Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site is a hidden gem located 160 km southwest of Halifax in southwestern Nova Scotia. Established in 1974, this 403.7 km2 park offers a natural haven for those seeking tranquility and adventure. The park’s name, derived from a Mi’kmaq word, refers to the exertion required in paddling across Kejimkujik Lake, which forms the park’s center. This glacier-scarred park is home to a diverse range of wildlife and features a 22 km2 stretch of pristine seacoast on Nova Scotia’s south shore, added in 1985, making it a paradise for nature enthusiasts.
The park’s marshes, bogs, and shallow lakes support a greater variety of reptiles and amphibians than anywhere else in Atlantic Canada, including rare species such as the ribbon snake and Blanding’s turtle. The woods are home to common mammals in eastern Canada, such as black bears, mink, flying squirrels, and red foxes. The seacoast is home to the endangered piping plover and also features a large population of waterfowl and seals.
The park is also a national historic site, commemorating over 4000 years of aboriginal occupation. The Mi’kmaq, the area’s first inhabitants, left hundreds of petroglyphs depicting legends and events on the slate outcrops of Kejimkujik Lake. The waterways linking the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Fundy provided the Mi’kmaq and French with a significant canoe route, making Kejimkujik a canoeist’s paradise to this day.
In 1993, the park was designated as Canada’s first Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) site, and today universities, government agencies, and international agencies are studying a broad spectrum of ecological topics, including the effects of acid rain, forest biodiversity, ozone depletion, and habitat fragmentation. Kejimkujik forms part of the core zone of the Southwest Nova biosphere reserve, designated in 2001.
Explore the untouched wilderness, discover the rich history, and immerse yourself in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site’s natural beauty. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a history buff, or an adventure seeker, this park offers something for everyone.
Did you know about Kejimkujik National Park?
- Kejimkujik National Park is located in Nova Scotia, Canada.
- The park was established in 1974 and covered an area of 403.7 square kilometers / 155.86 square miles.
- The park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds.
- The park’s marshes, bogs, and shallow lakes are known for their high biodiversity and support more species of reptiles and amphibians than occur anywhere else in Atlantic Canada.
- The park’s name, Kejimkujik, is derived from a Mi’kmaq word referring to the exertion required in paddling across Kejimkujik Lake, which forms the park’s center.
- Kejimkujik is a national historic site commemorating over 4,000 years of Aboriginal occupation.
- The park is home to hundreds of petroglyphs (rock carvings) created by the Mi’kmaq people, depicting legends and events.
- Kejimkujik is also a popular destination for canoeing and kayaking, as the park has several interconnected lakes and streams.
- In 1993, the park was designated as Canada’s first Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) site, making it an important site for ecological research.
- Kejimkujik forms part of the core zone of the Southwest Nova biosphere reserve, designated in 2001.
Google Maps of Kejimkujik National Park
This embeddable Google Map generated for free on Canada Maps.com