Hopewell Rocks

Quite amazing to see! I walked the beach end to end in two days. I started in the middle then did the ends on a separate day. I couldn’t believe how much time I spent here. It was like being a kid walking the beach seeing how close I could get to the water. ended up muddy and almost lost my shoe. Then spent the other half of the time walking as close to the walls and finding streams to rinse the mud off. Like a child wandering finding stones, exploring. It was so relaxing.
If you go take your time, take pictures turn off the phone, listen to the waves, the wind. When walking the trails to the north end take a deep breath. The pines smell wonderful. It’s nature enjoy it.

Pretty basic in terms of information provided. Not much to get you excited about what you are seeing. The forms are interesting and the views of the bay are pretty nice. A worthwhile stop but skippable if you are short for time and want to save $ 10 a person.

Really, really lovely.
These rocks are lovely, especially the flower pot Hopewell Rocks. There’s a nice trail from the parking area to the flower pots which is enjoyable as well. A lot of really great photo opportunities once you get down to the ocean.
Just a note: even if the park is ‘closed’ you might be able to get down to the ocean. But be very careful of rising tides!

Who doesn’t want to be able to say they have walked on the bottom of the ocean? The experience was awe-​inspiring. One tip walk past the flower pot formations go get away from the crowds; you will truly experience the receding tide. There are park rangers who will keep you safe; we walked through an area and were turned around due to the rising tide. Others have complained about the entrance fee, however it is well worth it; and remember the fees go to maintenance of the area!

Stunning! Make sure you walk as far down the «beach» as you can. It seemed most tourists were whining about the stairs then just standing at the bottom where the main flower pot rocks are. Keep heading straight and there are even more serene nooks, crannies and rocks! Didn’t stay for tide coming in but will definitely be back to check it out. Oh, and bring rubber boots. Or shoes you don’t care about. It’s a little muddy but worth it.

Was quite disappointed that this place completely shuts down off season. Many pictures of the lower parking access are now incorrect as the part completely dismantles the access ways to prevent any access to the grounds.

Was there during a trip to the PEI, very interesting rocks and landscape. It was an enjoyable afternoon. You have to take some flight of stairs to get down to the shore area… I am not sure if that area is wheelchair accessible. I would recommend people that have difficulty climbing up stairs to check before going!

Beautiful! Really trippy rock formations, looks like an alien landscape. And who doesn’t love the ocean? Awesome. We just wandered around for an hour or so and took it in, sat on a rock and daydreamed in the sunshine and took mental photos (and real photos) of the vast rocky shore and relaxed.
There’s a 15-​min walk down to the shore from the visitor’s center, or you can take a golf-​cart shuttle thing for $ 2 — they take US dollars as well as Canadian.
There’s also a pretty good small info center/​museum with factoids about the area’s geology, history, and wildlife.
This should be on your list of things to see before you die!

I’ve travelled around the world (literally), and now that I’ve been here twice in the last 10 years, I can say that this is one of the more fascinating natural wonders of our little planet.
These rocks see huge swings in tides every day, so you can peruse them, up close and personal, from the ocean floor at low tide, while at high tide, you can see where you stood, drowned in 30 feet of water, from the platform above. Definitely recommend coming here for both high and low tides if you can manage it, although if you can only do one, then it’s got to be low tide.
The place sees a lot of crowds during the warmer months, when it charges admission, but during the colder months, you’re pretty much on your own, at your own risk. You’ll need to keep track of the times for low tide and plan accordingly. I’d assume you should leave the ocean floor and head back to higher ground if more than 1 hour has passed since low tide.
In these colder months, there is a driveway heading to the left once you turn off the main road, and this leads to a lower parking lot with a stairway providing easy access to the ocean floor. In the warmer months, the main parking area leads to the visitor center, a viewing platform offering a gorgeous view of tidal flats framed by nearby hills, and a well-​maintained trail down to the Flowerpot Rocks.
Definitely a must-​see and a quick detour from Moncton if you’re ever in Atlantic Canada.

One of my favourite places in the world. Like seriously. Way more impressive than Stonehenge. I could spend all day here and not become any less amazed.
Perfect for having an awe-​inducing experience alone, to go with the kids, on a date, with the famjam, or some friendsies. When the kids look away, there’s plenty of romantic nooks and crannies to sneak yummy kisses. not that you would.
Bonus points: naming the different rocks. Seeing patterns and faces in the rocks. Seriously, they’ve got character!
And when you get bored of marvelling at how amazing nature is (doubt you will), you can always wander the beach.

