Length of stay: 2 days
Visited: September 2022
Fundy National Park is located on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, which is famous for having the highest tidal range in the world. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy the water at high tide and explore the mudflats at low tide. The park also contains camping and a number of hiking trails along the coastline and through the dense forest.
Day 1: Bogs and Beaches
We spent the first two nights of our Atlantic Canada road trip at Kouchibouguac National Park. We woke up bright and early to pack up and headed out just after 8:30a.m. We drove back through Moncton to restock on supplies before heading to Fundy where we planned to spend the next two nights.
On the way to the Chignecto Campground, we stopped to hike the Caribou Plain Trail (2.1km loop, rated easy). The trail was named after the herds of woodland caribou that once lived here until 1907. It contains two loops, the first one is shorter and follows along a boardwalk, while the second is longer and includes the boardwalk, as well as a section through the forest. Naturally we opted for the longer route.
The trail starts out along the boardwalk, meanders through an evergreen forest of spruce and fir to the edge of a raised peat bog. There are two overlooks along the way that provide a better view of the bog. There are also a series of storyboards that provide some fun facts about the history of the forest, including about the forest cycles, the importance of shade for the soil, and about how the acidic peat from the bog has stunted the spruce and larch trees. There was also a particularly sad storyboard about the dangers of the bog, including about how two moose were found trapped in flarks (which are spots where the peat has decomposed and been turned into a slurry, kind of like quicksand). Both were found and pulled out, but only one survived.
Once we wrapped up our hike, we drove to the campground. Our oTENTik was not quite ready though. We saw a sign for a picnic area across the road from the campground and decided to check it out and eat a late lunch. The picnic area was pretty awesome. It was inside a building and had picnic tables, electricity, a sink and fireplace. Everything was super clean and we were the only ones here.
An hour later, we returned to the kiosk to check-in and pick up the keys to our oTENTik, which is a blend between a tent and rustic cabin that can sleep up to six people. It came equipped with beds and a table with chairs. There was no electricity or a BBQ outside though.
After dumping off our stuff, we hit the road again to go for a hike. We settled on Matthews Head Trail (4.5km loop, rated moderate), which is reputed to provide nice views of the rugged shoreline. The trailhead is located off Herring Cove Road. The path winds through open fields and the forest, and follows the coastline of the Bay of Fundy. The trail also passes two sets of the Parks Canada Red Chairs. The path was easy to navigate, but it involved a few steep sections and a heck of a lot of roots and rocks.
We then drove to Herring Cove Beach. There’s a short trail (about a kilometre round trip) from the picnic area, which consists of a series of steps that lead down to the beach. We visited during low tide and were able to walk out on the sandy shore.
The sun was starting to set, so we headed back to our campsite to make dinner.
Day 2: Moss and Seaweed
We spent the morning at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. After eating a late lunch, we hit up a few more trails in the park, starting with Dickson Falls. The trail consists of two loops, a shorter one (1km, rated moderate) and a slightly longer one (1.5km, rated moderate). This time we didn’t have a choice as the longer loop was closed for construction. So the shorter loop it was. The trail contains a series of boardwalks that lead through a forest along Dickson Brook and feature several small cascades and waterfalls.
We then drove to Point Wolfe, the southern edge of the park. We stopped at an overlook of the covered bridge and took a break at the Red Chairs.
We then drove to the Shiphaven Trail (1km round trip, rated easy), which is located just after the Point Wolfe covered bridge. From the parking lot, we crossed the road to reach the trail. We first went to the viewing platform that provides another viewpoint of the covered bridge.
The trail contains a series of boardwalks and provides a nice view of the Point Wolfe River and rugged shoreline.
At the end of the trail, there’s a junction where the path splits off towards the campground and to Wolfe Beach. We followed the path to the beach (0.4km one-way), which was mostly downhill. From the pebbly shoreline we could already see a drastic difference in how much the water had receded from when we started the Shiphaven Trail.
Once we returned to the parking lot, we drove back to our campsite to make dinner and prepare our breakfast for the next morning. We planned to wake up bright and early as we would be packing up and moving onto Prince Edward Island to continue our Atlantic Canada road trip.
L
Your pictures are so beautiful! I’d love to visit the serenity here. I also love how the chairs are scattered about inviting you to take a minute to relax and enjoy the view 🙂
Thanks for your kind words. There’s just something so peaceful about being by the water and surrounded by nature. It’s always fun to try to find all the red chairs that are scattered across the various national parks in Canada. They are usually placed at a nice viewpoint or overlook, so it’s the perfect spot to take a break and soak in the views.
