St. Martins & the Fundy Trail Parkway

To Tarry Awhile in New Brunswick . . .
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New Brunswick has been the focus of attention for many Canadians during the pandemic, so much so that this province that has traditionally experienced an exodus of people, actually gained people in the last five years – including a net gain of 3,887 people in 2020-21 alone! The province that has often been the place you drive through to get to PEI or Nova Scotia is now boosting its status as a tourist destination in its own right.

Tourists have often gravitated to places like Hopewell Rocks, Fundy Bay National Park and Alma, fishing on the Miramichi River or basking in the luxury of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. A comparatively new and accessible attraction is the Fundy Trail Parkway – a 30 km parkway featuring 15 observation decks, 19 hiking paths, five beaches, 21 Lookouts, four waterfalls and a variety of facilities that enrich the visitor’s experience on this renowned stretch of coast.

For those who are truly adventurous and who want a challenge there is also the ‘Fundy Footpath’, a 41 km hiking trail from the visitor centre in St. Martins to the edge of Fundy National Park. This rugged trail boasts a total elevation gain of over 10,000 feet up and down and is a good option for experienced hikers who are looking to explore an undeveloped stretch of the Fundy coast.

For a more sedate tour of the coast, one should start their driving tour at the western end of the parkway in the charming village of St. Martins – located about 50 km east of St. John right on the coast. This former ship building centre is now a bustling little tourist destination that still has a few family fishing vessels operating out of its harbour. Quaco Museum documents the village’s rich history of shipbuilding and fishing industries in a place once considered one of the ‘wealthiest villages in the British Empire’.

Long a place that has interested geologists, St. Martins and most of the parkway are among a number of places in New Brunswick that are part of the Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark. Since the 1850s, geologists have explored this ancient landscape and discovered its scientific treasures. Ancient fossils have provided clues to the evolution of life on land and some of the turbulent conditions that have shaped our landscapes.

St. Martins is also known for the famous Fundy tides, as well as the St. Martins Sea Caves. The tidal range of 38 feet makes these caves accessible by foot only when the tide is out – a short walk from the stone beach that runs the length of the village. There are also a number of seaside restaurants tempting visitors with local seafood. I succumbed to the view, and famous chowder of The Caves restaurant complete with a side order of a lobster roll. The view from the deck was outstanding, as was the food.

The village also boasts a number of charming stores, a quirky coffee shop, a couple of covered bridges (though I believe one is about to disappear) and the requisite lighthouse and working harbour. Like many of these little villages that are transitioning to a tourist economy, St. Martins punches above its weight for hospitality and opportunity – though these are seasonal businesses that shutter during the late fall and winter.

The Fundy Trail Parkway begins just east of St. Martins. The Fundy Trail is a not-for-profit charitable park run by a volunteer board and is a UNESCO designated site. 2,600 ha in area, this park is the culmination of years of investment and work done by the federal and provincial governments that was started in 1995 and continues today. There are fees for accessing the parkway.

There are enough lookouts and observation decks to warrant coming back to the Parkway for a number of days, as it would be difficult to do them all in a single day. Many of these organized stops are wheelchair accessible, or involve a simple short stroll to take in the views of this rugged coastline. If you are there for just a day tour, a visit to the parkway’s website might permit you to come up with a short list of places to stop in order to get an appreciation of the terrain.

If you want to get out of the car and go learn something about the area, visit the Interpretation Centre at the mouth of the Big Salmon River, about 10 kilometres into the parkway. There you will find a re-creation of a bunkhouse filled with photos and memorabilia from the paper mill days along the river. You can also go for a short stroll over the nearby 84-meter suspension footbridge to cool off in the Big Salmon River if the weather is as hot as when I toured the parkway.

There are a number of beaches that are relatively accessible along the parkway. The largest, literally called Long Beach, is towards the current easternmost point of the parkway. This beach is many kilometres in length, but if you visit when the tide is out, it also affords a chance to walk on the ocean bottom as the water retreats half a kilometre out to sea – exposing the tidal flats that Fundy is famous for.

The parkway tends to veer away from the coastline just east of here – unless you get off the parkway and choose to visit the Walton Glen Gorge or McCumber Brook Wetlands. At present the parkway veers inland to the eastern gateway, after which drivers are directed to Sussex and beyond. Future plans are to link this eastern gateway up with another jewel – Fundy National Park and the seaside village of Alma. This will be a fantastic end to a parkway that will rival the likes of Cape Breton’s famed Cabot Trail for those who want to explore another beautiful piece of Canada’s coastal heritage.

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