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Hiking Blomidon Provincial Park, Nova Scotia

ByHikers Movement

The Blomidon Provincial Park is one of many excellent camping and hiking destinations in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia. Located next to the Minas Basin/Bay of Fundy, it offers magnificent views of the water. The park’s trails offer peaceful walks through the beautiful Acadian forest and along the cliffs that stand tall above the world’s highest tides.

The Blomidon Provincial Park is a superb choice for camping and hiking that the entire family can enjoy. Although the park closes for the winter months, the trails themselves are still open for daytime reactional use, including hiking and snowshoeing.

So whether you make your visit a day hike or spend a few nights camping in the great outdoors, the Blomidon Provincial Park is certain to be a spectacular experience.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: over 13km worth of trails
Suggested Duration: 2 – 4 hours
Signage: Markers and maps throughout
Facilities: Multiple parking lots, garbage cans, camping

trail map

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Blomidon Provincial Park Trails

  1. Jodrey Trail (lower) – 2.6km one-way
  2. Jodrey Trail (upper) – 2.8km one-way
  3. Look-Off Trail – 1km loop
  4. Woodland Trail – 2.2km one-way
  5. Wilcox Trail/Interpretive Trail – 1.3km loop
  6. Borden Brook Trail – 3.5km one-way

Key Features Of Blomidon Provincial Park

  • Located on the Minas Basin in Kings County
  • A coastal provincial park known for its dramatic tides
  • Features a mix of forested areas, beachfront, and towering cliffs
  • Ideal for hiking, birdwatching, and exploring the Bay of Fundy coastline
  • Offers various hiking trails
  • Opportunities for wildlife sightings, including bald eagles and seals
  • Camping facilities are available for overnight stays
  • Dog-friendly (on a leash)

Facilities And Services

  • Parking lot
  • Garbage cans
  • Benches & picnic tables
  • Camp Office
  • 76 unserviced campsites
  • Group camping (unavailable in 2021)
  • Wood and Ice are available
  • Playground
  • Restrooms with showers
  • Vault toilets
  • Beach access

Before You Start Hiking Blomidon Provincial Park

Blomidon Provincial Park features over 13km worth of all-season hiking trails that provide exceptional views of high cliffs and various terrains. You do not need to camp overnight at the park to visit the hiking trails. Day access is available, and there are no fees to enter the trails.

There are two ways to begin hiking Blomidon Provincial Park. You can start at the lower parking lot or the upper parking lot located beside the park’s office.

The red markers (pictured below for reference) will take hikers North towards the Look-Off Trail, while the yellow markers lead South to the lower parking area. The trails can be completed as out-and-back trails, or you can combine multiple trails to make a full loop.

Along with trail markers, there are various signs located at the beginning of each trailhead. Along with signs, you can also find maps throughout.

If you encounter any wildlife while exploring, it is important not to approach them and give them space. Wildlife in the area includes birds, deer, hares, foxes, porcupines, squirrels, partridges and skunks.

As pictured below, there are signs to indicate that there may be a chance of coyotes in the area. If a coyote approaches you, it is important to do the following:

  • Back away slowly
  • Do not run
  • Raise your hands or hiking poles above your head to act big
  • Make noise
  • If possible, throw stones

In case of a coyote attack, it is important to fight back and defend yourself.

For more information on what to do if you encounter wildlife on the trails, check out our article “Wildlife Safety While Hiking In Atlantic Canada.”

There are a few rules and regulations that should be followed when in the provincial park.

  • Pets must be on a leash, and owners need to clean up after their pets
  • No hunting, trapping or carrying firearms
  • No removing or defacing flora such as plants and trees or park signs and structures
  • Follow the Leave No Trace principles and pack out all garbage
  • Stay on designated trails, as the cliff lines are constantly eroding.
  • Ask staff for tide times before exploring the beach, as the tide comes in quickly.

As always, we suggest bringing both insect repellent and a tick removal tool kit with you whenever you are out hiking.

Our Experience Hiking Blomidon Provincial Park

We actually complete our hiking through the Blomidon Provincial Park over two separate day hikes. In the first, we hiked through the upper half and in the second, we brought friends along to hike the lower half.

Both days featured equally beautiful weather (20+ºC with sun and clouds) and relatively low winds, considering the coastal location.

Rather than describing each of the two days, we decided to break our experience down into the separate trails of the park. This should be more relatable to you as you plan your own excursion through Blomidon.

Borden Brook Trail

On the second day, we parked at the lower parking lot and began the ascent of the Borden Brook Trail. It wouldn’t take long before we came to the split in the optional cutoff trail that would take us to the Borden Brook Waterfall.

