Evacuated From Cape Chignecto Provincial Park

For over a year my mom and I have been planning a four day hike along the 53 kilometer loop in Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. After completing the loop last year over three days with friends, my mom and I decided to attempt a four day trek and stay at the cabins along the way. The hike had been the most physically demanding challenge of my life so we thought four days would be better and with the cabins we would not have to carry a tent. As the sign at the visitors centre says, “Cape Chignecto...it's no walk in the park”.

The plan was to start the hike Thursday, September 5th and finish on Sunday. Leading up to the week of the hike, news of hurricane Dorian began and predictions of it hitting Nova Scotia on Saturday at hurricane level were quite common. I monitored the weather closely the week leading up to the hike. It looked like Dorian would in fact hit Nova Scotia but not too bad. In Cape Chignecto Park the rain was only supposed to start Saturday around noon and end early Sunday morning. It looked as if we could miss the majority of the rain and wind. Some family and friends thought we were crazy for not cancelling and others thought we would be fine and that they would not close the park. 

So Thursday arrived and we made the 2 hour and 40 minute drive to the park. Our plan for the hike was to do the “boring” Eatonville side first and save the more interesting coastal portion of the hike for the last three days. From the visitors centre we would hike to the Carey Brook Cabin for a total of 23 kilometers, mostly through forest with a little bit of coastal views for the last seven or so kilometers while passing through Seal Cove. The second day to Big Bald Rock cabin would be 7.9k. Third day would be to Arch Gulch cabin at 13.6k. The final day would 9k back to the start.

When we arrived at the park, they did not turn us away. The did inform us that Friday by 2pm they would make a decision whether or not the park would close and that they would call us if they did. 

So, with the park not closed, off we went. We began our trek along the beach at around 1140. You walk along the beach for about 20-30 minutes before coming across a sign that warns you not to go any further. With the high tides along the Bay of Fundy it can be very dangerous. Then we walked up the stairs to the trail. Maybe it was just me but after the worker called them “the stairs” and after looking at all of them, all that was going through my head was Gollum from Lord of the Rings bringing Frodo and Sam to “the stairs” in Return of the King. I kept this thought to myself as I knew my mom would have no idea what I was talking about. 

The first hour on the trail was quite difficult. Already we were faced with the infamously challenging inclines. Honestly it felt like we were constantly heading up for at least an hour. It was the incline that never ended. Further along the trail to Eatonville was much better. Still some inclines, but nothing as extreme as in the beginning. Despite this section of the trail having no coastal views, the trek through the forest was quite peaceful. A stream was alongside a good portion of the trail and made it slightly more appealing. 

At 1420 and about 11 or 12 kilometers in we stopped for a snack break to eat some bagels with peanut butter. We only stopped for a short break before starting back up. We still had a lot of ground to cover.

Around 1530 we were finally at Eatonville. We saw the sign that said 6k to Seal Cove and 6.7k to Carey Brook cabin. We were beyond happy. After four hours of hiking 16k we were already starting to feel it.

Another hour passed and we could finally see the ocean again! But being back alongside the ocean also meant the trail would grow increasingly difficult. The difficulties were from areas of the path being completely muddy and some very strenuous inclines and declines. The muddy sections felt like a puzzle. You had to find a route that got you the least muddy. Sometimes we did very well and sometimes we feel for traps, as in safe looking logs in the mud that would sink when stepped on. That is when the hiking poles came in handy. By poking areas in the mud you could pick slightly better routes. In the beginning this was fun, I enjoy puzzles. After the 4th muddy section this became an annoyance. And we faced too many muddy sections to count. The decrease in pace being the biggest annoyance. We had to slow down a lot to try and find ways around or through the mud.

1820 we finally reached Seal Cove. At this point we were very tired and sore, we just really wanted our cabin. We kept thinking “only 0.7 k to go”. Which is only 700 meters. That is not even two laps around a track field. I don’t know if the sign back in Eatonville was lying or if we were just so tired that we were going very very slow but there is no way Seal Cove to Carey Brook cabin is only 700 meters. No way! It took us nearly an hour to get to the cabin. Sure we were tired but not that tired that we were traveling  at the speed of a snail. Anyways whatever the actual distance we finally saw the sign to the cabin and were delighted. Then to our dismay we had to hike another five minutes up an incline to the actual cabin. It was around 1910 when we finally arrived. So in the end 23k in approximately 7h40m. The longest distance either of us had hiked in one day. All with 20+ pounds on our backs. 

Inside the cabin was a lot nicer than I expected. I was expecting just a shelter with nothing inside. To my surprise there were 4 double bunks built on the inside, a table with two benches, a desk with a chair and shelf above, and a fireplace with wood available for heat. 

Once we were settled in my mom discovered she had a voicemail. It was the park staff informing us the park would be closing tomorrow and that they would like us to stay at the cabin and that someone would be in to pick us up. After a late supper we went straight to bed, exhausted after our long day.  

It was around 0900 when we were picked up. A staff member came to get us in a side by side. Which was kind of exciting as I have never been in one. The staff went down to the trail first to put up some signs in case any hikers did not get the message and they could see that the park was closed. Talking to him it sounded like there were a total of 16 hikers and they had not been able to contact everyone. It would be a long and difficult task trying to find everyone. They had told one hiker to tell anyone she came across to head back to a cabin to be picked up. The trails are not accessible by side by sides so everyone would have to make their way to the closest cabin. 

The way back was a lot of fun. It felt like being on an amusement park ride. If you have ever been on Disney World’s Dinosaur ride, it felt a lot like that. We were on the side by side for 20 minutes before we met up with another staff member and switched to a pickup truck for the rest of the way. Not as fun as the side by side but a much smoother ride. 

Now out of the park we began the journey home. While unable to finish the hike we did enjoy the bit we did the day before despite how tiring it was. We will have to train more and attempt the hike again next year! It was an interesting experience to witness first hand how a park is evacuated. It is not an experience everyone gets to have. While we would have liked to complete the hike we can always try again next year while being picked up in a side by side may never happen again!