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Home to dense forests, rugged terrain, and the world’s highest tides, Fundy National Park is in a place of its own. Its northern area is made up of Canadian highlands and home to plunging waterfalls, deep forests, mountain lakes, and a 3,000-year-old bog. While its southern territory is home to coastal cliffs that dive into the Bay of Fundy. All this beauty, along with the over 100 km of trails, make Fundy National Park a hiker’s paradise and a place everyone should explore.
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| Fishing boats on the ground during low tide at the port in Alma. |
Located on the northern coast of the scenic Bay of Fundy, Fundy National Park is one of Canada’s best national parks. Opened in 1950 it became New Brunswick’s first national park and quickly received fame for the extreme tides of its namesake the Bay of Fundy. The Bay of Fundy has the bragging rights of the highest tides in the world, rising up to 35 feet from its lowest tide. At its lowest point you can actually take a walk on the seafloor.
Need to Know
Location
Fundy National Park is located in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada, just outside the city of Alma. The Visitor Center is 131km (just under 1.5 hours) northeast of Saint John, New Brunswick, although you will drive through the distance of the park during the last 20km to the Visitor Center.
Hours
The park is open to through traffic 24/7, as Route 114 traverses the center of the park. Although the park is open year-around for activities, many of the amenities are seasonal. The Headquarters Visitor Center is open May 20 – October 8 from 8 am – 7:45 pm. The entrance gates, located at each end of the park, are open May 20 – October 31 from 10 am – 6 pm.
Cost
Route 114 passes through the center of the park and if you are just driving through you will not need to purchase a pass. Though if you do plan to stop at an overlook, hike, or picnic you will need to purchase a park pass. This is also the case if you are camping in the park, as the camping fee does not include the park pass.
Daily Fee: 5+, 9+
Adult (18 – 64): 8.50 CAD/6.47 USD
Senior (65+): 7.25 CAD/5.52 USD
Youth (17-): Free
Family: 16.75 CAD/12.75 USD
Season Fee (best if you plane to stay at Fundy for 5-8 days):
Adult (18 – 64): 41.75 CAD/31.77 USD
Senior (65+): 36.75 CAD/27.96 USD
Family: 83.75 CAD/63.73 USD
Parks Canada Discovery Pass (best if you plan to visit national parks across Canada totaling 9+ days):
Adult (18 – 64): 72.25 CAD/54.98 USD
Senior (65+): 61.75 CAD/46.99 USD
Family: 145.25 CAD/110.52 USD
When to Visit
Fundy National Park is open year around, so adventures can be had there at any time of the year. Winter is by far the least visited season of the year and the park will often be covered in snow. During this time the only campground that is open is the Headquarters Campground near the Bay of Fundy, as the climate is more moderate there. The park is popular the rest of the year, from Spring to Fall, by both locals and tourists alike, but the most popular months are during the summer when families have freer schedules.
What to Do
Explore the Ocean Floor
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| View of Alma across the sea bed from the edge of low tide. |
The Bay of Fundy is famous for having the highest tides in the world, but at low tide you can actually walk on the sea floor. The tides in the Bay of Fundy are a spectacular sight to see. Twice a day the tides will lower and rise giving you the chance to see them at both extremes; sometimes up to a 35-foot difference. At low tide the waters recede so far that you can walk far out onto the muddy seafloor and explore the tide pools and seashells. The tide does not rise dangerously fast, but it is fast enough to easily observe. There are Four great places to explore the changing tides in Fundy National Park: Alma Beach (the most popular), Cannontown Beach, Herring Cove Beach, and Point Wolfe Beach. To find out the times for the tides you can either visit the Visitor Center or check out Canada’s tide predictor.
Hike Amazing Trails
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| The moss covered rocks at Dickson Falls makes the whole scene look like a fairy tale. |
Hiking is arguably the most popular activity in Fundy National Park and once your there it is easy to see why. Within the park boundaries there are 38 different trails totaling over 100 km; that’s a lot of trails to enjoy! These trails range anywhere from 100 m to 13 km in length and are almost equally divided into easy, moderate, and difficult trail. With such a diverse array of trails it is easy for anyone to enjoy a hike in the park. The scenery along the trails is nothing but breathtaking and memorable. A hike down the trails will take you to spectacular waterfalls, secluded beaches, mountain lakes, rocky riverbeds, picturesque coastal cliffs, and even a 3,000-year-old bog.
