Amherst & Area Provincial Parks and Trails
Town of Amherst Walking Guide
One of the most popular recreational activities for adults is walking and we've got beautiful natural trails throughout town. The Amherst Stadium has an indoor walking track and there are outdoor tracks at Dickey Park, Rotary Centennial Park and Amherst Lion's Park.
Research has shown that walking provides personal, social, environmental and economic benefits. Walking is accessible, enhances physical and mental health, creates greater levels of social interaction and sense of community belonging as well as reducing vehicle use, which saves money and helps with noise and air pollution. Walking also connects people to nature and green spaces.
The Amherst and Area Trail Society, in collaboration with the Town of Amherst, has a vision to build and excellent trail system within the community that promotes physical fitness, tourism, economic development and recreation. To become a member of the Amherst and Area Trail Society or for more information, please contact them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on Facebook.
Click here to see our Town of Amherst Walking Guide and map.
Explore Cumberland Hiking Guide
Amherst is located in the heart of Cumberland County where we are surrounded by beautiful hiking trails and waterfalls. Hiking is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the outdoors and discover the beauty of nature with lots of trails available right here in Cumberland! Please click here to to see our Explore Cumberland Hiking Guide.
Things to know before you go!
- Trails are dog friendly. Keep dogs on a leash and remember to pick up after your pets.
- Don't forget your water bottle and bug spray.
- Check for ticks after your hike, especially during high seasons in the fall and spring.
Special thanks to Cumberland Trails for their expertise, research and photographic contributions to this guide.
Amherst Point Bird Sanctuary
More than 200 bird species have been observed at Amherst Point, which is a regular nesting site for regionally rare varieties such as Gadwall, Redhead, Ruddy duck, Virginia rail, Common gallinule, and Black tern. Amherst Point Bird Sanctuary's 1,000 acres of forest and trails are adjacent to the 1,480 acre John Lusby Marsh. Together, they make up the Chignecto National Wildlife Area.
A surprising variety of habitat live within the sanctuary, and 66% of its area is open water, marsh, and bogs, or controlled water-level impoundments, an environment ideal for waterfowl. The enclosed wetlands, specifically the impoundments created by the dikes and sluices built by Ducks Unlimited in the 1970s, are among the best waterfowl breeding grounds in Nova Scotia.
Visitor tip: "Bring bird seed and sit at the bench just after the entrance. They land on your hand and eat from it." Check out more reviews and photos on Tripadvisor.
Directions: The sanctuary is about 6 km from downtown Amherst, and it takes less than 10 minutes to get there. Travel west on Victoria Street (Highway 6) and continue for 2.8 km on Southampton Road, once you cross over the TransCanada Highway.
Amherst Shore Provincial Park
On the shore of the Northumberland Strait, Amherst Shore Provincial Park offers an attractive mixed woodland setting for camping. The park offers trail walking, swimming or beachcombing. This park, like others along this coast, offers some of the warmest saltwater swimming north of the Carolinas.
6596 Highway #366, NS
Cape Chignecto Provincial Park
At Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, towering 185-meter (600-foot) cliffs rise from the Bay of Fundy while the world’s highest tides lap at their base. Cape Chignecto is a 4,200-hectare natural environment park on a dramatic coastal peninsula. The park features 29 kilometres (18 miles) of pristine coastline, some of Nova Scotia’s most significant geological features, deep valleys, sheltered coves, rare plants, remnant old growth forest, scenic views, and a rich cultural heritage. We offer wilderness camping in secluded coves and ravines, while a spectacular coastal hiking trail leads visitors along high cliffs and deep valleys. Because Cape Chignecto is a wilderness hiking park, there are no drive-up camping sites.
1108 West Advocate Road, NS
Eatonville Day Use Area
Cape Chignecto Provincial Park’s new Eatonville Day Use area provides visitors of all ages with two user-friendly trail systems and an entire day of relaxation and outdoor enjoyment. There’s no rugged backcountry hiking required to reach some of the finest scenery in North America.
Eatonville, NS
Five Islands Provincial Park
Rising majestically from the shores of the Bay of Fundy, Five Islands Provincial Park is one of Nova Scotia's premiere outdoor destinations. The park features 90 metre (300 ft.) sea cliffs overlooking the world's highest tides, a spectacular setting for camping or any of the many opportunities that abound for hiking, beachcombing, rock collecting, clam digging, and ocean kayaking.
618 Bentley Road, Hwy 2, Five Islands, NS
Fort Beauséjour – Fort Cumberland National Historic Site
Situated at the head of the Bay of Fundy on the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Fort Beauséjour – Fort Cumberland stands at a crossroads of natural and cultural history. The site is an excellent venue to view a heritage landscape of great importance to Canadian history.
111 Fort Beausejour Road, Aulac, NB
Fox Harbour Provincial Park
The park offers a small picnic beach park on the shore of Fox Harbour with a sandy beach and warm water. Change rooms are also available.
865 Fox Harbour South Road, Fox Harbour, NS
162 Two Islands Road, Parrsboro, NS
Gulf Shore Provincial Park
Gulf Shore Provincial Park is beautiful picnic park on a hilltop overlooking Northumberland Strait. It offers tables, some shelters and a sandy beach with warm water
1033 Gulf Shore Road, Upper Gulf Shore, NS
Heather Beach Provincial Park
An excellent supervised beach, it is crowded on weekends during good weather.
700 Heather Beach Road, East Lindon, NS
Newville Lake Provincial Park
The park is a small picnic site under softwood trees along the shore of Newville Lake
HWY#209, Halfway River, NS
Northport Beach Provincial Park
Northport Beach is a red sandy beach accessible by stairs. It has warm water and the gentle tide and at low tide, sandbars trap pools of warm water for wading.
7722 Highway # 366, Northport
Shinimicas Provincial Park
A small picnic park located under stately Elms along the banks of the Shinimicas River
5252 Highway # 6, Shinimicas, NS
Tidnish Dock Provincial Park
The park marks the eastern terminus of the historic Chignecto Marine Transport Railway - one of Nova Scotia's most ambitious engineering projects. The project called for the construction of a 17 mile (28 km) long double-tracked railway from Fort Lawrence on the Bay of Fundy, across the isthmus to Tidnish Dock on the Northumberland Strait. Vessels were to be floated over huge wheeled cradles, which would be lifted by hydraulic presses to the level of the railway. The vessels would then be hauled across the isthmus where, on the other side, vessel and cradle would be lowered into the water until the vessel floated free.
919 Tidnish Head Road, Tidnish, NS
Wentworth Provincial Park
Wentworth is a day use picnic park with scenic views.
14160 Highway # 4, Wentworth, NS