Beautiful maritime scenery Linda. Hiking next to the ocean is always a treat and this area looks gorgeous. We have hiked at New River Beach and stayed up near the end of Fundy at Pocologan. It is amazing to watch the tides come and go there. Happy Tuesday. Allan
For sure. It was fun to explore the shore at low tide, even if our shoes did get a bit mucky afterwards. It’s also incredible to see how high the water typically comes up at high tide along the sandstone cliffs. It’s pretty wild. Thanks for reading. Linda
wow, that coastline is incredible! I love the layers of color of the water and the rocky shore. And anywhere with a covered bridge is a plus in my book. I may keep your pictures up on my screen all day and pretend I’m there instead of at work 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comment. The coastline around the Bay of Fundy is gorgeous with all those sandstone cliffs and red rock pillars. It’s also incredible to see just how much the water changes with the tide. I’m such a fan of covered bridges and they always remind me of New England.
Looks a like a beautiful place to go for a long hike. Thanks for sharing!
We had a wonderful time camping at Fundy National Park and exploring the trails and terrain. It was neat to see how different the shoreline looked at high versus low tide. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
Gorgeous scenery!! I especially love the covered bridge. This is a province I must visit.
I was blown away by how beautiful New Brunswick is, especially along the Bay of Fundy. The shoreline is stunning with all those rugged cliffs. I’m also such a fan of covered bridges and they remind me so much of the New England area. You definitely need to add this to your list of places to visit!
Will do. xo
Amazing and beautiful! ❤️🇨🇦
Canada truly has some stunning scenery. We had a wonderful time exploring the east coast and watching the waves and changes in the tides. Nature at its finest.
You’re lucky to be Canadian. ❤️🇨🇦
Oh I know. It’s amazing how much wilderness we have in Canada.
No BBQ … oh my! But I’m sure you worked your way around that 😉. I love your coastal views on the Matthews Head Trail and the boardwalk along the cascades on your second day makes for a lovely picture. And as always, the views from the red chairs are stunning … I like this road trip!
It was a bit of a bummer that there was no BBQ at this oTENTik, but thankfully we brought our camping stove just in case. The coastline around the Bay of Fundy is spectacular. I’m glad we had such fabulous weather to enjoy the views along Matthews Head Trail. It was a really fun road trip and it was nice to explore more of Canada.
Thanks for all the pics of such a wonderful place. 😊
Thanks for your lovely comment. The Bay of Fundy is such a neat place to explore with its hide tides, sandstone cliffs and sandy beaches. I was in my element with my camera in hand.
Another place has been added to my bucket list. 😁
It just keeps getting longer!
Yes, but the places I check off is slowly getting longer as well. 😉
Good point!! There could be worse problems to have!
It has been a long time since I’ve hiked that area, but your photos brought back a lot of pleasant memories. Beautiful pictures, Linda; looking forward to your next leg.
Thanks for your kind words. I was pleasantly surprised at just how scenic New Brunswick is, especially along the Bay of Fundy. We had a wonderful time exploring the trails and terrain. It was hard to pack up and move on. There just never seems to be enough time to see it all.
No, there’s never enough time. We’re planning a big trip (either next fall or spring 2024, after I’ve retired) up the B.C. coast to Alaska and Yukon and then over to Haida Gwaii. The worst part is figuring out how much time to spend. But, if that’s the worst part then we’re privileged. 🙂
That’s so exciting!! What a fabulous way to celebrate your retirement. I would love to take a road trip to Alaska. I just looked up some pictures of Haida Gwaii and all I can say is WOW. Best of luck with your trip planning! And yes, we are very privileged (and lucky to live somewhere so scenic)!
Thank you very much. I’ve never been to Haida Gwaii (or that far up the B.C. coast), so I’m excited about it!
I’m sure it’ll be a lot of work to plan everything, but it’s always so worth it!
Beautiful scenery once again Linda, this time in Fundy National Park. The caves and sea views are gorgeous and your cabin looked cute from the outside. Without electricity did you use torches to find your way around in the dark? I adore all those red chairs which surprisingly always seem to be unoccupied on your photos but of course you wouldn’t be likely to take photos of them with other people on. Great post!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment. The scenery along the Bay of Fundy is stunning with all those sandstone cliffs. It was also wild to see how much the water levels change during the tides. We thankfully brought a couple of lanterns with us, which we used inside the oTENTik once it got dark outside since there was no electricity inside this one. We found that the Red Chairs were quite popular in Eastern Canada and there were a few instances where I wasn’t able to take pictures of them because they were occupied. The ones along the trail were typically unoccupied though.
This to me is one of most fascinating areas in Canada. Thanks for showcasing these amazing trails and for your gorgeous photos!
Oh I know. I can’t believe I’ve lived in Canada my whole life and that this was the first time I’ve visited New Brunswick. I was pleasantly surprised at the scenery and how wonderful the hiking was at the two national parks that we visited. We definitely need to return to explore more of the province.
A really beautiful hike, and I love the views from the Point.
