Paddling in Fundy National Park of Canada

Fundy National Park sits on the Bay of Fundy coast of New Brunswick, where the world's highest tides define everything — including what paddling here looks and feels like.

The park holds both inland lake paddling and access to tidal coastal water, and the two experiences are about as different as water gets. Inside the park, Bennett Lake and Wolfe Lake are the anchors for flatwater paddling.

Bennett Lake is open to paddlers any time it's ice-free, and kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards are available for rent at the Bennett Lake Boathouse through Outdoor Elements, the park's official adventure outfitter.

Wolfe Lake has a tighter window — paddling there opens August 1 and runs until ice-over. That late-summer start is worth noting when you're planning a trip. The coastal side is a different proposition entirely.

At high tide, kayakers paddle over the same seafloor they walked at low tide — past sea cliffs, caves, and the tidal flats that drain and fill with each cycle.

The Bay of Fundy is roughly 250 kilometres long, and the tidal exchange it drives is not a backdrop; it is the condition you're paddling in.

Guided kayak tours operate out of the nearby village of Alma for those who want to get on the water without navigating the tides independently.

Fishing permits for the park are available on-site through Parks Canada — separate from any provincial licence — and non-traditional or commercial activities require a Restricted Activity Permit from Parks Canada.

Check with the park's visitor centre before you go; the rules here are federal, and the wardens enforce them.

The Point Wolfe area, reached via the covered bridge, has been affected by a bridge closure running through December 2026 — worth confirming current access before routing any trip through that corridor. The tides don't wait, and neither should your planning.