Whether you’re out for a nice walk, jog, or biking there are plenty of natural areas to explore while on the Nashwaak Trail within the greater Fredericton area!
The Gibson Trail
The Gibson Trail is a biking and walking trail that follows along the southern side of the Nashwaak River. This trail begins after you cross the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge and follows the river until you reach Bridge Street in Marysville, for a total of 5km. At Bridge Street, you can either cross the bridge and follow the Nashwaak Trail, or head back the way you came. If you cross the bridge, and head over to the Nashwaak Trail, you can either continue along the trail to the right or head back to the walking bridge.
The Nashwaak Trail
The Nashwaak Trail is another biking and walking trail that follows along the Nashwaak River. This trail also starts from the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge, but follows along the northern side of the river and continues past Bridge Street. The Nashwaak Trail is 10.1km each way and offers lots of beautiful scenery.
Together, these two trails make the Nashwaak and Gibson loop, a 45-minute loop that follows along the Nashwaak River. This trail is 10.3km and offers many different sights along the way. These trails are mainly gravel and are very well maintained, making them perfect for riders at any level.
Hyla Park Nature Preserve
Hyla Park is another one of the beautiful natural areas to visit within the Nashwaak Watershed. The area is located on the Northside of Fredericton along the Gibson trail. Hyla Park is an amphibian park, home to the gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor). The area is full of nature surprises and informative signs to learn more about the life around you! To learn more about Nature Trust and the work they do at Hyla Park, visit their website here.
Marysville Flats
Another site to explore is Marysville Flats. While this is more of a walking trail than a biking trail, there is a small pathway that follows the river more closely than either of the aforementioned trails. Starting at the Marysville Heritage Center (11 McGloin Street), this trail goes right through one of our main restoration sites and showcases our tree planting and bank restoration efforts. All of the trees along this trail have been planted within the past 11 years and are thriving in this floodplain habitat. Keep an eye out for our colourful flags near the end of the trail, which mark trees that were planted either this year or the year before.
Be sure to also stop and read the signs at Marysville Flats to learn about our ongoing restoration efforts along the trail, such as our bio-engineered riverbank project and the current planting of native floodplain species like silver maple.
