Hiking Harbour Rocks Trail In Kejimkujik Seaside
Harbour Rocks trail is an in-and-out hike located in Kejimkujik National Park (Seaside Unit), around an hour away from Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site. During this hike, you will walk through a well-maintained trail surrounded by tall bushes and coastal forests. Eventually, the trail will lead you to the beautiful Harbour Rocks Beach and ends at the beginning of St. Catherine’s River Beach.
Kejimkujik Seaside is a year-round park, making it the perfect spot for various activities such as birdwatching, wildlife sightings, hiking, and snowshoeing in the winter.
Difficulty:Â Easy
Length:Â 2.8 km (one-way)
Suggested Duration: 1 hour
Signage:Â Great signage and maps throughout
Facilities: Parking, restrooms
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Key Features Of Harbour Rocks Trail
- Located in Kejimkujik National Park (Seaside)
- Scenic views of Harbour Rocks Beach, St. Catherines River Beach and St. Catherines River Bay
- Offers a family-friendly and accessible nature experience
- Connects to Port Joli Head trail
- Dog friendly (on-leash)
- Ideal for birdwatching and wildlife sightings
- A great snowshoeing trail in the winter
Facilities And Services
- Parking lot
- Restrooms before and on the first half of the trail
- Look-off points
- Garbage Bins
- Picnic shelter at the beginning of the trail
Before You Start Hiking Harbour Rocks Trail
When visiting Kejimkujik Seaside, there are a few important things you should know before you go.
The first is that this is a day-use-only park, and camping is prohibited. There are a few campgrounds nearby should you want to stay in the area. Admission to the park is free, and it is open all year round.
The area is unpatrolled, and you should be prepared in case of an emergency or animal encounter. It is not uncommon for hikers to encounter large wildlife such as bears, moose and coyotes on both the Harbour Rocks trail and Port Joli Head trail. Carrying a bear bell with you helps to let wildlife know you are in the area and will “scare” them off if they are on the trail. In addition, carrying bear spray as a last resort is also encouraged. While we hope never to use it, it can be reassuring to know that you have it in your pack in case of an emergency situation.
Ticks are a growing issue in Nova Scotia, and ticks bearing Lyme disease are present in the area. Be sure to check yourself and your dogs after hiking. If you happen to go through tall grass or bush, give yourself a wipe-off. This can help push off any ticks that have yet to latch.
We always encourage hikers to have a tick removal tool with them. Most of them can be clipped to your keys or bag. We don’t go on any trails without our Atlantick Kit and Atlantick Spray, which help to repel ticks. Atlantick is made in Nova Scotia and is safe for both humans and dogs.
A few other things to note is that the trail can be quite buggy (especially after the wet summer we just had in Nova Scotia), so bringing insect repellant is encouraged. Additionally, having proper sun protection, such as a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, is a must, as there is little to no shade along the trail, and you will be hiking in direct sunlight.
As always, whenever you are out in nature, please practice the Leave No Trace Principles. It is important to take out everything you bring in and not to litter or leave any garbage along the trails. Please try to refrain from feeding wildlife, as it can draw animals to the trails, putting you and other hikers at risk.
Lastly, be prepared for unexpected changes in temperature and weather and coastal hazards such as tides, rip currents, slippery rocks, unpredictable waves, and storm surges.
Our Experience Hiking Harbour Rocks Trail
We have visited Kejimkujik National Park numerous times, yet to our surprise, this was our first visit to Kejimkujik Seaside. As camping is prohibited in the area, and it takes approximately two hours to drive from our location, we decided to set off early in the morning to ensure we could get to the trails before it became crowded.
We arrived at Kejimkujik Seaside around 10 AM, which was a little later than planned as we forgot to pack our bear spray and had to go on a hunt for some more before we reached the trails. It is known that bears tend to frequent the trails. In fact, we saw a sign indicating that there was a bear in the area on the Port Joli Head trail, which is why we encourage everyone to bring a bear bell and bear spray just in case.
Once we arrived, there were only three other cars in the parking lot (this filled up quite quickly when we returned from hiking). We are in the process of testing out some new gear and breaking in new hiking boots, so we figured this groomed trail would be the perfect spot to do it. Now, you do not need hiking boots for this trail since it is well maintained, though we do encourage you to wear comfortable walking shoes.
In case you’re wondering, here’s the list of gear we were testing:
• Men’s Kühl One Shell
• Women’s Kühl One Jacket
• Men’s La Sportiva Trango Boots
• Women’s Vasque St. Elias Boots
At the trailhead, you’ll find restrooms, maps and information signs. The first 1.3 km is a groomed crushed rock trail surrounded by high bushes and coastal forest. There was not too much to see other than the occasional bear scat, but it was a great way to warm up the legs.
Just before you reach the first look-off point, you will see one of two off-trails to the Port Joli Head loop (the second entrance is just before the beach). Keep following the trail straight to stay on the Harbour Rocks trail.
We made a quick stop at the lookout point, where we caught our first glimpse of St. Catherines River Beach.
After another 725m, we reached the outhouses and split-off point. To the left is the continued Harbour Rocks trail, and to the right is the second entrance to the Port Joli Head loop. We followed the Harbour Rocks trail down to Harbour Rocks Beach, which was absolutely beautiful. Walking on the sand can be tougher than the trail, but it is a short walk across the beach.
The trail then continues to a few more lookout points, one of which features two red Parks Canada chairs. It’s a great spot to take a rest, savour the views, and have a snack! As you make your way from Harbours Beach to St. Catherines River Beach, the trail begins to get narrower and the terrain changes to grass and loose rocks.
As we got closer to the end of the trail, we heard a family of grey seals and were able to spot them on some rocks in the distance! Seeing wildlife on a hike is always a treat.
Upon reaching St. Catherines River Beach (the end of Harbours Rocks Trail), we turned around and went back to the split-off point. From here, we continued our hike onto the Port Joli Head loop rather than returning the way we came. To read about the Port Joli Head experience, click here!
Checklists And Recommended Gear
For a safe and enjoyable hike on the Harbour Rocks trail, we recommend the following gear.
- Water Bottle
- Comfortable Hiking Shoes – Women’s // Men’s
- Insect Repellent
- Sunscreen
- Sun Hat
- Camera
- Hiking Poles
- Atlantick Tick Removal Tool Kit
- Atlantick Spray
- Bear Bell
- Bear Spray
Related Hikes
Other Hikes At Kejimkujik Seaside
Hikes At Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site Hikes
- Flowing Waters Trail
- Mersey River Trail
- Hemlocks and Hardwoods Trail
- Farmlands Trail
- Rogers Brook Trail
- Grafton Woods Trail
- Channel Lake Loop (multi-day hike)
- Liberty Lake Loop (multi-day hike)
