 11, 1975.
Ben Eoin Provincial Park is one of the few public parks near the Bras d'Or Lake. It's also a short drive from the main towns of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Many people visit the park, and school groups use it too. A large part of the park is undeveloped. This helps protect local nature and provides homes for rare plants.
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When to Visit Ben Eoin Park
The park is open for day use from May 15 to October 12. You can visit from sunrise to sunset. There is no charge to use the park or its facilities. The park's address is 5549 East Bay Highway (Route 4), Ben Eoin, NS.
Explore the Ben Eoin Trail
The Ben Eoin Trail is a great path for hikers. It starts right at the Ben Eoin Provincial Picnic Park. Look for a sign that shows where the trail begins. This trail is about 1.7 kilometers (1.1 miles) long, going there and back.
The trail climbs steadily uphill through a forest of large, old Birch and Beech trees. It leads to a clear lookout point on a ridge of the East Bay Hills. From here, you get an amazing view of the East Bay of the Bras d'Or Lake, which is about 165 meters (541 feet) below.
Helping the Forest Grow Stronger
Many provincial parks in Nova Scotia were once farms or fields. Over time, white spruce trees grew there. These trees are now getting old or are being attacked by insects. To help the park's forest, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources is using special methods.
They remove some of the old white spruce trees. This helps the soil and allows new plants to grow. Later, different kinds of trees and plants that naturally belong in the area will be planted. This will help create a new, healthy forest.
Ben Eoin Provincial Park is a good example of this work. In the winter of 2008-2009, some trees were removed in parts of the park. Visitors will notice these changes. New plants will start to grow soon, but it will take many years for the forest to become fully grown again. What was once an old field, then a forest of dying trees, will become a thriving forest once more.
Studying Bats in Cape Breton
In 2013, scientists studied bat activity in eastern Cape Breton, including Ben Eoin Provincial Park. They used special devices called ultrasonic detectors. These devices can hear the high-pitched sounds that bats make when they fly.
The goal was to learn more about bats in Cape Breton. They wanted to know which types of bats live there and when they are most active. They also hoped to learn more about a disease called white nose syndrome, which affects bats.
The detectors recorded how many times a bat flew past the microphone. They recorded at night when bats are usually feeding. Three detectors were set up in Ben Eoin Provincial Park. Two worked from July to October 2013, and one worked in July and August.
At least two types of bats were found: the little brown bat and the northern long-eared bat. Over 5,754 bat detections were recorded in Ben Eoin Provincial Park during the study. The busiest months for bats were August and September.
Images for kids
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Along the Ben Eoin Trail
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Along the Ben Eoin Trail
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Along the Ben Eoin Trail
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Along the Ben Eoin Trail
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Along the Ben Eoin Trail
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Along the Ben Eoin Trail
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Along the Ben Eoin Trail
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Ben Eoin Provincial Park Panorama: View from the top of the Ben Eoin Trail
