Lighthouse Trail
Cape Jourimain National Wildlife AreaGallery
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Quick Facts
| Difficulty | easy |
| Trail Type | loop |
| Distance | 1.6 km |
| Estimated Time | 45 mins |
| Surface Type | crushed rock, road |
| Elevation Change | 8 metres |
| Features | lighthouse, ocean |
| Trail Markers | signs |
| Scenery Rating | must see |
| Maintenance Rating | well maintained |
| Cell Reception | strong |
| Dog Friendly | on a leash |
| Fees | by donation |
Description
In front of the interpretive centre, continue straight along a short, grassy path. At the junction turn right. After a short distance you will come to a gravel road that goes from the interpretive centre to the lighthouse. Turn left and follow this road. Look for songbirds in the bushes along the road. At certain times you can flag down a golf cart that will take you to the lighthouse.
At the lighthouse you can go inside and read the interpretive panels. There is usually a person there that will tell you the history of the lighthouse and the wildlife area. You may even get the chance to go up in the lighthouse and enjoy the views. The lighthouse was recently (pre-2023) moved back from the shore due to erosion. In front of the lighthouse, you can still find the cement pad that used to hold the lighthouse.
When leaving the lighthouse on the road, you will find a trail enter the woods on the right. This wide, gravel trail takes you along the shore with many views of the Confederation Bridge and the beach below. On the trail you will see large pictures of ducks on the trees. These are part of a scavenger hunt. At the start of the trail near the interpretive centre, there is a steel box with what you will need for the scavenger hunt. If you don't want to do the scavenger hunt you can just take selfies with the ducks like we did.
Map
Directions
Go past the Interpretive Centre, either by going through the interpretive centre if it is open, or by using the boardwalk to the left outside. Make sure you check out the observation tower on the side of the interpretive centre to get the lay of the land.
Step off the boardwalk in front of the interpretive centre and continue straight on the grassy path. After a short distance you will come to a junction. Turn right to start on the road to the lighthouse. Turn left to start on the trail along the shore.
From the Sign
Keeper's House
The first keeper's dwelling was built with the tower in 1869 by the Department of Marine & Fisheries. In 1937, a new dwelling was built, with the old house sold to Percy Bent's wife for use as a shed. This is the foundation from 1937, with the most visible remains being the cistern, which would have been located beneath the house.
A Safe Distance
Before electricity, most lighthouses used oil or kerosene to illuminate their lamps. This posed a serious risk to wooden lighthouses. To protect the keeper, the tower and dwelling were built 15.2 m (50 ft) apart, so in the event that the light caught fire, it would not spread to the house.
Other Trails at Cape Jourimain
Trail Last Hiked: July 29, 2023.
Page Last Updated: February 24, 2024.