Fundy Footpath hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Fundy Footpath is the wildest coastal hike in Atlantic Canada. It follows the cliffs, beaches and river mouths of the Bay of Fundy, the bay with the highest tides in the world, between Fundy Trail Provincial Park near St. Martins and Fundy National Park near Alma, New Brunswick. The Footpath itself is about 43 km from the Big Salmon River to the Goose River, and most hikers finish on the 7.5 km Goose River Trail to Point Wolfe, about 50 km in all. There are no villages, huts or shops on the way: you carry a tent, stove and all your food, and sleep at primitive campsites at the mouths of the brooks.

The route

The trail starts at the Big Salmon River, crosses Long Beach and climbs onto the forested plateau. It never stays level for long. Again and again it drops 100–200 m into a steep ravine, crosses a brook or river on the beach, and climbs straight back out, sometimes on stairs and fixed cables. Above Cradle Brook it passes the Dragon's Tooth rock, then crosses the Little Salmon River, Wolf Brook, Telegraph Brook and the Quiddy River near Martin Head. Goose Creek is a wide tidal river mouth that you can only cross near low tide. After Rose Brook the trail enters Fundy National Park at the Goose River, and the Goose River Trail climbs over the headland and follows an old cart road to Point Wolfe.

This guide follows the route mapped on OpenStreetMap, including the 2019 reroute on the plateau between Little Salmon River and Wolf Brook, and splits it into 4 stages of about 12.4 km. The stage ends are the usual 4-day camps: Cradle Brook, Telegraph Brook and Rose Brook. The trail is walked in both directions; this guide goes west to east, so the Goose Creek tide is crossed on day 3. The highest points are only about 300 m, but the total climb is close to 2,000–2,700 m.

Highlights

• Big Salmon River and Long Beach: a wide river mouth and a long cobble beach at the start
• Seely Beach, Cradle Brook and the Dragon's Tooth: sea stacks and beach camps with views across the bay to Nova Scotia
• Little Salmon River: a deep gorge in a protected natural area, and a side trip to Walton Glen Gorge and the Eye of the Needle
• Martin Head: a tidal island and beach, reached only at low tide, and the Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum falls near Brandy Brook
• Goose Creek: a tidal crossing where the water rises fast, over a wide valley of mud and gravel
• Goose River: clifftop and beach campsites at the boundary of Fundy National Park

When to hike the Fundy Footpath

The season is mid-May to mid-October. Fundy Trail Provincial Park, the western access, is open from 15 May to 25 October 2026, and its gates are locked outside opening hours. July to September is the most reliable period. Late May and June bring black flies and mosquitoes; ticks are present all season. Fog, rain, wind and thunderstorms are common at any time on the coast. Late September and early October give autumn colours and fewer people, but colder nights. The Fundy Hiking Trail Association advises against hiking from mid-October to the end of April, when the risk of hypothermia is highest.

How many days do you need?

Most hikers take 4 days and 3 nights. The average pace is only 1.5–2 km/h, so a 12 km day takes 6–8 hours. A 5-day plan uses Seely Beach, Little Salmon River, Quiddy River or Goose Creek, and Goose River. Carry food for one extra day: you may have to wait for the tide at Goose Creek, or for a swollen river to drop after heavy rain.

Permits, booking and the 2026 closures

You must register your hike with Fundy Trail Provincial Park (1-866-386-3987, or at the entry kiosk) and give your return date. The park charges a vehicle entry fee ($23.48 plus tax in 2026), and an overnight parking pass is needed if you leave a car. The Footpath campsites are free, first come and cannot be booked. In Fundy National Park the Goose River campsites must be reserved in advance through the Parks Canada Reservation Service (backcountry fee $15 per adult), and you need a park entry permit and a hiker parking permit from the Headquarters Visitor Centre.

Two closures matter in 2026. The Big Salmon River suspension bridge is closed for renovation: park in P9 and walk the old Salmon River Road to the trailhead. The Point Wolfe Covered Bridge is closed to vehicles and walkers from 8 September to December 2026, which closes the Goose River trailhead: exit by the signed detour over the Marven Lake and Foster Brook trails to the Foster Brook parking lot on Point Wolfe Road (7.9 km). Check both parks before you go.

Getting there and away

There is no public transport to either end. The nearest airports are Saint John and Moncton. St. Martins is about 20 km by road from Big Salmon River, and Alma about 12 km from Point Wolfe. You need a car shuttle: Adair's Wilderness Lodge and Tide and Trail Transport run hiker shuttles, and hikers also find rides on the Fundy Footpath Dobson Trail Facebook group. Woods roads reach the trail at Dustin Brook, Telegraph Brook, Goose Creek and other access points, but they are unmaintained and very rough.

Money and phone signal

There is nothing to buy on the trail; the parks take cards. Buy your food in Saint John, Sussex or Moncton. Mobile signal is patchy; phones often connect to towers in Nova Scotia across the bay, so try the beaches and high points.

What to pack

A tent, stove and fuel, a water filter or tablets, food for an extra day, and a rope and bag to hang food. Bring water shoes and trekking poles for the many river crossings, waterproofs and a warm layer, a headlamp, insect repellent, a map and compass, and printed tide tables for Goose Creek.

Difficulty and safety

The Fundy Footpath is rated very difficult and is one of the most strenuous hikes in Atlantic Canada. The climbs are short but relentless, the descents are steep and slippery, and you cross about a dozen ravines and their streams on foot; only Rapidy Brook has a bridge. Cross Goose Creek within about 3 hours of low tide, and if in doubt, wait. Very high (supermoon) tides can also flood the Little Salmon River and Wolf Brook crossings. Do not cross a river in flood. Black bears and moose live along the coast. In an emergency call 911, and leave your plan with someone at home.

History

The first route was blazed by Jack McKay in the early 1980s. Alonzo and Gilles Léger and other volunteers re-opened and extended it, and it opened officially in 1994. The volunteer Fundy Hiking Trail Association, which has looked after trails in the region since 1975, still maintains it.