Why New Brunswick Is the Perfect Destination for Your Winter Adventure
This post is sponsored by Destination New Brunswick but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
One thing you might not know about the Canadian province of New Brunswick? It has the most snow on the east coast of the country, and if you are planning on making the most of the winter season, it should be on your list of destinations.
This is especially true for those who are looking to hit the trail and plan on snowmobiling. New Brunswick has over 8,100 kilometers of trails for snowmobilers, and it’s not uncommon for visitors in other parts of Canada and the northern United States to make the trek in order to explore this winter wonderland. Kyle Good from Snowmobile New Brunswick explains why the province has gained its reputation and how much work is involved in keeping it pristine for visitors.
“What separates us from other areas are a few things. It’s our managed trails and how well they are [marked]. We’ve got permanent sign structures strategically placed at all major intersections…we have an interactive trail map. [That means] that we are the only ones who provide a live feed of where groomers are on the trail in the province.”
This care and cultivation of New Brunswick’s snowmobiling trails has helped it to earn recognition from surrounding provinces like Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario–all places which have historically received less snowfall. This, of course, means much more work from groomers who not only maintain the trails but the 150 shelters placed throughout the province. While other provinces might have at most seven or eight, New Brunswick’s impressive number of shelters makes it a snowmobiling paradise.
The main reason visitors choose to come, however? The signature trail systems placed at the highest elevations of the province.
“We have two [signature trails]: one of them is called the Christmas Mountain Signature Trail Network, and the other is the Fundy Highlands Signature Trail Network, which opens for the first time this year,” Good mentions.
You can even plan your routes beforehand due to Snowmobile New Brunswick’s digital maps. Since they are available online, you can log on and explore the extensive trail system before you even arrive, meaning you can plan a multi-day adventure and set up accommodations in advance.
While snowmobiling might be what typically attracts those from outside of New Brunswick, Good suggests checking out the many other winter activities that can be enjoyed while you are there. Skiing is always a great option of things to do, and New Brunswick boasts a number of hills such as Crab Mountain north of the town of Fredericton and Sugarloaf Mountain in the most northern area of the province.
Good also recommends skating, another activity New Brunswick is known for. It has traditionally been the location of the World Pond Hockey Competition and takes place in the small village of Plaster Rock on Roulston Lake. Bringing in hockey competitors from around the world to compete, the event’s 20th anniversary is being held February 16-19, 2023 and shouldn’t be missed by hockey enthusiasts.
For those who enjoy slower-paced winter activities, cross country skiing, ice fishing, dogsledding, hikes to frozen waterfalls, fat biking, and snowshoeing are also recommended activities. Good states that these types of outdoor activities are becoming more popular as visitors of all backgrounds and preferences choose to get outside more. Overall, this interest in New Brunswick’s winter season is essential to the success of the local economy.
“There’s a lot of businesses in the province, especially in the northern end [such as] Serpentine Lodge or Rogers Lake Lodge that strictly depend on snowmobile traffic as their bread and butter. Their existence is due to snowmobiling. Believe it or not, there are businesses up here that if snowmobiling wasn’t part of what they do, they wouldn’t survive.”
For New Brunswickers, winter is a way of life and they embrace it fully. For visitors, exploring the province through its many winter activities is to get a taste of this magical area at its best. Nowhere is it said best than in New Brunswick’s slogan, “We do winter well.”
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