Coastal Path
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Quick Facts
| Difficulty | easy |
| Trail Type | loop |
| Distance | 1.1 km |
| Estimated Time | 25 minutes |
| Surface Type | forested, sand |
| Elevation Change | 28 meters |
| Features | lookouts, beach |
| Trail Markers | None but easy to follow |
| Scenery Rating | beautiful |
| Maintenance Rating | well maintained |
| Cell Reception | strong |
| Dog Friendly | on a leash |
| Fees | donations accepted |
Map
Description
The Coastal Trail travels along the cliff tops overlooking Bathurst Bay. Near to where the trail turns there is a lookout platform and stairs down to the beach. At low tide you can return on the beach or return through the woods. If you return through the woods you will travel through a mainly poplar stand. On our last visit we watched a pair of Morning Doves coo in a young spruce tree.
Directions
For directions to the park go to the Daly Point Nature Reserve page.
The Coastal Trail can be accessed from the end of the Field Trail by turning right. The other end of the loop can be accessed about mid way on the Field Trail on the right just before the shelter.
From the Sign
The Coastal Path
Coastal features such as dunes, barrier islands, salt marshes, and beaches, perform two significant functions. They act as naturel buffers to reduce the impact of storm surges and flooding. They protect human health by storing and purifying ground and surface water, and maintain ecosystem health by providing habitats and nutrients for many economically important fish and wildlife species. These features, created by the interaction of wind and waves, also serve to dissipate their energy.
Our seashores and beaches have always been an important part of New Brunswick's identity. Our earliest industries centered on fisheries and shipbuilding, and many early agricultural operations relied on draining coastal marshes. Even today, many New Brunswick industries, such as tourism and fishing, are concentrated in our coastal areas.
A number of factors, from human activity to changes in our global climate, have placed stresses on coastal areas. Our present challenge is to ensure their protection for the future.
During the last half of the twentieth century, there has been much greater pressure than ever before for development along the shores. Urban sprawl near coastal communities, growth of economic activities, and the increased desire for recreational homes and pastimes have all palced significant stress on coastal land and waterways.
From the Sign
Beaches of Northeastern New Brunswick
Beaches are a dynamic landscape, which means they are constantly changing due to the influence of the wind and the waves. They are usually flat and uniform and often backed by dunes which are piles of wind-blown sand held in place by the binding action of plants. Some of our finest beaches are located on barrier islands, which are long sandy beaches and dunes that lie parallel to the coast and are separated from the mainland by lagoons or marshes.
By bearing the brunt of wave attacks, beaches play and important role in protecting the mainland from erosion. Beaches are areas favored for recreational activities such as swimming, sun bathing, beachcombing, clam digging, fishing and in some areas, harvesting seawead. The beach also provides important wildlife habitat for various animals.
The sand that forms the beaches and the dunes comes mainly from the breaking apart of the soft sandstone cliffs that front the mainland. Sand grains are then transported along the shoreline by ocean currents and shaped into beaches by waves and into dunes by wind.
Trail Last Hiked: March 25, 2017.
Page Last Updated: Dec. 11, 2018.