Fundy National Park

The Bay of Fundy is located between the coasts of the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in eastern Canada. Fundy National Park with bizarre sandstone cliffs, coastal forests, waterfalls and unique hiking areas is located near the fishing village of Alma on the Bay of Fundy and is part of the province of New Brunswick. The Fundy National Park, with an enormous tidal range (difference between ebb and flow) of 10 to 15 meters, is one of the most popular Canadian national parks. Since the coastal areas with the beaches are particularly popular tourist destinations, those interested in nature adventures should concentrate on the hinterland of the Fundy National Park. On demanding hiking tours, the visitor can observe the elk, deer and wild cats living in the forests, as well as camp in the wilderness.

Traveling from overseas to the Atlantic provinces with a coastal climate

Fundy National Park enjoys the mild temperatures of the maritime climate. The proximity to the sea means the summers do not get too hot, while the mild Gulf Stream brings moderate but snowy winters. Even in spring, the first beautiful, but still cool days can be enjoyed. August is the driest month of the year. The best time to travel to this region is therefore from the end of June to the end of September.

Overseas visitors mostly travel to Halifax International Airport, Nova Scotia. It is also possible to arrive via the national airport Saint John or the international airport Moncton in New Brunswick. Fundy National Park can be reached from both airports within an hour’s drive. The fish dishes and the freshly caught lobster have increased the popularity of Alma. It is also the national park’s catering and registration point in summer. In winter, Alma is more of a ghost town. It is nicer to roam through the woods in winter with snowshoes and an experienced guide.

The Fundy National Park with a variety of natural beauty

According to COMPUTERDO, the Fundy National Park has a total area of ​​207 square kilometers and is criss-crossed by a network of hiking trails (120 kilometers) and nature discovery trails. In the 19th century, dense primeval forests dominated the region. Due to the heavy demand for wood in Canada and the world, most of the jungle was cut down. It was not until 1948 that the government recognized the destructive degree of deforestation and successfully countered the overexploitation with the establishment of the Fundy National Park. Today the nature park is a unique landscape with forests, twenty waterfalls and a fascinating rocky coast.

Fundy National Park offers both one-day tours and more challenging hiking tours with an overnight stay in the park. Even on a one-day tour, holidaymakers can get an idea of ​​the beauty of nature at charming picnic spots and viewpoints on the coast. No sunset is like its predecessor. Sometimes mystical fog forms over the Bay of Fundy, sometimes the sun dips into a sea of ​​colors in the Bay of Fundy.

The world’s largest tidal range

The tidal range is the difference in water depth between ebb and flow. The gravitational pull of the sun and the moon cause the sea level to rise and fall and are therefore responsible for the tides. This tide difference happens tirelessly every 12.5 hours. In the Minas Basin, a few kilometers north of the national park and at the eastern end of the Bay of Fundy, this tide difference is an incredible 10 to 15 meters. The otherwise flooded seabed and its small inhabitants can be discovered during a walk during low tide. However, visitors should be on safe ground well in advance of the mighty tide. A wooden path in Fundy National Park leads into the coastal forest and the marshland, where an elk sometimes awaits you.

On a hiking tour through the wilderness – wading through the crystal clear rivers

The varied hiking area contains tours of various levels of difficulty. The Fundy Circuit is popular with sporty hikers. During the three days and the 48 kilometers, nature lovers will also pass the Salmon River, where salmon can be fished. The Goose River Trail through the wilderness of Fundy National Park is one of the most demanding multi-day backpacking hikes. Easier, but still a bit scary, are the three-hour night hikes (Fundy Night Life Hikes) accompanied by a ranger, where you shouldn’t suspect a wildcat behind every cracking branch. Camping in the wild is delightful. There are beautiful spots on the Forster Brook Trail as well as on Marven Lake and Goose River, which are also suitable for camping in winter.

Did you know that …

• Fundy National Park includes some of the last remaining wilderness in southern New Brunswick?
• in the “Bay of Fundy”do the greatest fluctuations between ebb and flow in the world happen?
• the Fundy National Park represents the maritime Acadian highlands?
• the temperatures in Fundy National Park can rise above 30 C ° in summer and fall to -25 C ° in winter?
• the “sea-coast system” consists of the rocky coasts, the mudflats, the salt moor and the coasts on the sea side with fossils of over 300 million old plants?
• the Fundy National Park is in the transition area between the basically cone-bearing boreal forest in the north and the mainly deciduous forest in the south?
• Over 260 bird species have been identified in the park or on the adjacent coast, of which an estimated 95 species nest in the park?
• the peregrine falcon, which was considered extinct in 1948, was successfully reintroduced after the founding of the Fundy National Park?
• Of the 38 mammal species in Fundy National Park, the most frequently seen animals are the mountain hare, chipmunk, red squirrel, bulldog bat, eastern coyote, white-tailed deer and moose?
• Elk are the largest animals in the park and can weigh up to 1000 kg?