The hiking in Fundy National Park was fantastic. There’s a nice variety of trails in length and difficulty. It’s too bad we didn’t have enough time to hike them all though! I guess we’ll just have to return.
I have to say you discovered more of New Brunswick than I have in the annual visits I’ve made since 2003. 😂 The parks, trails and beaches look wonderful. Love the OTentik that you two stayed at. You really know how to experience new things.
I enjoyed my time at Hopewell Rock and hope you two did as well.
The Covered Bridges are quite charming. Did you try the Covered Bridge brand chips? They’re very tasty and from the East Coast.
Look forward to your PEI post.
Ha! And we were only in New Brunswick for four days, which wasn’t nearly enough time to fully explore the province. We actually stayed in oTENTiks for our entire eastern Canada road trip as we just travelled from one national park to the next. It sure beat having to set up (and take down) our tent every couple of days. It was especially nice towards the end of our trip when it got a bit cold, windy and rainy outside.
Hopewell Rocks was such a highlight of our time in New Brunswick. We visited at low tide and I really wanted to return again at high tide to see the difference in the water levels, but we didn’t have enough time. I have a feeling we’ll be back though. Besides, we didn’t even try the Covered Bridge brand of chips (I didn’t even know these existed!!).
I’m gonna check out the oTENTiks for sure next time we’re in NB.
Hope you get to visit for a long period next time too!
It’ll be hard to return to our tent after camping in these oTENTiks last summer. They are pretty spacious and comfortable. Some of them even have heaters to take the chill out of the room, which is an added bonus.
Unfortunately weak wifi means I can’t see your photographs but it sounds a great place full of interesting sights
You’ll just have to use your imagination then! It was incredible to see how much the water levels change between low and high tide along the Bay of Fundy. We had a wonderful time exploring the trails and soaking in the views of the coastline.
The scenery looks truly gorgeous and so are the covered bridges, Linda! I love your accommodation for the night, I’ve never heard of OTentik but would love to give it a go. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
We stayed in these oTENTiks for our entire eastern Canada road trip as we were travelling from one national park to the next. It was very convenient, comfortable and cost effective (compared to staying in a hotel). The scenery along the Bay of Fundy was simply stunning. I’m glad we had such beautiful weather to enjoy the views and the trails. Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
🥰🥰🥰
CBC has a show called Race Against the Tide that is filmed there! It’s a cool place!
Oh cool. I’ll have to check that out. The Bay of Fundy is such a fascinating area to watch the changes in the tide.
The Fundy National Park looks so beautiful. I am always in awe at the magnificence of Canada in your photos and stories from your travels as well.
Thanks for your lovely comment. The Canadian wilderness is pretty spectacular and I love how different the scenery is on the east coast compared to the west (and everything in between). We had an amazing time in New Brunswick. The Bay of Fundy is such an iconic place to watch the changes in the tide.
Thanks for the tour of Fundy National Park. I’d like to visit one day and try some of the trails. The one by the brook stood out to me. Is there any danger hiking on the beach rom the large tides?
New Brunswick, and the east coast of Canada in general, is super scenic and very charming. The people are also very friendly. The Bay of Fundy is such a neat spot to watch the extreme tides. There is definitely a risk to being out on the beach in some areas when the tide starts to come in. The beach we visited at Herring Cove was pretty small, so it didn’t pose as big of a danger.
Such a beautiful and varied place to explore. I have a soft spot for covered bridges having seen some in the US and in China, this one looks equally scenic and charming. I am guessing that having no electricity wasn’t a major issue for you two since you are used to that kind os setup in your own cottage. Looking forward to your articles about Prince Edward Island.
I’m such a fan of covered bridges as well. They look very charming and I love how each one is unique. The oTENTik we stayed in at Fundy National Park didn’t have electricity, but we came prepared with lanterns, so it wasn’t a big deal. It would have been nice if it had a BBQ, but we had a camping stove to boil water and cook our food on.
Such awesome trip and stunning photography 🌷🙏👍🏻 The places all rich in flora and fauna !!
Beautiful steps to go up,nice cottage, the lovely waterfall are all gorgeous 👍🏻😊👏
Incredible places for hiking and glorious sceneries ✌🏼🎉thank for sharing dear friend 🌷🙏♥️🌷
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. The scenery around the Bay of Funy is spectacular, which makes for some excellent hiking and adventures.
The covered bridge looks so precarious! But I imagine it is a historic structure, there for many years.
It definitely does, especially from the one angle at the lookout from the Shiphaven Trail. The covered bridge is still functional and is currently maintained by Parks Canada. We actually drove across it a couple of times.
Great photos 🙂
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. It helped that we had such pleasant weather, which always makes it easier to explore the trails and terrain.
Peaceful Indeed ! Connecting with nature is something else. You get a chance to know yourself better.
