Trail Profile: Quispamsis Trail
Quispamsis, New Brunswick, is home to a 24-kilometre trail network, including the 5.8-kilometre Quispamsis Trail, part of the Saint John to Hampton Trail. A mix of off- and on-road routes, the trail is suitable for walking, hiking, cycling and even horseback riding in the warmer months. In the winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular activities – the trail is groomed and suitable for year-round use.
What we love about this Trail section
• It connects to a state-of-the-art recreational building and a BMX dirt jump park, offering lots of fun options for all ages
• It’s a family-friendly trail that offers a safe corridor for people to travel through town in peaceful surroundings
• It offers a variety of environments, including a beach and a rehabilitated lagoon
Family-friendly opportunities abound
Head out on the Quispamsis Trail and travel through residential areas and parkland. This off-road trail is appropriate for all ages, providing families with an excellent option for an active transportation route in the area.
Along the trail, you’ll find the qPlex, a state-of-the-art recreational space that offers activities galore: a pool, walking track, playground tennis courts, sports fields, pickle ball courts and more. In Chelsea Park, kids and BMX enthusiasts will love the BMX dirt jump park, featuring great bike jumps for kids and riders of all ages in the spring and summer.
Beaches, lagoons and ferries, oh my
At Matthews Cove Park, head out on a short 700-metre loop, where you can enjoy interpretive viewing areas as you pass through a scenic forested lagoon on a popular dog-friendly walking trail. Keep an eye out for ducks and other birds along your route.
The trail continues to the banks of the Kennebecasis River, where Gondola Point Beach awaits. Stop for a picnic, then cool down with a dip, or simply enjoy the freshwater beach. If you like, at Gondola Point, hop off the Quispamsis Trail and onto the Gondola Point Ferry for a short and sweet 5-minute cable ferry ride across the river. Enjoy a lovely scenic ride to Kingston, New Brunswick. Rest, relax and enjoy the river views.
A classic Anglican church and National Historic Site
Just off the trail near Gondola Point Road, be sure to stop and check out St. Luke’s Anglican Church, built between 1831 and 1833 and designated a National Historic Site of Canada. It is considered to be the best surviving example of a Wren-Gibbsian church in New Brunswick, exemplifying the architectural tradition of the Anglican Church, with small, classically decorated auditory halls, designed for all parishioners to hear the sermon.
