Mount Carleton Provincial Park, established in 1970, is the largest

provincial park Ischigualasto Provincial Park A provincial park (or territorial park) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park. They are similar to state parks in other countries. They are typically open to t ...

in the Province of

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. It encompasses in the remote highlands of north-central

. The park is a lesser-known gem of the Atlantic Canadian wilderness. Some outdoor enthusiasts refer to it as the "Algonquin of New Brunswick."

Geography

The park's dominant natural features include the highest peak in the Maritimes,

Mount Carleton At 817m, Mount Carleton, in Mount Carleton Provincial Park is the highest peak in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, and the Maritime Provinces. It is one of the highlights of the Canadian portion of the International Appalachian Trail ...

, and several large freshwater lakes (Nictau Lake, Little Nictau Lake, Bathurst Lake, and the Nepisiguit Lakes). Located at the headwaters of the

Nepisiguit River The Nepisiguit River is a major river in northern New Brunswick, Canada, which enters the sea at the city of Bathurst, into the Nepisiguit Bay, part of the Bay of Chaleur. Nepisiquit River Bay, brook, and falls. Appears in Jesuit Relations (1 ...

and the

Tobique River The Tobique River (pro. Toe-Bick) is a river in northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. The river rises from Nictau Lake in Mount Carleton Provincial Park and flows for 148 kilometres to its confluence with the Saint John River near Perth-Andover. Th ...

, the lakes offered a convenient portage route between the Nepisiguit and Saint John River watersheds. The Canadian portion of the International Appalachian Trail passes through the park.John S. Marsh
"Mount Carleton Provincial Park" entry
''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' The

Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail The Sentier Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail is a 147 kilometre wilderness hiking and backpacking trail in New Brunswick, Canada that follows the Nepisiguit River from the Daly Point’s Nature Reserve in Bathurst to Mount Carleton Provincial Park. Offici ...

, a wilderness backpacking trail which follows the Nepisguit river to Bathurst, has its western terminus at Bathurst Lake in the park. The mountains in the park are erosional remnants of resistant igneous rocks that remained after an ancient

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretace ...

peneplain 390px, Sketch of a hypothetical peneplain formation after an orogeny. In geomorphology and geology, a peneplain is a low-relief plain formed by protracted erosion. This is the definition in the broadest of terms, albeit with frequency the usage ...

surface was uplifted in the Cenozoic to form a

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

, and subsequently dissected via millions of years of erosion by wind, water and glacial ice.

Features

Mount Carleton Provincial Park has 11 hiking trails and four main mountain peaks, each accessible by trail: Mount Carleton, 820m (2,690 ft); Mount Head, 792m (2,589 ft); Mount Sagamook, 777m (2,549 ft); and Mount Bailey, 564m (1,850 ft). Newly renovated cabins along Nictau Lake and Bathurst Lake provide comfortable rustic wilderness experiences for any outdoor enthusiast. There are three camping areas within the park, and many family activities going on throughout the season.

History

Mount Carleton is rich in cultural and natural history. Along the shores of Nictau Lake, First Nations artifacts have been found that date back to thousands of years. Signs are placed at the beginning of the hiking trails in Mount Carleton Provincial Park to provide a brief description of some of the human, cultural, and natural history of the area. In 2009, the park was officially designated as a Dark Sky Preserve on behalf of Parks Canada and the Royal Astronomy Society of Canada.Government of New Brunswick - Provincial park to receive Dark Sky Preserve designation (09/07/18)
/ref> This designation aims to keep the area free from light pollution.

Activities

An annual stargazing event usually takes place in late July or early August. The night sky of Mount Carleton Provincial Park is among the darkest skies in Canada.

References

External links