Turtle Mountain is a fantastic hike located between Welsford and Grand Bay-Westfield, just about a 45 minutes outside of Fredericton and 15 minutes outside Saint John. It's the perfect way to spend a day of hiking or a night of camping beneath the stars with your family, furry friends, or on a solo expedition.
The trailhead for Turtle Mountain can be accessed by turning off of route 7 at the 75km marker onto a decently groomed dirt road which leads to several cottages. There is plenty of room for parking after about 2km of dirt road located just before the metal gate (may be closed or locked at any time by the cottage owners). You may carry on through the gate for 2-3km where there is room off the side of the trail for a few vehicles to park, but please be respectful to the cottage owners and their right-of-way!
The trail is between 12-15km to the top of Turtle Mountain depending on where you park to begin your hike. The trail is very easy to follow and a gradual incline the whole way to the peak. Some spots along the way may be muddy and the majority of the trail is rocky and rough, so if you have weak ankles... beware! At the half way mark of the trail there is a natural break spot that is open on a big rock outcrop where you can relax, catch your breath or have a snack. Past this point you will notice that the woods open into more hardwood which means that you are getting very close to the mountain. Climbing the mountain is easy as the rock surface is very grippy after many ATV's climbing the slope and exposing the rocks surface and causing a place for water run off and further erode the vegetation.
Once you find yourself at the summit of Turtle Mountain there are several overlooks with great views from the Bay of Fundy, you can see the twinkling lights of Saint John at night, the smoke stacks at the Split Rock trailhead, you can even see Grand Manan's cliffs off in the distance! But the main view being the overlook exposing an amazing full view of Turtle Lake below!
I would familiarize yourself with the direction of sunrise and sunset to maximize the views when waking up in the morning. The sunrise is usually over Saint John on the side of the mountain that you climb up first. The sunset is usually on the far side of the mountain just above one of the distant lakes. I have never been on Turtle Mountain and not had an unbelievable sunset.. Arguably the best sunsets I have ever seen!
You can camp in several locations up top.. for the best view of the sunrise you would need a self standing tent and setup at the first overlook looking over Saint John, for sunset you would setup on the far side of the mountain, and the most sheltered location is within the trees in the middle. This will keep you out of most of the wind, provide some shade and the only spot you could setup a hammock.
You wont likely encounter too many people on the trail... but if it is the weekend and the sun is shining or the leaves are falling, you can expect to run into some slight traffic or ATV's making their way to the summit. Many trail runners come here as it offers amazing views and is the perfect distance being between 24-30 total kilometres. If you are into rock climbing there are some attachment points on the main overlook of Turtle Lake. The trail is located between two major cities and is a well-known trail, so you will more likely than not see others unless you plan to spend the night, where you can begin your hike later in the day.
I hope that this video serves as a trail guide for some and as motivation for all to get out and enjoy some mountains, hiking trails, and waterfalls that our province has to offer!
Happy Hiking🥾
-Hiking Thru