My sister and I checked out Hopewell Rocks Friday afternoon … its about a half hour south of Moncton.
The Hopewell Rocks, also called the Flowerpot Rocks or simply The Rocks, are rock formations caused by tidal erosion in The Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal Exploration Site in New Brunswick. They stand between 40 – 70 feet tall.
They are located on the shores of the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy at Hopewell Cape near Moncton, New Brunswick. Due to the extreme tidal range of the Bay of Fundy, the base of the formations are covered in water twice a day. However, it is possible to view the formations from ground level at low tide.
The formations consist of dark sedimentary conglomerate and sandstone rock. The large volume of water flowing in to and out of the Bay of Fundy modifies the landscape surrounding it. After the retreat of the glaciers in the region following the last ice age, surface water filtering through cracks in the cliff has eroded and separated the formations from the rest of the cliff face. Meanwhile, advancing and retreating tides and the associated waves have eroded the base of the rocks at a faster rate than the tops, resulting in their unusual shapes.
The vast sediment planes in the basin in Fundy support a variety of biological productivity. Various shorebirds are often seen flocking to nest and feed in the area. Visitors are advised to stay for a full tidal cycle to get a full appreciation of the tides and formations. Although the tides vary from day to day, the high tide can be as high as 16 metres (52 ft) giving The Hopewell Rocks one of the highest average tides in the world.
We got there about 3:15pm … so we were able to watch as it became low tide.
There is a gift shop, small museum and restaurant in this building which is just inside the entrance.
There an observation deck … this is looking down at the flowerpots. The tide was going out. At high tide, the water reaches to where the rocks get thicker towards the top.
There is a staircase that takes to down to the ocean floor. We spent some time walking around the ocean floor … yes, the ocean floor! It was very cool to be there as the tide when out and we were able to walk further!
I checked out the observation that was behind the restaurant. Looking right you can see sand and looking left you can see the ocean. At high tide, this would be full with water.
Very cool spot! You should check it out if you are in the Moncton area.

Visiting Hopewell Rocks (also known as The Rocks Provincial Park) is a great way to experience the famous tides of the Bay of Fundy. Some of things to do here:
— walking on the ocean floor at low tide
— kayaking during the high tide
— exploring the «flower pot rocks» — formations carved by the tides
Tips:
— check the tide schedule and make sure to get there at the right time for the activity that you prefer.
— don’t get caught on the ocean floor by the oncoming tides!
Read more about my trip here and see some photos:

This is an amazing area. The natural rock formations will leave you speechless. A friend and I had the opportunity to stop while on a trip to PEI. An amazing sight. I’m not sure what else to say. Go here!!!

WOW! Talk about a natural wonder and a something that should be on every Bucket List… So you know that this natural wonder is slowly disappearing due to natural erosion…
DO NOT FORGET THE CAMERA
Your admission in is good for two days, think it was $ 9. HINT HINT you need two days/​tides to see this. It is amazing to walk the sea floor at low tide and then see the kayakers at high… if you got the money, it would be well worth the expense to kayak the rocks.
Parking is more than ample.
Accessible to… well the paths are flat and wheelchair accessible. And so are the look outs. As for the walk down to the sea floor… 99stairs! (Ackkkk, but hell I didn’t not as easy as it sounds)
staff… most of the staff was great. There are definitely a few rotten apples.
I purposely got there the second day early, so I could get as much time in before the tide started to get in. I was the first person that the gate at about 730am… Then this employee came screaming up to me about I can’t park there. She kept screaming to the point I couldn’t get a word in… Then the gate attendant came and told the employee that I was fine and she needs to enter through the exit gate. Gate attendant was great, employee was a presuming «i know everything bitch»
Staff also has I-​pads that have time lapse photos and historical photos that show the erosion to the over the course of time. You could see how some of the flower pots came to be.
THIS IS A MUST and well worth the drive…
Watch the weather as Fundy Fog is notorious for rolling in.

To me, Hopewell Rocks is one of those «once in a lifetime» places to visit — I’ve been 3!
First visit was the best as it was fun exploring each and every little side trail along the walk from the Information Center down to the Flower Pot Rocks. (Sorry to say, our second & third trips were hurry up, let’s get there and get on with our day type of visits — if we had taken our time they would have seriously impressed again)
The paths are well laid out, wide enough to pass by, but not too wide that you loose sense of being in beautiful forest (the smell of balsam is devine!)
There’s a great observation deck at the base of the trail and usually a park worker to describe things. Then there are the stairs down to the «ocean floor». As others have written, don’t wear good clothes &/​or shoes if you want to walk round the base of the stones — the mud gets everywhere. If you have time, walk further along the shore to the 2^nd set of stairs back up the cliff. (not too many folks know or use the other stairs — no crowds!)
Cost is $ 9 and allows access for 2 days, allowing you to see both high and low tides. We went at high tide and were able to descend the primary staircase to within 4 steps of the bottom — that was the high water level that day. Was able to take an identical photo of a rock formation at both tides that clearly show the difference (sure, the brochure does that also, but it really impresses when it’s your own shots).
If you’re tired of walking or unable, there is a shuttle (overside golf cart) that will transport you up or down from the info center to observation deck for $ 2 each way. Restaurant and gift shop are in Info Center.

