Cape Chignecto Provincial Park

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The cliffs of Cape Chignecto viewed from Red Rocks trailhead

Cape Chignecto Provincial Park is a Canadian provincial park located in Nova Scotia. A wilderness park, it derives its name from Cape Chignecto, a prominent headland which bifurcates the Bay of Fundy with Chignecto Bay to the north and the Minas Channel leading to the Minas Basin to the east.

The park's landscape is renowned for spectacular shoreline with challenging backpacking trails. The highest cliffs on the Nova Scotia peninsula are located along the park's southern coast and measure 200 metres (600 ft). The park occupies 42 square kilometres (16 sq mi) and has 30 kilometres (20 miles) of wilderness coastline with unique geological features such as raised beaches, caves and sea stacks. The spectacular coastal landscapes of the park make it popular for hikers and kayakers.

The park maintains over 50 kilometres of trails, both for day use hikers and overnight backpakers. An interpretation centre, picnic area, washrooms and giftshop are based at the trailhead at Red Rocks near the community of Advocate Harbour. In addition to 51 back country campsites and 28 walk-in sites, an overnight cabin and bunk house on the trail system may be rented by hikers. A new interpretation centre and day use trails at Eatonville are being developed and will open in the Summer of 2008.

The park is accessible from Route 209 and is one of the features on the Fundy Shore Ecotour. It is open from mid-May to mid-November.

The Government of Nova Scotia purchased the land currently comprising the park in 1989 and added it to the Crown land reserve, administered by the Department of Natural Resources. This land was redesignated for a provincial park in the mid-1990s and Cape Chignecto Provincial Park opened to the public in 1998 after several years of planning and trail and campsite development.

Unique among other provincial parks administered by the Department of Natural Resources, this park is managed by a local community organization and the Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association.

[edit] References

Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, map and visitor guide, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, 2004.
Halifax Chronicle Herald, Monday April 16, 2007, p. B7.