Two Days in Kouchibouguac National Park

With our shiny new Discovery Parks pass in tow, Mac and I headed down the east coast of New Brunswick to Kouchibouguac National Park. Having spent a few days in and around the park, I can confirm that yes, “Kouchibouguac” does indeed sound like a sound you’d make during a sneeze. However, I also learned that if you say it fast enough, and with just enough of a Quebecois accent, you’ll fit in just fine. This forest- and dune-filled park is smack dab in the middle of Miramachi and Moncton, making it a perfect spot for a weekend getaway. Mac and I spent a wonderful two days in Kouchibouguac National Park and added yet another reason to our growing list of why New Brunswick is so much more than a drive through province!

Two Days in Kouchibouguac National Park

Compared to some of the other Provincial and National Parks we’ve visited, Kouchibouguac is quite flat. It’s also mostly beaches and marshlands, meaning that there aren’t a lot of trails. Eight of the 10 hiking trails are less than 5km, and the longest one is 11km. For hikers like us, it was initially a bit of a let down. However, we soon learned that we shouldn’t have judged a park by its trail map as Kouchi is full of other interesting and memorable things to do!

Kelly’s Beach

Kelly’s Beach is a 25km-long sand dune spit that is connected to the mainland by a 1km boardwalk. This was the place to be. Despite the park’s entrance fee (free with a Discovery Parks Pass), the beach was full of families and other folks enjoying the hot sunshine and beautiful waters.

Speaking of beautiful water, it’s been said that the salt water here is some of the warmest in Canada! Now, I thought it was still a bit chilly, but I stayed in long enough to reach pruney-finger status, which says something!

Callander’s Beach

While not as popular as Kelly’s Beach, this is still a great spot to check out. Our visit lined up with an immersive Mi’kmaq presentation in the Big Wigwam at Callandar’s Beach. We learned all about furs – from the hunting of the animal to the trading of the skins for goods. At the end of the presentation we were given string, four beads in the traditional white, black, yellow, and red colours, and a turtle carved out of a bone which we could make into necklaces.

Short Hikes in Kouchi

As I mentioned above, Kouchi isn’t renowned for its trails. That being said, Mac and I did go on a few short jaunts during our two days in Kouchibouguac National Park that ended up being quite nice! We sauntered along the boardwalk of the Bog Trail and up to the top of the Observation Tower. From here we could see how truly large and vast this growing bog is! We learned that it’s slowly taking over the forest, and its wet environment is an ideal grazing spot for moose. Though we didn’t see any moose, we did spot some carnivorous plants and other delicate-looking flowers.

The other memorable “hike” we did was near La Source – a picnic area in the middle of the park. The trail was pretty simple and wove through the thick trees, but the real surprise came when we were traipsing through an open field. I looked over and saw two large fluffy ears sticking out above the long grass. I followed them down and found myself staring into the beady eyes of a fox! We eyed each other up for a few minutes before he got distracted by a bug and jumped high in the air, showing off his big fluffy tail. Needless to say I was totally enamoured and almost considered asking Mac if we could bring him along as a furry companion. Ha!

Camping in Kouchi

Being the last minute planners that we are, Mac and I found ourselves at 4pm wondering where we were going to camp. We stopped in at the Visitors’ Center and learned that there was just one campsite remaining at the first-come-first-served Côte-à-Fabien campsite. We ran to the car and had a nerve wracking 10 minute drive through a sudden downpour through the park to the campsite. I bolted out of the car, ran to the campground’s gate and breathlessly asked the staff if that campsite was still available. My dramatics were deemed unnecessary as yes, the campsite was free and ours for the taking! Score!

Ours was a walk-in site, meaning that we had to cart our gear from the car park to our site. Somehow we lucked out with one of the closest sites to the cars, so the back and forth journey was anything but arduous. We ate our dinner at the picnic table (!) with NO BUGS (!) and enjoyed a spectacular sunset afterwards. Given all the amenities (long drop toilets, a water pump, beach access, picnic table, and a fire pit), I was blown away to learn that the campsite was less than $16 (total)! We’ve paid double that amount for far less in other parks.

All in all, our two days at Kouchibouguac National Park were relaxing, beautiful, and filled with an abundance of nature and wildlife. If you find yourself on New Brunswick’s east coast, I’d highly recommend giving this underrated park a visit!

Tell me, have you ever come face-to-face with a fox? Where is the warmest water you’ve swam in?

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