We had a nice big breakfast and drove to the visitor’s center at Fundy National Park to get more information on trails and the tides. While we were eating breakfast, two small red squirrels were chasing each other all around the campsite and making loud chirping sounds. We had heard these noises before on the trip and always thought they were from birds. The squirrels would chase each other in a spiral up and down the trees jumping from tree to tree. It looked like they were having fun.

We took the Dickson’s Falls Trail through a wooded area along a brook. It was mostly boardwalk with some informational displays. The forest itself seemed very moist and lush. There was lots of moss growing everywhere, including “old man’s beard” moss hanging from trees. The trail ended abruptly due to park maintenance.

The next trail we did was Matthew’s Head Trail which was a four and a half kilometer trail, part of which offered coastal views. The trail was labeled moderate and it was a nice walk through forests with tall soldier-like spruce trees. Many areas along the trail were very muddy and you had to be creative to get through unscathed.

The road areas along the water offered very foggy views of the Bay of Fundy. We picnicked along Wolf’s Point and took a trail down to the beach which was full of rocks and driftwood.

The next stop was at Hopewell Rocks - a huge tourist draw about thirty minutes from Fundy National Park. There was a fifteen minute walk down to the bottom to see the “flower pot” rocks and to walk along the ocean floor. Once we descended the steps, we were literally walking on the ocean floor. This area was different from Blomidon National Park in Nova Scotia because while Blomidon was very muddy and flat, this area was full of rocks, mud, and huge natural sculptures of rock that had been eroded away by the waters of Fundy. You are only able to walk on the bottom at certain times due to the tides. It is made very clear to visitors what times are safe and unsafe.

We walked to the end of the park area where the sculptures were and there was a manmade platform high up and isolated from the mainland that had a sign reading “for emergency use only”. The landscape was interesting and it was definitely worth the eight dollars each to get in. On the way back from the mud flats area, I stepped in some mud and got my feet completely covered with it. The mud was so thick it took a lot of effort to get my flip-flops out. Luckily there is an area with hoses to rinse off. There was also a small interpretive center that had information about the park, the rocks, and the tides.

On the way back towards the campground, we ate at a Gluten Free Restaurant - yes, a GF restaurant! - the Shepody Inn. Everything on the menu was gluten free and Theresa was very happy. We started with rolls that were pretty good, and Theresa had a salad and pasta dish with Swiss cheese sauce and bacon. It was good, but very big and too much of the same thing. I had the pan fried scallops and spaetzle with a Canadian beer called Keiths. The beer wasn’t as good as the Moosewood I’d had earlier on the trip. For dessert, Theresa had a chocolate almond cake which was delicious, and I had a Boomberry pie - blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry combination - also delicious. The portions were large and we took some home. Theresa was very happy to have a restaurant where she could eat anything on the menu that she wanted.