If you’ve read our blog in the past, you probably know how much we like hiking to waterfalls. Of course, we had to check this one out.

The offshoot trail that leads to the waterfall has nice front-country stairs (some with railings). The waterfall itself was a great view so early on in the hike.

After admiring the falls for a few minutes and splashing some water on our faces, we made our way back to the trail’s split, crossed the brook, and began the most significant climb of the park.

Powering up the hill, we made a relatively swift ascent. The Borden Brook Trail eventually flattens out, becoming a well-groomed and relatively flat trail.

The elevated portion of the trail was dry, even in the springtime. It offers mixed terrain, ranging from flat earth to relatively technical/root-laden ground.

The birds were chirping all along the trail, and we even saw a hare hopping across the trail.

We made our way to the end of the Borden Brook Trail, connecting briefly to the Woodland Trail as we made out way back toward the lower parking lot. We would cross campgrounds before taking the lower portion of the Jodrey Trail back.

That being said, we could have continued onward, completing the Woodland, Wilcox, Look-Off and Upper Jodrey Trails before taking the Lower Jodrey back.

Jodrey Trail (Lower)

The “lower half” of the Jodrey Trail connects the lower and upper parking lots. We did this portion of the park on the second day, taking this trail downhill.

There were more man-made stairs in this section. We remarked how this trail would likely be the easier option on the incline.

It also offers several views of the Minas Basin (including the featured photo of this article), whereas the Borden Brook Trail is too far in the woods to offer clear views.

In addition to the views, much of this trail is in the woods, with a forest canopy providing ample shade.

Eventually, the trail leads to more field-like terrain, where the trail is grassy and open.

Just as we got to this portion of the trail, we came across a partridge and her chicks.

Jodrey Trail (Upper)

The Upper Jodrey Trail was the first trail we experienced in Blomidon Provincial Park.

Parking at the small lot by the administration building, we made the short walk along the road and by a few campsites before reaching the trail.

On this day, we have driven up the majority of the incline. The upper portion of the Jodrey Trail (and the subsequent Look-off, Wilcox, and Woodland Trails) don’t have any remarkable elevation gains.

The terrain was a mix of well-groomed flat ground and more technical terrain like many of the trails within Blomidon.

So we travelled pretty quickly along this portion of the park trails. The relatively uneventful elevation changes didn’t bother us, as the lookouts onto the water made the adventure more interesting and picturesque.

Before we got to the Fundy cliffs of the trail, we passed by the Blomidon Vernal Pool, which provides a seasonal habitat for many of the plants and animals of the park.

Here are a few shots from the Upper Jodrey Trail.

Look-Off Trail

At the end of the Jodrey Trail, there’s a crossroads where the Jodrey, Look-off and Woodland Trails meet.

The Look-Off Trail is an additional short loop at the top of the Upper Jodrey Trail, which we had to complete. Who wouldn’t hike an extra kilometre or so for a trail officially deemed “the Look-off Trail?”

Here’s a shot from the look-off. You can see Cumberland and Colchester counties across the Minas Basin in the distance:

Woodland Trail

We completed the Woodland Trail in the second half of the first day.

Being deeper into the forest, the portion of the park trail system didn’t have any look-offs. However, the terrain was dry and technical, the diversity of trees offered shade, and the man-made bridges made it an enjoyable hike through the woods.

Following the Woodland Trail, we got to the entrance of the Wilcox Trail. Passing the Borden Brook Trail split, we eventually ended up back on the campground road to complete our loop.

Wilcox Trail/Interpretive Trail

The Wilcox Trail provides a short 1.3km loop addition to the Woodland Trail. It also features information on the hardwood and softwood forests of Nova Scotia and the Blomidon Provincial Park, hence the secondary name of “Interpretive Trail.”

Click the highlighted items to view the prices of our recommended gear.

HIKING GEAR
SLEEP AND SHELTER
SAFETY GEAR
KITCHEN ESSENTIALS
PERSONAL ITEMS
  • Socks (extra in case of rain)
  • Hiking clothes
  • Warmer attire for the evenings
  • Ecofriendly hygiene products
  • Wilderness wipes
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Phone or emergency communication device
  • Feminine hygiene items
  • Quick-dry towel
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Ecofriendly body soap
Trails With Camping Available

Julia and Arthur are the owners, creators and writers of Hikers Movement, Homestead Fox and owners of Fox Media Tech Inc.. As seasoned hikers, Julia and Arthur don't just write about the great outdoors – they live it. Their firsthand experiences, shared through hiking adventures around the world, reflects their genuine commitment to inspiring a community of outdoor enthusiasts.

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