As soon as I started researching for my East Coast Canada Roadtrip (read Trip Recap here) it became obvious that if I was going to be in New Brunswick, I needed to check out Hopewell Rocks! The pictures of the rock formations that I was seeing online blew me away and I knew I wanted to see them in person. I decided to stay in Alma, New Brunswick because of its close proximity to both Fundy National Park and Hopewell Rocks (it was about a 30 minute drive to Hopewell Rocks from Alma).
You can check out some of my Fundy National Park posts below…
The Basics –
- Open from mid-May to mid-October
- Located along the Bay of Fundy
- Home to the worlds’ highest tides
- Cafe, snack bar, and gift shop on-premises
- Ample Free Parking
- Washrooms/Bathrooms
- Pet friendly!
Tide tables can be found here.
Season dates for 2020:
May 15 – June 19- 9 am – 5 pm
June 20 – Aug 21- 8 am – 8 pm
Aug 22 – Sept 7- 8 am – 6 pm
Sept 8 – Oct 12- 9 am – 5 pm
*You can’t access the site before it opens in the morning.
Entrance Fee:
Good for 2 consecutive days in the park (so you can experience both low and high tide)
Adults (19+) – $10 per person
Seniors (65+) – $8 per person
Students (19+ with student ID) – $8 per person
Children (5-18) – $7.25
Children (4 and under) – Free
Shuttle available for $2 or you can take the walking paths. You will take the 3-story staircase down to the ocean floor.
Off season info can be found here.
During the off-season, visitors can still enter the park but must park their vehicle on the entrance road and walk in. Do not park in front of the gates as emergency vehicles may need access.
Visitors entering during the off-season do so at their own risk and must assume full responsibility for their safety. There are no facilities open.
The trails are accessible for walking or snowshoeing. If walking on the beach, visitors must be aware of the tide schedule and assume responsibility for their own safety, so they do not become trapped by rising water.
Due to winter conditions, the cliffs tend to ice and freeze/thaw and can become unstable. Frequent rockfalls occur during the winter months. Visitors should exercise caution when walking amongst the formations and cliffs.
A Little History –
The tribes of the Mi’kmaq and the Malecite were the first to regularly travel the waterways of the Bay of Fundy. They fished along coastal areas during the summer months and moved inland towards the Saint John River during the cold winter season to trap.
The Acadians were the next to arrive around 1698, they were lured to this area by the ease of farming these wide salt marshes. They diked the marshes to prevent the saltwater from flooding the lowlands every high tide (remember this area has the worlds’ highest tides). The Acadians were followed by German settlers from Pennsylvania and Irish and Scottish immigrants. Eventually, United Empire Loyalist took to this area after the American Revolution and the rest is history…
Legends Of The Tides –
It was the native Mi’kmaq, who first realized the tides of the Bay of Fundy were unique, they acknowledged and honored this distinctiveness by creating colorful legends to explain the mysteries of the area. Their modest (but vibrant) stories demonstrated that the rare rock formations and turbulent tides made Hopewell Rocks a place of profound significance.
To explain the tides: “Glooscap, the great native god, wanted to take a bath. He commanded Beaver to build a dam across the mouth of the bay to trap the high water so that he could bathe. Beaver did as he commanded, but this made Whale unhappy.”
Whale demanded to know what caused the flow of water to stop. Glooscap didn’t want to make Whale angry, so he instructed Beaver to break the dam. However, Whale grew impatient and began to break the dam apart with his massive tale. This caused the water to slosh back and forth with such power that it continues today.
To explain the rock formations: During the ancient times, some unlucky Mi’kmaq were enslaved by angry Whales living in the Bay. Eventually, some attempted to escape their captors. They managed to get as far as the beach, but were captured by the angry Whales, and turned to stone. Their images remain today, encased in rock.