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| The root covered trail of Coastal East. |
With so many trails to choose from it can be hard to choose which ones to do. For an easy trail, I suggest Caribou Plain. It is a 2.1 km loop trail (with two very short side trails to viewpoints) that will take about 1 hour to complete. This trail will allow you to view the 3,000-year-old bog, beaver pond, and forest. For a moderate trail, I suggest Laverty Falls and Dickson Falls. Laverty Falls is 5 km out and back that will take about 2 – 2.5 hours. The trail is mostly downhill out to the waterfall, which is a great place to swim, and uphill back. You can make it into a loop by continuing from the waterfall up Moosehorn (rated difficult and 4.5 km). Dickson Falls is a short 1.5 km loop trail that is half trail and half raised platform which takes about 30 minutes to complete. The stream and waterfall are covered in green moss and look like a scene from a fairy tale. For a difficult trail, I suggest Coastal East. This trail is 3 km one way and takes about 2 hours. It is a great view of the coastal forest and some views from atop the coastal cliffs. The trail ends near the stairway to Herring Cove, or you can tack on more miles by continuing down Coastal West or up Tippen Lot South (but you will eventually have to walk back).
Mountain Biking
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| There are so many great mountain biking trails in Fundy National Park. |
If you are into mountain biking, then Fundy National Park has a lot of trails for you to explore. Whether you are a beginner, advanced, or looking for an easy family ride. there is a trail for you. 15 of the trails in Fundy National Park are also designated for biking and they are equally distributed amongst easy, moderate, and difficult ratings. The majority of the cycling trails are located south of Route 114 from Chignecto Campground and many of these can bee added on to each other for longer and longer loops.
Swimming
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| The heated salt water swimming pool is a great way to relax after a day of adventure. |
Swimming can be a fun activity and Fundy National Park has a few options for you to choose from. The primary option for the park, especially for families with children, is the heated saltwater pool. Located at Cannontown Beach the saltwater pool is open June 24 – September 5 from 11 am – 6:45. It is a great way to sooth your muscles after a day of adventure.
Cost: Adult (18 – 64) – 6.75 CAD/5.14 USD; Senior (65+) – 5.75 CAD/4.38 USD; Youth (3 - 17) – 5.50 CAD/4.19 USD; Family – 19.50 CAD/14.84 USD
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| The pool at the bottom of Laverty Falls is a great place to cool off. |
If you are looking for a swimming opportunity that is free and in nature, then there are a few options for that as well. For lakes, both Bennett Lake and Wolfe Lake have unsupervised beaches that are open for swimming; all other lakes are protected areas and are not open to swim. Rivers can also be a great place to swim, but only when the current is not strong. Below Laverty Falls is a popular place to swim.
Paddle in the Bay of Fundy
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| Herring Cove Beach as the tide begins to recede. |
The Bay of Fundy is a spectacular place to paddle. Cruise around the bay and view the coastal cliffs as they can only be seen from the sea and witness the record-setting tides as it lifts you higher and higher. If you do not have your own equipment there are outfitters in Alma that rent for individual use or guided tours. Within the park equipment can be rented at the Bennett Lake Boathouse as well. If you wish to paddle within the park, both Bennett Lake (from May 20 – September 5) and Wolfe Lake (from August 1 – September 5) are open for paddling.
Play a Round of Golf
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| One of the 9 holes at the Fundy Golf Course. |
For those golfers out there, Fundy National Park also has its own golf course. This 9-hole, par 70 course was designed by Canada’s foremost golf course architect, Stanley Thompson. It has been rated as the best 9-hole course in Canada and plays at a total of 3069 yards from the whites.
Cost (9 Holes): Adult – 20 CAD/15.26 USD; Junior – 11.06 CAD/8.44 USD; Family – 45.53 CAD/34.74 USD
Cost (18 holes): Adult – 35.50 CAD/27.09 USD; Junior – 19.46 CAD/14.85 USD; Family – 68.69 CAD/52.42 USD
Where to Stay
In the Park
If you are wishing to stay within Fundy National Park, then there are several options available ranging from backcountry camping to a private hotel. I highly recommend staying in the park for the experience; plus, the park rangers are just great! Fundy National Park has many ways for you to camp within the park and you can reserve a site on their website.
