Anyone who has grown up in New Brunswick knows that we’re not exactly Alps country.  We have some wonderful vistas - the rolling farmlands rich with history, the rugged coast with her flowerpot rocks and impressive tides - but you have to dig a little deeper to find views from above.

There are some great places in New Brunswick to accomplish this (Mount Carleton, anyone?) but for something a little simpler and closer to home, Welsford and Clarendon (off the number 7 Highway on the way to Saint John) are a great place to start.

As an aside, my husband and I are not well-traveled hikers by any stretch. We enjoy hiking (even taking a 10-day trip to Utah to hike their national parks in 2014) but there are certainly plenty of people who know more about these locations than we do.  A little Googling brings you to more information on both of these sites.  

Despite having grown up only 30 minutes from these places, I did not have the pleasure of hiking them until I was in my late twenties and early thirties, when my outdoorsy husband decided it was high time I traipsed over trails he’d been on his whole life.  

Bald Peak
Just off the highway in Welsford is Douglas Mountain, also known as Bald Peak due to the rock face at the top of the trail. It’s a fairly strenuous uphill climb but not technical.  I’ve climbed it with toddlers (carrying them over difficult spots, but not many), older kids, youth groups, while pregnant, and have always gotten a good workout but have never had to turn around.

The top leads to a beautiful view over Welsford and the Nerepis valley beyond and is particularly stunning in the fall (mid-October).   There is ample space to roam around, though take caution near the cliffs.  There is a landing pad and the rock face is well-known by rock climbers. The hike itself takes roughly 45 minutes at a leisurely pace, and obviously faster on the way back down.

Last fall we took our children (aged 9 and 4 at the time) and headed down for the afternoon.  I’d climbed it before, but always with younger children, and last fall they were the perfect age to work hard, enjoy the scenery, and have a blast at the top on the “chair rock” and the helicopter pad.  

Bald Mountain Adventure Trail
Drive a bit further on the 101 and take a few turns out some logging roads (beginning with Coloumbes Road/Ogden Road) and you’ll come upon the Bald Mountain Adventure Trail. Maintained by the Oromocto River Watershed group, it contains several trails of varying difficulty, but the main trail to summit is short and very easy - perfect for little feet.  It’s one of my favourite places to visit, not because the hike is particularly challenging, but because of its location in the middle of nowhere and the different flora and fauna you’ll encounter.

Additionally, you can walk down in front of the rock face to a spot called “The Boardroom” and check out the neat rock formations there.  The view is lovely and serene. Bring along your binoculars - perhaps you’ll spy a moose!