Kouchibouguac National Park has undergone a transition away from hiking towards beach pleasures, canoeing, cycling, and skiing. Some trails have been converted to bicycle trails. Lately, there has been a shikft in government policy towards favouring multi-use trails. These trails are designed to be shared by various groups of users, such as hikers, bikers and horseback riders in the summer, and cross-country skiers and snowmobilers in the winter.
"Outdoor Enthusiasts!" do not believe that this is a good idea as different groups have very different needs. Whereas cyclists need a sufficiently wide trail with a solid surface, hikers get a much better walk and cause only minimal erosion on a trail with a soil surface. As unpleasant as it is for hikers to be on the alert for cyclists, it is no less irritating for bikers to have to be on a permanent lookout for hikers. As usual, the stronger crowds out the weaker. All the multi-user trails that we have seen are very wide and level. In other words, not very exciting for hiking.
Kouchibouguac National Park is a nature lover's paradise. It has sandy beaches, lagoons, saltmarshes, and bogs. It was established in 1969. It is the largest national park in New Brunswick. The hiking trails in this park are not as steep as the trails in Fundy National Park.