BackCountry Camping
If you are adventurous and are wanting to get out in the backcountry to camp, there are 8 campsites for you to do so and it costs 10.50 CAD/7.99 USD per night. There are also three rustic cabins that you can hike to (although one is only truly a hike in the winter) for 74.75 CAD/56.88 USD.
Frontcountry Camping
If you want to camp but backpacking isn’t your thing, then Fundy National Park has you covered. There are 5 campgrounds in the national park that have drive-in campsite for either RV or tent camping. Of these campgrounds, 3 are near the Bay of Fundy, 1 is more centrally located in the park, and 1 is in the northwestern area along a lake. All campsites have a picnic table at the site and a toilet/shower house nearby but depending on the campground/site your other amenities will vary. Some sites are full hookups with water, electricity, and sewer (37.75 CAD/28.72 USD per night), some have only water and electricity (34.50 CAD/26.25 USD), and other are unserviced (27.25 CAD/20.74 USD). These sites also differ in having a personal fire stove at the site or group fire-pit nearby.
If you do not have a tent or RV to camp in, Fundy National Park has a few other fun options for you as well. There are 5 yurts (122.50 CAD/93.21 USD), a round tent from the Central Asian Steppes, at the Headquarters Campground. There are also 30 oTENTiks (106.50 CAD/81.04 USD), cabin shaped tents, spread across three different campgrounds. If you are looking for something a little more eccentric, there are also a few Ôasis (128.00 CAD/97.40 USD), a teardrop “duplex,” in two campgrounds. Amenities very but all have furniture, somewhere to cook, and toilet/shower house nearby. You will need to bring your own sleeping bags/blankets and cooking/eating utensils.
Motel/Cabin
If you are wanting to stay in Fundy National Park but want nicer accommodations, then there is Fundy Highlands Motel and Chalets. It is located just above the Visitor Center with a view of the Bay of Fundy.
Outside the Park
If Fundy National Park’s campgrounds are full there are plenty of hotel options in the town of Alma, just outside the park. If you are still hoping to camp then you should look at West River Camping, located just 13km east of Fundy National Park. They have tent and RV sites, as well as glamping and rustic cabins.
How to Get There
There is no public transportation to or from Fundy National Park so you will either need to drive your own car or get a rental.
Plane
Where to fly into when you are traveling to Fundy National Park is highly dependent on what airline you are wanting to take, though the Greater Moncton International Airport (YQM) has a lot of options. Located 89 km (about 1hr 12 min) from the park’s visitor center, this airport services Air Canada, Westjet, Continental, and Lufthansa, as well has several smaller regional airlines. You will also be able to rent a car at the airport. There are also small airports in Saint John and Fredericton.
Driving
From Moncton: It is an easy 89 km (about 1hr 12 min) drive down Route 114 southwest to Fundy National Park.
From Saint John: It is 131km (just under 1.5 hours) drive. Just take Highway 1 east towards Moncton, then take exit 211 for Route 114 south into Fundy National Park.
What was your favorite adventure at Fundy National Park?
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with you complete and total guide I want to visit it now badly. saving for later, it sounds perfect to me
ReplyDeletethe fishing boats and hiking trails/root trails look amazing! would love to visit!
ReplyDeleteIt is an amazing park. I highly recommend visiting when you have the chance.
DeleteFundy National Park sounds intrigued . It has everything that one is looking for in great holiday destination.
ReplyDeleteWe will be in Canada with my beloved fam soon so I saved this so we can visit, thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely visit while you are there. You will love it.
DeleteThat 35 foot difference between high and low tides is so cool.. I know I would love to walk on the sea floor at low tide and that waterfall pic tempts me to go hike alongside it.. Thanks for making me aware of this area of Canada (only visited Victoria /Vancouver/ Niagara so far)
ReplyDeleteIt is a great place to visit. You should make the trip.
DeleteFundy national park looks so beautiful especially the water falls they are so pretty with the mossy rocks.
ReplyDeleteYes, Fundy National Park has some great waterfalls. Well worth a visit.
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