Beech Grove Hike, Kejimkujik National Park
The Beech Grove Trail is one of many superb day hikes within the Kejimkujik National Park in Nova Scotia, Canada. With a trailhead just behind the Visitor Centre, this trail is easily accessible for a quick day trip or as part of a longer stay within the beautiful National Park.
The trail is well-groomed and easily navigated, and there are several boardwalks and a bridge along the way. The path brings hikers along the Mersey River and through the forest in a loop that connects to the Visitor Centre and the Mill Falls Trail in the east and the Ukme’k and the Mill Falls Trail (again) in the west.
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2.2 km (loop)
Suggested Duration: 40 minutes to an hour
Signage: Numerous signs throughout
Facilities: Visitors Centre, parking lot, camping, etc.
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Key Features Of Beech Grove Trail
- Located in Kejimkujik National Park
- Passes through forested areas and along the Mersey River
- Offers opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife sightings
- Dog friendly (on a leash)
- Near Mill Falls
Facilities And Services
- Parking lot
- Camping
- Visitor Centre
- Washrooms (Visitor Centre)
- Water Station (Visitor Centre)
- Garbage (Visitor Centre)
Before You Start Hiking Beech Grove Trail
The Beech Grove Trail is located within the Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site. To hike this trail, visitors will need to purchase either a day pass or an overnight pass.
We highly recommend taking a few nights to stay at Keji. Not only will you get to explore all the numerous trails within, but it is also a fantastic camping experience with tons of wildlife.
Along with campsite and RV site rentals, Kejimkujik National Park offers roofed accommodations, including oTENTik, Ôasis, rustic cabins and a yurt.
While the park is open year-round, camping, fishing, and Whynot Adventure rentals are seasonal.
All the front country trails are incredibly well-marked and groomed. While this terrain is relatively easy, it is rated moderate due to a few inclines and declines throughout the path.
This trail can be used for both hiking and biking. You can rent bicycles at Whynot Adventures for adults and youth (6-11 years old). Be sure to share the trail.
The Beech Grove Trail connects to Mill Falls Trail, which is a 2 km return hike. The Mersey Meadow Trail is also located nearby and is only a 70 m one-way. Since most of the front country trails are short, you can complete various hikes within a day. While exploring around, it is essential to stay on the designated path and boardwalks to protect fragile vegetation.
In addition, keeping to the trail helps to avoid ticks. Unfortunately, these are pretty common within the park. Because of this, we suggest bringing up a tick removal tool kit. Along with a tick removal tool, hikers should come prepared with insect repellent.
As always, whenever you are out enjoying the great outdoors, please follow the Leave No Trace principles. Whatever you pack in, make sure to pack out.
Our Experience Hiking Beech Grove Trail
We visited Keji for a 3-night stay in July. Upon our arrival, we parked at the Visitor Centre to get a quick hike in before checking in to our accommodation. The Beech Grove Trail was a great trail to stretch our legs and get a sense of the park. Arriving a bit early, we had some extra time to enjoy what has become one of our favourite pastimes: hiking!
During the time of our stay, the Mill Falls Trail was closed for repairs. So, too, was the river-side portion of the Beech Grove Trail. So we didn’t complete the full trail or the additional trail on this occasion. We’ll certainly be back to get these done in the future.
From the back of the Visitor Centre, we began on the shared trailhead. There is ample signage to show visitors where they are and where they’re going. We walked until we came to the crossroads between the Beech Grove and Mill Falls trails, at which point we crossed the Mersey River on the bridge to begin the appropriate loop.
And here’s a photo of the shared path with the bridge in the distance.
The terrain was easy, and the trail was wide enough in most areas to accommodate walking side-by-side. There were also a few stretches of the boardwalk. This “non-technical” terrain made this hike easy to do and allowed us to take in the surroundings as we walked (a luxury that isn’t always afforded when hiking technical terrain that requires careful footing).
As we crossed the bridge, we were directed in a counter-clockwise fashion around the loop. The path to the right (as we crossed the river) was under construction.
So we made our way through the wooded part of the loop. Unfortunately, as we got to the next crossroads, as we expected, the path that would complete the loops was also blocked off.
Here’s a shot near this crossroads point that shows the river.
Rather than continuing to the Ukme’k Trail, we decided to head back to the Visitor Centre. It was nearly time to check in, and we would be hiking plenty more trails within the park before heading home.
The Beech Grove Trail was a great warm-up, and its gentle terrain would prove common along many of the other short day hikes within the Kejimkujik National Park!
Checklists And Recommended Gear
Click the highlighted items to view the prices of our recommended gear while staying in Kejimkujik National Park.
HIKING GEAR
- Hiking shoes – Women’s // Men’s
- Cascade Hiking Poles
- Water Bottle
- Atlantick Tick Removal Tool Kit
- Atlantick Spray
- Ponchos or rain jackets
- Lamp/Headlight
- Sunscreen
- Sun hat
- Camera
- Insect repellent
SLEEP AND SHELTER
- Tent
- Tarp
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Pillow
- Rope
SAFETY GEAR
- Emergency first aid kit
- Whistle
- Watch
- Knife or multi-tool
- Bear spray in a holster
- Repair kit for the tent
- A trip plan left with a friend or family member in case of emergency
KITCHEN ESSENTIALS
- Single-burner camping stove
- Fuel for stove
- Pot
- Aeropress Go Travel
- Food
- Cutlery
- Lighter, matches, fire starters
- Water filter or purification tablets
- Dry bag for hanging food at night
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
