New Brunswick: Fundy National Park & Coastal Trails Hike

Start: Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM), 10:00, day one.

Finish: Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM), 16:00, day eight.

Meal inclusions: Listed for guided trips only, please see dates & pricing section for accurate inclusions per support level.

Please contact us to arrange alternate meeting and departure plans, if necessary.

1

DAY 1:

Visit Hopewell Rocks; transfer to Alma.

Meet in Moncton and travel to Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, where the extraordinary tidal range of the Bay of Fundy has sculpted more than twenty free-standing sea stacks along the shoreline. Depending on the tide, walk across the ocean floor beneath the formations or view them from above before continuing to Alma, a small fishing village at the entrance to Fundy National Park. Over the coming days, the tides become a recurring presence: nowhere is this more apparent than at Alma’s working wharf, where fishing boats can be floating alongside the dock one moment and resting on the harbour floor several hours later.

Meal Inclusions: Dinner.

Captain's Inn, or Alma Shore Lane, Alma.

2

DAY 2:

Hike Moosehorn and Laverty Falls Loop ~7km (+200m / -200m).

Today turns inland, away from the Fundy shore and into the densely forested interior of the national park. Linking the Moosehorn and Laverty Falls trails, the route descends steadily into the river valley before reaching Laverty Falls, then regains the elevation on the return to the trailhead. The short distance belies a fairly substantial change in elevation and provides an excellent introduction to Fundy’s rougher inland terrain. Later, there may be time for the easy M’pisun Awti’j Medicine Trail, whose interpretive exhibits share Mi’gmaq knowledge of medicinal plants found around MacLaren Pond.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch.

Same lodging.

3

DAY 3:

Hike Point Wolfe to Alma via the Coastal Trail ~12km (+380m / -420m).

Point Wolfe was once the principal settlement in this part of Fundy, centered on a busy sawmill at the mouth of the river; today, forest has reclaimed much of the surrounding landscape. From here, the Coastal Trail threads east through spruce and fir forest, repeatedly rising over wooded headlands and dropping towards sheltered coves, with intermittent glimpses of the Bay of Fundy between longer stretches beneath the canopy. Traces of former roads, settlements and industry add another layer to the landscape before the trail passes the Herring Cove area and descends into Alma, bringing you directly back to your inn.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Same lodging.

4

DAY 4:

Hike The Forks and Upper Salmon River to Alma ~12km (+130m / -470m).

High on the Fundy plateau, the day begins amid the park’s inland forests before committing to a long descent towards the sea. The Forks Trail follows wooded valleys and stream corridors through increasingly incised terrain, eventually joining the Upper Salmon River Trail for the final approach to Alma. With considerably more descent than climbing, the walk feels less like a conventional loop and more like a journey through the park, ending once again at the door of your inn. The evening is left for Alma: wander to the wharf or tidal flats, and, on a clear night, take advantage of Fundy National Park’s exceptionally dark skies.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch.

Same lodging.

5

DAY 5:

Hike Walton Glen Gorge ~5km (+180m / -180m); transfer to St. Martins.

A change of both landscape and character comes today as you leave Alma and continue west into Fundy Trail Provincial Park. At Walton Glen Gorge, the route first affords views into the steep-sided canyon before descending towards the Eye of the Needle, then climbing back to the plateau. From here, continue along the Fundy coast to St. Martins, once one of New Brunswick’s important wooden shipbuilding centres. Its harbour, covered bridges and red sandstone shoreline make an immediate contrast with Alma, and, tide permitting, there may be time to explore the sea caves or delve further into the village’s maritime past.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Beach Street Inn, St. Martins.

6

DAY 6:

Explore St. Martins; optional sea kayaking.

Discover St. Martins on foot, following historic streets past former sea captains’ houses to the harbour and covered bridges. An interpretive tour at the Quaco Museum introduces the village’s shipbuilding and maritime history, with time afterwards to browse local galleries or visit the sea caves when tides allow safe access. For a different view of the red sandstone coastline, join an optional guided sea kayaking excursion with Bay of Fundy Adventures, booked in advance and subject to tides and weather.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast.

Same lodging.

7

DAY 7:

Hike Big Salmon River to Seely Beach via Long Beach ~8km (+290m / -170m).

Big Salmon River appears remarkably wild today, but the quiet valley once supported a community complete with a sawmill, school, churches, homes and an inn. After discovering something of that history, set out towards the coast and onto a section of the Fundy Footpath, one of New Brunswick’s best-known wilderness trails. The route undulates through coastal forest towards Long Beach and Seely Beach, alternating short climbs with descents to secluded stretches of shoreline and increasingly open views across the bay.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Same lodging.

All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.

SELECT A DATE BELOW TO RESERVE:

TBA

All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.

BEST TIMES

The best time to enjoy our Fundy National Park & Coastal Trails Hike is mid-June to late September.