To explain the color of the water: In the beginning, the waters of Pet-koat-kwee-ak (Petitcodiac) were crystal clear and sparkling. But one day Eel swam down from the headwaters, his great body pushing everything before him into the cold of the great bay. Turtle told Glooscap that something had to be done about Eel. Glooscap ordered Lobster to fight Eel. Lobster was successful and drove Eel out into the bay. But the struggle was so great that the once clear water was muddied forever. Yes, the water is a strange muddy brown.
The Geology Of It All –
Did you know that the Hopewell Rocks were formed out of a massive mountain range older than the Appalachian Mountains?
Cool, right? This area was once a dry rift valley, after the Ice Age, the valley filled with water. This created the Bay of Fundy. Visitors today, are clambering over and between clusters of rounded mounds cloaked in rockweed not realizing that these are the remains of age-old formations. These formations have been toppled by the tide and are slowly disintegrating as the Bay of Fundy tides continue to sculpt the flowerpots of the future and erase those of the past.
That’s right, while tidal erosion may be responsible for the stunning rock formations, such as the flowerpots, it also causes the complete destruction of those formations that have been there for millions of years.
Sadly, the truth is that Hopewell Rocks’ days are most likely numbered. That’s what millions of years of taking a beating from the world’s highest tides will do to you! Around March of 2016, the famous Elephant Rock formation collapsed. If this is something you want to see…GO! See it!
What To Expect At Hopewell Rocks In The Summer
Crowds:
It’s crowded particularly during high and low tides as they are the stars of the show! Every year an estimated 175,000+ people visit Hopewell Rocks Park.
A bit of expectation vs. reality:
You know when you see all of these photos of a place and you arrive with certain expectations? Throw those out the window!! Unless you visit at a time that is neither high tide or low tide you will not have this place to yourself. Although, in my opinion, Hopewell Rocks is one of those places where having people in your photos just helps to give a bit of perspective as to how massive these rock formations really are!
Stunning Scenery:
It’s very cool and worth the entrance fee to be able to walk on the ocean floor. Not only that but there are several walking trails, beaches, and the interpretive center. If you want to know more about the geology of Hopewell Rocks check it out!
Room to Explore:
Even with the massive amounts of people that crowd Hopewell Rocks at
Walking on the Ocean floor:
You are, after all, walking on the ocean floor. Pay attention to the awesome formations, check out the seaweed, and the rocks on the beach that have been tumbled by the highest tides for millions of years.
Red/Muddy Water:
You won’t be finding any stunningly clear water in the Bay of Fundy. I actually didn’t know this before visiting and was surprised by the red murky appearance of the water. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still really pretty, just not exactly what I was expecting.
I wish I had time For –
Kayaking at High Tide – I actually didn’t get to see high tide at all. I only allowed for one full day in New Brunswick, so I didn’t get a chance to see high tide or to kayak here. It’s definitely on my list for a return trip.
Taking a few more hiking trails.
Tips –
- B.U.G S.P.R.A.Y!
- Wear the right shoes. I had on my Chaco sandals but remember you are walking on the ocean floor here, so it is MUDDY, and the rocks are pretty slippery. I did just fine in my Chaco’s but I would recommend a hiking boot/sneaker over hiking sandal. There are washing stations to get that red mud off your shoes!
- Pay attention to the tide tables! We visited on our first night and went as the tide was coming back in. It was neither high tide or low tide and we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. In that regard it was awesome, we could walk a bit of the beach but not near as much as you can during low tide.
- Pay attention to the tides tables/check with the guards for tide information – it’s not unheard of for people to not pay attention and to hike way out and end up stranded when the tide comes back in. It takes a matter of hours and the 3-story staircase to the ocean floor is completely covered in water.
Hopewell Rocks Park is unlike any place I’ve ever been
I really enjoyed visiting this gorgeous area at low tide and being able to explore those magnificent rock formations from the ocean floor, but I would love to go back and kayak at high tide.
If you find yourself in New Brunswick, I really do recommend checking out Hopewell Rocks Park. You won’t regret it.