Hopewell Rocks, at Hopewell Cape, is the most famous place on the Bay of Fundy to feel the size of the tide. Along about two kilometres of coast stand more than twenty sea stacks, columns of rock carved by the water and topped with trees, and at low tide you can walk down to the ocean floor and wander between them. At high tide the same stacks stand in the sea, and kayakers paddle around the tops. The route down is a staircase of 99 steps to the Main Deck, and 101 back up, and the walk on the beach is the heart of the visit. The ticket is valid for two consecutive days during park hours, so you can see both a high tide and a low tide. The park is seasonal, though: the 2026 season ended on 25 October, so it is closed now, and the published 2027 dates run from 14 May to 24 October.
What to do
Check the tide table for your visit, plan to arrive an hour or two before low tide, and walk down to the ocean floor to see the stacks from below. Come back around high tide on the second day, using the same ticket, to see how much the water has moved. A shuttle runs between the upper and lower sites for a small fare, and the park rate for 2026 was a little under 20 Canadian dollars for adults, plus tax, with lower prices for seniors, students and children and a family rate.
Seasons and planning
This is a summer and early-autumn site. In 2026 the park's last operating day was 25 October, and from 26 October the staff, facilities and safety barriers are gone, so do not walk the shore on your own: the tide rises fast and winter rockfall is a danger. The published hours for 2027 are 9 am to 5 pm from 14 May to 19 June, 8 am to 8 pm from 20 June to 28 August, 8 am to 6 pm from 29 August to 25 September and 9 am to 5 pm from 26 September to 24 October.
Confirm the final dates before you plan.
Fitting it in
Hopewell Cape is less than an hour from Fundy National Park and under two hours from Saint John by road, so it works as a day trip or as part of a drive to Alma. Build the day around the tide table, and bring shoes you do not mind getting muddy, because the ocean floor is wet and slippery.
What to expect
The experience
A park with a staircase down to the shore, where you walk the ocean floor among sea stacks at low tide and see them in the water at high tide.
Best time
Mid-May to mid-October, timed an hour or two either side of low tide, with a second visit at high tide on the second day.
How long
Allow two to three hours for a low-tide walk, and use the two-day ticket for a second look.
Tips
Check the tide table, wear shoes that can get muddy, expect 99 steps down and 101 back up, and never walk the shore when the park is closed.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who wants to stand on the sea floor and see the Fundy tide for themselves.
- Families
- Children love the beach and the sea stacks, but the steps and the slippery mud make it hard with strollers.
- Couples
- Come at low tide for the walk and return at high tide the next day to watch the stacks stand in the water.
- Pair with
- Fundy National Park and a night in Alma make a natural second stop, and the Reversing Falls show the tide from the city side.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours, or a split visit over two days with the same ticket.
Good questions
Is Hopewell Rocks open in November?+
No, the 2026 season ended on 25 October and the site has no staff or safety barriers after that. The published 2027 season runs from 14 May to 24 October.
When should I go to walk on the ocean floor?+
Visit around low tide, arriving an hour or two before it, and check the tide table for your date. The ticket is valid for two consecutive days so you can return at high tide.
How many steps are there?+
The Main Deck staircase has 99 steps down to the ocean floor and 101 back up. There is a shuttle between the upper and lower sites for a small fare.
How much does it cost?+
The 2026 adult rate was a little under 20 Canadian dollars plus tax, with lower prices for seniors, students and children and a family rate. The ticket covers two consecutive days.
Can I walk the shore after the park closes?+
No, you should not. The tide rises quickly, the site is unstaffed and rockfall is a risk in winter and spring.
