Comprehensive Guide Collection for Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick

Atlantic Canada's barrier island wilderness of sand dunes, salt marshes, and coastal biodiversity

Kouchibouguac National Park

Kouchibouguac National Park protects a remarkable coastal ecosystem along the eastern shore of New Brunswick, where the Gulf of St. Lawrence meets a landscape of barrier islands, sand dunes, lagoons, and salt marshes. Established in 1969, the park was created to preserve sensitive dune and bog environments that represent the Canadian Maritime Plain region. The park's 238 square kilometres encompass a diverse mosaic of coastal habitats that support exceptional biodiversity, including approximately 50 species protected under Canada's Species at Risk Act. The extensive sand dune system, stretching 25 kilometres along the coast, forms the backbone of the park's identity and provides critical habitat for colonial nesting birds and marine mammals. Visitors experience the park through a network of eight hiking trails, boardwalk paths through salt marshes, cycling routes, and access to the popular Kelly's Beach. The park also serves as a center for interpretation programs that explore both natural and cultural history, including the story of the Mi'kmaq and Acadian communities who once lived on the land now within the park boundaries.