I had heard about Hopewell Rocks from a work colleague and since we were in Saint John, I wanted to come check out this wonder. The drive took about 2 hours and including highway where we didn’t see any other cars around but we trusted the map wasn’t taking us on the scenic long route.
We arrived late morning or so and there was plenty of parking. The admission was pretty inexpensive at about $ 9 per person for 2 days which is great to catch both high tide and low tide. We stayed a few hours of walking on the ocean floor during low tide. It would have been fun to kayak in the water during high tide too. If we were staying in Moncton, I would have liked to come back.
I recommend walking the trails and enjoying the sights. We walked to the flower pot rocks where everyone comes to enjoy and it took about 15 – 20 minutes. There is also a shuttle you can pay to take.
Walking in the opposite direction is another trail to get to a beach which was nice to sit and enjoy the water. It wasn’t a strenuous walk but there are some spots were it inclines or declines and I liked that it was quiet and not busy.
This is a hidden gem and one of the best attractions I have enjoyed in the Atlantic provinces.

If you want to spend a few hours hiking some beautiful trails, soaking in some sun, and witnessing some of the most spectacular tides in the world, then this is your destination.
For less than $ 10 a person, you get a 2-​day pass to hike the park and visit the rocks shaped by the ocean. The two days mean that you can come visit it at both high and low tides without needing to spend eight hours at the park to witness both tides.
The trails are nicely carved out and have seats all along the way for frequent stoppers. A little playground is available at the main grounds to help your kids, or your hyperactive boyfriend, burn off some energy. The little restaurants, while overpriced, look to offer decent food. But if you’re smart and brought your own lunch, there are plenty of picnic tables available for you.
However, if you plan on taking advantage of the park, you’ll need to come prepared. I have no balance on dry, flat ground, so you can imagine that trekking around in ocean slurry on top of sharp shale was my idea of a great time. Flippy floppies may be great for a boat, but not for the ocean floor. I would highly recommend a pair of good hiking boots that you don’t mind getting covered in muck, or were already planning on throwing out. Also, don’t wear white, or clothes you’re not okay ruining, because guess what? Mud stains. Shorts and tees might work in your favor here. Nature is no place for Prada.
The other big thing that would make this experience better was if there were more hoses available at the washing station. On a hot summer day, the place can get packed, and it’s no fun waiting in «line» for 45 minutes just to wash your feet off. Also, be prepared to throw elbows, because there’s no organized system for the hoses, so people will cut in front of you if you let them.
Overall though, it’s a fun place.

Amazing! The Hopewell Rocks were not what I expected!
Being from Nova Scotia and working in the Tourism industry I know more then the average person about tourist destinations. But, I am fascinated as to what the draw is for tourists to see the Bay of Fundy and it’s high tides… Now, I can certainly see why the Hopewell Rocks receive the hype they do.
During low tide you can walk on the ocean floor for up to 3 hours, but you are warned to make sure your back on real land before a certain time or you could get trapped as the tide comes in FAST! The water levels are amazing, and are marked on the rocks so you can see exactly how high they get.
Besides walking on the ocean floor, you can also find observation decks to look below. There are also trails for walking, a restaurant, gift shop and a mini museum. The fee is $ 9 for adults and $ 7.75 for students, (pumped I had my student ID on me :))
With the highest tides in the world, Hopewell Rocks are something to be seen.

We absolutely had to see Hopewell Rocks on our genealogy trip to New Brunswick since my mother’s family name is ‘Hopewell.’ It was definitely worth the drive through somewhat desolate north-​eastern New Brunswick to get here.
Like any worthwhile site, it was completely overrun with tourists which took away from its beauty. Since we went at low tide, there were troves of people going up and down the steps to the beach. It made for a somewhat harried visit, but still very beautiful.
It is nice that they offer a ‘tram’ to the base, but you still have to walk several flights of stairs down to the actual beach even if handicapped. If you are with someone whose mobility will allow them to go down the steps very slowly, it might be doable. Perhaps going outside of high season would be advisable. If you decide not to walk back up to the gate, you can opt to take the tram back to the top. However, the walk was not strenuous in the least. It was prettily wooded and a very gradual slope. I saw several elderly persons making their way down (didn’t notice on the way up) easily.
We missed out on our planned kayak trip through an adventure outfit in the park itself, but I would highly recommend it to other visitors. You should make reservations at least one day in advance and be warned that they do take a credit card and require 24 hours cancellation notice. Still, the opportunity to kayak at Hopewell Rocks’ ‘flowerpots’ during high tide is worth the aggravation. Alas! we missed out.