North Kouchibouguac Dune Beach

Located in Kouchibouguac National Park, North Kouchibouguac Dune is a famously long sandy dune beach stretching for 25km. Named after the Kouchibouguac River, the word in Mi’kmaq appropriately means “River of long tides”.

The sensitive dunes and bogs are protected by the park system since 1969 when the land was expropriated from local families with one notable exception; Jackie Vautour refused to move and still lives in the park.

North Kouchibouguac Dune is a long sand spit on the east coast of New Brunswick overlooking the Northumberland Strait. The offshore dune is connected to the mainland by a footbridge.

It’s a mecca for walking, camping, shelling and clam digging. In winter, storms wash over the low-lying dunes stripping them of vegetation. However, the dunes are important breeding grounds for terns (it’s the second largest tern colony in North America), endangered Piping Plovers, Red-breasted Mergansers, gulls and other seabirds. Harbour and Grey Seals often bask on the sand.

Kouchibouguac is also a popular place for swimming, canoeing and kayaking and there are many beach trails for hiking and bicycling.