Appalachian Range Route of New Brunswick
At around 400 million years old the Appalachian Mountains are even older than the Himalayas. Whether hiking, biking, paddling or driving around this mountain range you will be sure to feel the awe and depth they inspire.
At 820 m (2,690 ft.) Mount Carleton is the highest peak in the Maritimes and offers views over New Brunswick like no other. The El River Bar, found in the Appalachians is one of the longest sandbars in the world.
A tour through the Appalachian Range Route brings you to small towns and cities, through peaceful wilderness and provincial parks and along stretches of beaches and dunes to search for treasures of your very own.
The main Visitor Information Centre is in Campbellton, though municipal ones are also available along the way. You’ll want to bring your hiking shoes and camera for this scenic route. Check out the site for a selection of cottages and hotels you can use as a home base.
Highlights of the Appalachian Range Route include:
Campbellton
Surrounded by the Appalachian mountains, Campbellton is nestled snugly between ancient peaks and marina. The Largest Salmon in the World, an 8.5 m (27.8 ft.) Atlantic salmon replica known as Restigouche Sam is available for photos.
Actually a whole festival, the Campbellton Salmon Festival is dedicated to this giant fish. Sugarloaf Provincial Park is an all season playground with lift-serviced mountain biking in the summer and alpine skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Snowmobile, cross country ski, snowshoe, sliding and ice skating are also available in the winter.
For a real hiking experience head out on the Restigouche Trail, a 25 km (15.5 mi.) stretch from Campbellton to Glencoe.
Chaleur Bay
Chaleur Bay has been dubbed as one of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World and it’s not hard to see why. The calm waters are a paddler’s paradise, and beachcombers can find fossils on its shorelines. As a heritage sight Chaleur Bay was discovered by French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1534 and he named it the “bay of warmth”. The bay is popular for fishing lobster, herring and mackerel and myth has it that there have been sightings of “the Chaleur Phantom”, a ghost ship.
Saint Quentin
The Maple Capital of the Atlantic since 2004, Saint Quentin features old world charm in a picturesque setting. Mount Carleton Provincial Park is close by, as is some of the best salmon fishing in the world. Stop at the Roy Heritage House, built in 1924, a classic reproduction of an old general store.
Mount Carleton Provincial Park
The 17, 427 hectares of this park are a hiker’s and backpacker’s paradise. With a host of trails varying in difficulty it’s great for athletes and families alike. The Mount Carleton Trail takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours depending on where you enter and is a moderate hike to the summit where you can see all around, even to Maine and Quebec.
Watch out for wildlife in the park. You will get the chance to see woodpeckers, martens, porcupines, moose, deer, bears and the elusive lynx. Camping is also available in the park, with the main campground being Armstrong Brook Campground with 88 sites. Mountain biking and paddling are also available in the park.
Dalhousie
Dalhousie the northernmost community in New Brunswick and offers a lot for outdoors enthusiasts. Try sailing, sea kayaking or even windsurfing for an afternoon.
Get the coffee on early and head out to the Inch Arran Lighthouse to watch the sunrise. The five star Inch Arran Campground is a full service campground and has won awards for service and quality.
If you’re in Dalhousie midsummer check out the Bon Ami Festival featuring a giant beach party, parade, dancing, mussel boils, lobster dinners and fireworks.
Villages of Tide Head and Plaster Rock
Fiddleheads are a main priority in these two villages. Plaster Rock boasts the largest fiddleheads in the world while Tide Head claims the Fiddlehead Capital of the World title. If you haven’t tried a fiddlehead dish yet (they’re curled up ferns, a delicacy in these parts) this is the perfect place to do it. Chocolate covered fiddleheads anyone?
The Restigouche, a Canadian Heritage River is excellent paddling and fishing territory. Stop and camp along the way or do a day trip-the river is yours!
