Category: New Brunswick

From the moment I woke up and began my journey into Fredericton all I wanted was to return to the wilderness. Being that Fredericton was the capital of New Brunswick, I certainly wasn’t gonna pass it up and soon found myself entering the city limits.

It was raining on and off as a wave of fog crept through the area. I did the majority of my exploring in the car, occasionally stopping to take a short walk around a neighborhood or get a closer look at something.

I found an empty field nearby where I took Winnie to burn off some of her energy as she’d been fidgety in the car. I was glad I did so as she quite literally ran circles around me non stop. With a tuckered out pup I returned to my vehicle, doing my last bit of exploring before dusk’s arrival.

Night driving has its ups and downs. One of the perks is you’re able to cover a lot of ground with the roads being far less populated. You miss a lot of the scenery at night though, along with added hazards such as moose that frequent many of the roads after sundown. When the daylight fades into night I embrace the changes the night brings and make the best of the situation, covering as much ground as possible. It was with this mindset I drove out of Fredericton and into Fundy National Park where I pitched my tent in eager anticipation of the morning.

I woke up excited and ready to explore Fundy National Park. It wasn’t long before I’d packed up my tent and took to the first trail of the day.

As the warm air from the land mixed with the cool air of the bay it created a foggy mist that blanketed the park most of the day. The vegetation flourished in the damp atmosphere, bringing forth healthy looking plants growing alongside moss covered rocks.

I arrived at a beach where due to the tide being at its lowest I was able to walk out a good ways. A nearby dock was a reminder of how high the tide rose, the lonely walkway staying a good height above the rocky shore.

With so many things yet to discover, I retraced my footsteps and immediately started down another trail. The air surrounding me was pure and refreshing, every breath invigorating my steps as I tread upon the paths before me.

I was stuck debating if I should stick to smaller hikes or tackle a big one. I ended up choosing a variety of smaller hikes, the longest being 5 km as I explored the park. It didn’t matter where I walked as I was rewarded with beautiful views of the land in every direction, from creeks heading down the rocks to the ocean, to lush vegetation that thrived on the forest floor.

I pulled up to the final trail of the day, Dicksons Falls. This was the most popular trail in the park and I’d saved it for last. It wasn’t long before I could see why it was so popular as the walk took me alongside a cascading river that lead up to a tumbling waterfall, it was truly a sight I wouldn’t forget.

Darkness had finally arrived and I set out to Hopewell Rocks. Along the way I passed through the town of Alma where moored boats sat on the sand at least 20 feet below the docks! The Bay of Fundy is known for its dramatic changes in tide levels, within several hours those boats would be floating beside the docks once again.

I kept pressing on until I found the campsite I’d been looking for, an area just outside of tomorrows destination. To say I went to bed excited for the following day would’ve been an understatement.

I was awake and on the road bright and early. With the tide being it’s lowest at 8:36 in the morning I wasn’t gonna let myself miss out. A short little drive took me to my destination for the day, Hopewell Rocks, the home of the highest tides in the world.

Soon I was walking down the trail that led to the beach, an area famous for its odd looking rocks that’d been worn down by the daily surge of water.

As I began my exploring on the beach a nearby attendant informed me that the water was rising 39 feet that day! With the gaps between low tide and high tide being only 6 hours, the enormous influx of water that would soon arrive was a staggering thought.

I took my time walking up and down the beach, making sure I saw everything it had to offer before the inevitable tide washed my footsteps away.

The park rangers began to guide people back towards to stairs as the water began to rise dramatically. Within minutes your exit could easily be cut off and you’d be stranded in a cove surrounded by cliffs. Every time the water would near it’s cut off point the rangers would hurry us all to the next area where we’d be able to admire the change for a short while before being moved along once again. The rangers did a good job, nobody was forgotten and they would allow you to stay in an area until the last minute or two which was perfect.

Now with so many people around, cameras were always out and two asian ladies nearby wanted a picture with Winnie. I warned them that she might jump up on them and get them muddy if they took the leash but they said it was alright. Sure enough they wanted the perfect picture and got Winnie all excited, well with muddy paws she jumped up and got their pure white sweat pants covered. They were good sports about it, laughing as they returned the leash . I must admit, it was a proud dog dad moment as I stood there chuckling to myself at the hilarity of the situation.
The rising tide was covering the last exit and the park ranger I’d been chatting with let me be the last one off the beach for the bragging rights which was pretty nice.

I booked a much needed oil change in the nearby town of Moncton. With a full day to spare before my appointment I decided I’d drive up to Kouchibouguac National Park, where I’d be able to spend a day hiking before returning to Moncton. By the time I arrived in the park it was dark, so I pitched my tent under the stars and finally dozed off.

I laced up my hiking boots bright and early in eager anticipation of the views that awaited me.

The first trail of the day took me through the bogs. Now the primary creature that inhabited this area was mosquitoes, but due to the changing season perhaps, there wasn’t a single blood sucker in sight! I got to enjoy all the views without the pesky insects, talk about a jackpot. A light misty rain fell on the damp swampy land as I made my way along the boardwalk to the end of the trail. It felt so unique, I’d never seen an area like this before. The blend of colors and plants that found their home in the bog was quite incredible.

With the first hike of the day being such a wonderful find, I took to the beaches for my second hike. At the entrance a wooden boardwalk guided hikers out and across the sand dunes, through tall waving grass and shallow streams with adorned with colorful mossy patches that grew along the waters edge. Soon the boardwalk arrived at a pristine beach that stretched on as far as I could see. A chilly breeze swept through the area, accompanied by the sounds of the ocean waters crashing into the shore . I could have stayed there all day. I walked along the waters edge, taking my time appreciating the moment before retracing my footsteps as I returned the way I came.

I had opted to do all the smaller trails rather than a day hike. This led me from trail to trail, exploring much of what the park had to offer. The more I walked around, the more I felt this national park was a true gem. There were far less people than other parks and everywhere I went I was in awe at the vast blend of scenery.

It came time for my final hike of the day, a walk through the pine trees. As I took to the path it felt like I’d entered another realm. A layer of pine needles carpeted the forest floor, a pleasant padding for those who walked upon the trail. Mushrooms grew on rotting wood from many of the fallen trees, slowly returning the great pines to the soil where new life would spring up and the forest would continue to thrive.

Feeling the exhaustion setting in I decided I’d set up my tent and call it a day. With a vast collection of stars hovering in the great expanse above me I crawled into my tent and dozed off. What a fulfilling and adventurous day it’d been.

I realize if I wanna make it back home in time I’m gonna have to start covering some serious ground, averaging around 400 km per day. With so much distance ahead of me it was time to bring my car in for service. I’d booked an appointment at Moncton Honda for an oil change and set out towards them.

The dealership was admittedly a mess. A 30 minute oil change took an hour an a half due to them losing my keys and poor communication between their staff. At least I got my car prepped with some fresh oil for the roads ahead.
I didn’t stay in Moncton very long, in so many ways it reminded me of my home town Brantford. The majority of the people had that hardened look, the kind that living in a small town full of trouble brings.

With so much ground to cover I took to the roads, chasing the sunset until the moon rose up high into the night sky. I eventually gave into exhaustion and found a place to pull over where I dozed off in my car.