Kouchibouguac National Park, New Brunswick

Eastern Canada Road Trip 2019

We left the province of Quebec, with all its fromageries and boulangeries and patisseries (cheese shops, bread shops and bakeries) to enter New Brunswick, where all the signs were again in English and French. While we missed all the food shops, we were glad to not have to guess or translate everything again, though in truth we had rather enjoyed the constant challenge.

We drove through the forest near the coast to arrive at Kouchibouguac National Park on our way to Moncton where we were to drop off my husband’s sister, who had accompanied us since Quebec City. Sadly, we only stayed one night, but we made sure to get a kid’s booklet so my daughter could earn another dogtag (much like badges for kids at the American national parks). We drove around to a few spots within the park so she could do the activities, and you can see her carrying it as she walked along the shoreline looking for wildlife and enjoying the feel of the water after being in the camper all day.

I wish we could have explored this park a little more, but I feel pretty good about finally learning how to say the park’s name after asking the staff at the visitor’s center. (We had been butchering it since we made the reservation months ago). It’s a Mi’gmaq word that means “river of the long tides.” And, in case you want to know, it’s “koochie-boo-guac.” The park is in the Mi’gmaq’s traditional hunting and gathering area, and though the Europeans settled here and brought diseases that descimated their populations, their culture is still strong today and being shared through this park.