• Spring, by mid-June, daytime temperatures are generally around 15 to 20 °C (60 to 70 °F). Days are long and conditions are often comfortable for cycling, although some seasonal businesses may still be operating on reduced hours until late June.
• Summer, late June to early September, is the warmest time of year, with daytime temperatures generally around 20 to 25 °C (70 to 80 °F). Coastal breezes can keep temperatures cooler near the Gulf, and July and August offer the best conditions for swimming.
• Autumn, September brings cooler daytime temperatures, generally around 15 to 20 °C (60 to 70 °F), with increasingly cool evenings and mornings. Early autumn colours may begin to appear toward the end of the month.

GET TO THE START

If you fly: The most convenient airport is Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM). As the tour begins at 10:00 on day one, we recommend arriving in Moncton the previous day. We will meet at the airport on the morning of day one before travelling to Hopewell Rocks and onward to Alma.

Alternatively, you can fly into Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) and travel to Moncton by Maritime Bus. Service operates to both Halifax and Moncton airports; schedules vary, and tickets should be purchased in advance.

If you drive: Meet the group at Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport on the morning of day one. Long-term parking is available directly at the airport, and the tour returns to the same location.

AFTER THE FINISH

After the final hike in the Big Salmon River valley, transfer back to Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport. We expect to arrive at approximately 16:00 on day seven. If flying home that evening, please choose a later departure to allow sufficient time for check-in.

BEFORE AND AFTER

We recommend arriving in Moncton at least one day before the tour. Downtown Moncton has a good selection of restaurants and accommodations and is approximately 10 minutes by taxi from the airport.
Recommended Hotels:

• Canvas Moncton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton: Modern downtown hotel within easy walking distance of restaurants and the riverfront.
• Chateau Moncton Hotel & Suites: Comfortable riverfront hotel beside the Petitcodiac River and Riverfront Trail.
• Hôtel Saint James: Small boutique hotel in the centre of downtown, close to restaurants and the Capitol Theatre.

Things to Do in Moncton:

If you have a few hours, walk along the Petitcodiac River through Riverfront Park and check the daily tidal bore schedule. Twice each day, the incoming Fundy tide pushes against the river’s flow, sending a visible wave upstream and rapidly transforming the broad, muddy river channel. Bore Park, just off Main Street, is the most convenient viewing point.

The Moncton Market is worth visiting on a Saturday morning for local food and produce. With more time, explore the city’s restaurants, galleries and cultural venues, or simply enjoy a quieter day before the hiking begins.

If you have an extra day:

For something different from the landscapes visited on the tour, travel east towards Shediac and the Northumberland Strait, where seafood, Acadian culture and sandy beaches replace Fundy’s cliffs and enormous tides. Alternatively, head to Sackville, where the Waterfowl Park has 3.5 km of boardwalks and trails through an extensive wetland and is particularly worthwhile for birdwatchers.

After Your New Brunswick Fundy Hike:

The tour returns to Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport at approximately 16:00 on day seven. You may depart that evening if your flight allows sufficient time, or spend another night in Moncton before continuing your travels.

MORE READING

The Bay of Fundy is best known for having the highest tides in the world, but the landscape they have created extends well beyond the shoreline. Twice each day, an immense volume of water enters and leaves the bay, exposing broad tidal flats, surrounding sea stacks with water and then leaving them standing high above the ocean floor. At Hopewell Rocks this transformation is readily visible, while in Alma and St. Martins working fishing boats rise and fall with the tide. Over the course of the week, you will encounter Fundy from beaches, headlands, river valleys and the forested plateau above the sea.

Fundy National Park protects a remarkably varied section of this landscape. The Fundy coast rises quickly into an interior of Acadian forest, clear streams, waterfalls and deeply cut river valleys, allowing a day's walk to feel far removed from the ocean even when the Bay of Fundy is only a few kilometres away. The park lies within the traditional territory of the Mi'gmaq, whose relationship with this landscape long predates European settlement. Today, Fundy is also the core of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a designated Dark-Sky Preserve.

The forest that now appears so continuous conceals another story. European settlement in what is now Fundy National Park began in earnest during the nineteenth century, when its immense timber resources attracted logging, sawmilling, fishing and shipbuilding. Point Wolfe became the principal community, with a busy sawmill operating at the mouth of the river. Farms, roads and small settlements spread inland, but many proved difficult to sustain on the thin soils of the Fundy highlands. Forest has since reclaimed much of this landscape, although old roads, foundations and other fragments survive along the trails.

Farther west, Fundy Trail Provincial Park preserves another long stretch of forested coastline, deep ravines and beaches linked by the Fundy Footpath. Big Salmon River looks decidedly remote today, yet it too once supported a logging community. Nearby St. Martins prospered as a nineteenth-century shipbuilding centre, sending wooden sailing vessels out into the wider Atlantic world. Its maritime heritage remains unusually visible: a fishing harbour, lighthouse, red sandstone sea caves and covered bridges all cluster around the village. New Brunswick retains more than fifty covered bridges, and St. Martins is home to the province's only two-lane example.