Kejimkujik Seaside Visitor Guide and Map

Plan your trip to Kejimkujik Seaside with the Visitor Guide and Map.

Pjila'si / Welcome

Come in and find your place at Kejimkujik National Park Seaside, a coastal wilderness and hiker's paradise.

Experience the ocean all around you – the salt spray of crashing waves pounding on immovable granite rocks, seals basking just offshore, shorebirds dancing in the surf, white sand gleaming beneath clear turquoise waters, and trees gnarled by salty winds.

As you wind your way along the trails, watch for wisps of lichen adorning the coastal trees and showy displays of pitcher plants, orchids, and wild rose. Listen for the chorus of gulls as they hover and glide above the waves.

Soak up the sights and sounds of the Seaside. There's always something new to discover along this wild and ever-changing coastline.

• Are you prepared for your coastal adventure?
• Follow the rules
• Getting to Kejimkujik Seaside
• Safety
• Protecting the Plovers
• #Coastie
• Parks Canada Perfect Picnic
• Trails
• More information

Are you prepared for your coastal adventure?

• Proper hiking footwear
• Food and water
• Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
• Extra clothing for changing conditions

Follow the rules

Help to protect Kejimkujik Seaside by following the regulations during your visit.

• For the safety of wildlife and other visitors, dogs must be on leash at all times. Please clean up after your dog.
• Dispose of waste in the appropriate bins in the parking lot.
• Do not approach wildlife, including seals on the beach. View from a safe and respectful distance.
• Stay on designated trails.
• Bikes are not permitted on the trails at Kejimkujik Seaside.
• Overnight stays are not permitted at Kejimkujik Seaside.
• Do not enter closed areas, including St. Catherines River Beach when closed for Piping plover nesting.
• It is illegal to operate a drone at Kejimkujik Seaside.
• Take only photographs. It is illegal to pick flowers or mushrooms; to collect rocks, shells, or cultural artifacts; or to cause damage to natural objects or living things at Kejimkujik Seaside.

Getting to Kejimkujik Seaside

How to get to Kejimkujik Seaside

Safety

In case of emergency

Police, Fire, Ambulance (Emergency only): 911

Wildlife incidents, Wildfire, Lost person, REPORT A POACHER: 1-800-565-2224

Bear safety

Black bears live at Kejimkujik Seaside. They are naturally wary of humans, but can be unpredictable.

During your visit, you may see a bear or bear signs (scat, tracks, etc.). If you encounter a bear, keep calm and don't run; back away slowly and talk in a soft voice.

Please record all bear sightings in the binder by the kiosk.

For more information, refer to the panel at the start of the trail or visit parks.canada.ca/keji-wildlife-safety

Preventing Tick Bites 

Blacklegged ticks are present at Kejimkujik Seaside and are known carriers of the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Found in most vegetated habitats, adults are the size of a sesame seed and nymphs are the size of a poppy seed.

Protect yourself

• Cover up: Wear long sleeves and tuck pants into socks to prevent tick bites.
• Spray: Spray feet, ankles, and legs with insect repellent.
• Self check: Daily self checks of yourself, your family, and your pets can reduce the risk of infection. If you find an attached tick, follow the Public Health Agency of Canada's guidelines for prompt removal.

Protecting the Plovers

The Piping plover is an Endangered shorebird that nests on the sands of St. Catherines River Beach. Both the eggs and the young plovers are extremely vulnerable to disturbance and predation.

To help protect the plovers, St. Catherines River Beach is closed from April until August. Signage will be in place on the beach when this closure is in effect.

Staff and volunteers monitor plover pairs, nesting success, and fledglings. Please do your part by respecting the beach closure, always keeping your dogs on leash, and packing out your garbage. 

#Coastie

Help Parks Canada and the University of Windsor monitor coastal change!

Following the instructions posted at the beginning of St. Catherines River Beach and the Macleods Cove lookoff, place your cell phone in the cradle and snap a #Coastie during your hike. 

For more information, visit parks.canada.ca/keji-coastie 

Parks Canada Perfect Picnic

Pick up a ready-made lunch from a local restaurant to enjoy during your Seaside visit.

For a list of participating providers, visit parks.canada.ca/keji-picnic

Trails

Harbour Rocks Trail

2.6 km one way

Moderate

Travel through coastal forest and shrubby barrens to arrive at the picturesque Harbour Rocks Beach. At low tide, look for seals basking on the rocks offshore. From here, weave your way along the headland with its views of rocky islands, small sheltered coves, and seabirds, to the white sands of St Catherines River Beach.

The trail surface is gravel between the parking lot and the privies at Harbour Rocks Beach. Beyond this point it becomes uneven and unsurfaced, crossing a sandy beach, loose rock, and the rocky headland. Trickier sections of trail can be bypassed using the  old cart track between Harbour Rocks Beach and St. Catherines River Beach.

More information

Port Joli Head Trail

4.75 km one way

Moderate

Wind your way across coastal barrens overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Breathe in the salt air and listen to crashing waves from afar before experiencing the full force of the ocean along an 80 m section of cobble beach. As you circle Port Joli Head, watch for White-tailed deer browsing as you pass in and out of stands of spruce. After a stop at the Macleods Cove lookoff for closer ocean views, continue past Isaacs Harbour to arrive at Harbour Rocks.

The trail surface is variable and includes both graveled and natural surfaces, uneven terrain, loose beach cobble, and wet surfaces.

More information

For more information

Kejimkujik Visitor Centre (Maitland Bridge): 902-682-2772

parks.canada.ca/kejimkujik

kejimkujik@pc.gc.ca