I couldn’t agree more. Spending time in nature is a great way to get perspective and is so important for our well-being.
This is pretty much the exact same trip my family and I did back on 2013! We stayed at Chignecto and hiked all of the same trails you did. How funny! Thanks for the trip down memory lane 🙂
What a great spot to take a family trip. Glad to hear that we hit up the highlights then!
It’s a beautiful place
For sure. I was pleasantly surprised at how scenic New Brunswick is. We had a wonderful time along the Bay of Fundy and watching the change in the tides and exploring the trails.
Nice article and pictures
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. It was neat watching the change in the extreme tides at the Bay of Fundy. Plus the hiking was pretty incredible.
Love the cabin tent thing …..it’s cute😌
The oTENTik made camping a very comfortable and luxurious experience. It sure beat travelling with our tent and having to set it up and take it down every couple of days. We stayed in these structures for our entire time out east. It was a real treat.
You didn’t post the typical Rockwell rocks pictures. Did you not go by those huge rocks? Where were you is gorgeous. The colours in that one photo are outstanding. Love the red chairs. Just a great reminder to soak in this fabulous country of ours.
I figured Hopewell Rocks deserved its own dedicated post to capture the beauty of those stunning sea stacks. It’s incredible how there are even plants growing from a few of them. We certainly have a scenic country!
These photos are magnificent 😊😍. I love the views. They’re so peaceful. I am itching to get out and take photos again with Matt. We have been getting a lot of rain though, so all of the places we would go would be really muddy. Knowing me, I’d slip and drop the camera. Lol 🤣 another otentik!!! I can’t get over them lol . They’re so cool
I’m glad you got to enjoy it and enjoy clean facilities, too. That’s always a major bonus
Thanks for your kind words. The coastline along the Bay of Fundy is gorgeous. I know what you mean about the weather. It’s never fun to hike in the rain or when the trails are sodden and muddy. We stayed in these oTENTiks for our entire road trip through the Maritimes and just moved from one national park the next. It was actually cheaper than booking a hotel room.
That’s so cool ! If Matt and I ever travel that way, we’ll have to look into those otentiks. 😀🤔 It’s nice when you can save money when traveling so getting those was clever on your part
If you’re still thinking about ideas of where to go for your honeymoon, the Maritimes might actually be a good option! I highly recommend staying in the oTENTiks. It’s a nice way to camp in style and still enjoy some modern amenities.
It’s actually crazy but Matt was mentioning our honeymoon. He was mentioning going to the Canada side of Niagara Falls and staying somewhere there and maybe visiting Vancouver, too. I would be up to that. His thought was about going in the beginning of fall when the leaves are changing. I bet it would be so beautiful ❤️. I mentioned you ! Haha . I said if we do go to Canada we need to message my Canadian friend, Linda and meet up. It’s so tough to choose a honeymoon destination because there are so many places we want to go
Both sound like great options. We visited Vancouver last spring and had a wonderful time. The coastal rainforests are gorgeous. I would also highly recommend visiting Niagara Falls in the beginning of fall as the fall colours here are outstanding. And yes, we could totally meet up if you decide to come to Ontario! I’m happy to give suggestions depending on how much time you’d plan on staying for.
Awesome!!! Aw Ontario!!! Did you guys get any snow yet, like a good amount ? We only got a little bit this winter. It’s weird. We are mostly getting rain. Matt was saying something about that . He wanted to go to Niagara falls in the beginning of fall. I’m so pumped thinking about it all. Thank you, Linda 💗
We had a couple of snowfalls this winter, but it’s been much warmer than usual. We have a bit on the ground now, but not nearly as much as we normally have for this time of the year. It’s definitely been a weird winter with the weather and we’ve had a lot of rain too. We’re hoping to go cross-country skiing in a couple of weeks, so fingers crossed we’ll get some more snow soon.
I will cross my fingers for you girl! I hope you guys get to enjoy skiing. My one client’s teacher loves to ski. I haven’t tried it. I do live snow tubing though ☺️😊
Thanks! We’re planning on going cross-country this weekend. We might as well take advantage of all this fresh snow from the snowstorm earlier this week. I haven’t tried snow tubing, but it sounds like it would be super fun!
It is !! I highly recommend it!! Oooh!! You will be capturing some beautiful snow shots. I bet your photos will be awesome. I love when the sun shines on it and it sparkles. I can’t wait to see them
Wonderful scenery, your post with descriptions and photos capture the experience so well. I’m looking forward to catching up with more of your wanderings!
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. It was so nice to finally explore the east coast of Canada. Seeing the extreme changes in the tide at the Bay of Fundy was such a memorable experience.
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. The scenery along the east coast of Canada is stunning. It was also neat to see the extreme tides along the Bay of Fundy. It was such a memorable experience as part of our road trip through the Maritimes.