Musquash Estuary Coastal Trails
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Podcast
Episode 19: A Tour of the Musquash Head Lighthouse
Trails in the Area
The Musquash Estuary Nature Reserve is a 2,309 hectare (5,704 acre) nature reserve that is managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). The Black Beach Trail and the Five Fathom Hole Trail were the first two hiking trails in the area built by NCC. From 2014-2017 Explore Lorneville Inc., a non-profit community group—built the Split Rock Trail along the rugged coast of the Bay of Fundy between the Coleson Cove power plant and the Musquash Head Lighthouse at the mouth of the Musquash Estuary. Troy's Trail was then extended from the Lighthouse to Black Beach Explore Lorneville partnered with NCC to build the Lorneville Link Trail, which opened in 2021 and connects all of the trails in the area to form the Musquash Estuary Coastal Trails. The Musquash Estuary Nature Reserve is a 2,309 hectare (5,704 acre) nature reserve that is managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). The Black Beach Trail and the Five Fathom Hole Trail were the first two hiking trails in the area built by NCC. From 2014-2017 Explore Lorneville Inc., a non-profit community group, built the Split Rock Trail along the rugged coast of the Bay of Fundy between the Coleson Cove power plant and the Musquash Head Lighthouse at the mouth of the Musquash Estuary. Troy's Trail was then extended from the Lighthouse to Black Beach. Explore Lorneville partnered with NCC to build the Lorneville Link Trail, which opened in 2021 and connects all of the trails in the area to form the Musquash Estuary Coastal Trails.
The trail system is now 20.5 kilometres of connected trails providing amazing views of the Bay of Fundy and the extensive mud flats of the Musquash Estuary. The total kilometres for a one-way linear hike is 16.8 kilometres (17.8 kilometres at high tide). The Musquash Head Lighthouse is on an amazing patch of land at the mouth of the estuary. The trails travel through mostly coastal spruce forest and provide access to several gravel coves and beaches. The most interesting (and accessible) being Black Beach, a unique beach that is made up of black sand.