Moncton 
Eastern Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence is dotted with beautiful islands big and small from Quebec to Newfoundland. Among some of the smaller of those islands are Lamèque and Miscou in northeastern New Brunswick. Lucky for visitors, these beautiful parts of the province are easy for vehicles and travellers to access.
Credit: New Brunswick Tourism
A trip to Miscou Island brings you across Lamèque Island first, where you’ll find most of the area’s restaurants and hotels. North of there, there is a short drive to some of the most peaceful and serene Canadian beaches. Miscou Island is almost surrounded by sand, making the island’s shores perfect for swimming, simple relaxation, picnics, and photography.
The Best Trails/Hiking on Miscou Island
There are a small number of shorter hiking trails on Miscou Island. And from each are some incredible rewards as views. This includes the coastal and interior parts of Miscou.
- Begin the hiking or walking adventures with the Terrasse à Steve and Miscou harbour or seaport. This harbour is busy with fishing boats, providing many sites to see along the way.
- The Island’s Observatoire du lac Frye (Frye Lake Observatory) is home to over 250 species of birds throughout the year. There is a boardwalk and observation deck to offer a closer look at the many birds.
- The Peatland Trail and boardwalk offer a great glimpse into the natural diversity of Miscou Island. This is the best place on the Island to capture the peat bog as it turns magnificent red and orange colours over the fall. Over 45% of Miscou Island is made up of peat bogs.
Credit: New Brunswick Tourism
Birding
Since 2006, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has protected 272 hectares on Miscou Island, including the Frye Lake, Windsor-Harper, and Malbaie Nature Reserves. This land, vital for migratory birds like the endangered piping plover and the northern gannet, encompasses diverse habitats from peat bogs to coastal forests.
The designated trails of the island, like those in Lac Frye Nature Reserve, are excellent for birding, especially during fall migration season.
Miscou Island Beaches
Along the expansive shores of Miscou Island are two types of beaches: those with services and those without, also called Discovery Beaches. Miscou Island’s Discovery Beaches include areas that are a bit tougher to access or offer a more rugged beachgoing experience. The beach has amenities like picnic tables, showers, and washrooms.
- The Miscou Beach on the west side of the island involves a walk along a boardwalk to access where interpretive signage explains the delicate surrounding ecosystems. Part of the trail also leads to an observation tower.
- There are two more Discovery Beaches to discover: Wilson’s Point to the east and the Miscou Lighthouse.
- Miscou Island is part of a joint municipality with Lamèque Island to the south. This area has another serviced beach at Sainte-Marie-Saint-Raphael and six more Discovery Beaches.
Exploring Miscou Island History
There is a great deal of religious history on Miscou Island, with beautiful, old, and well-preserved churches to help tell some of the stories. The oldest site on Miscou Island dates back to the 17th century, while the others are still as far back as the early 20th century.
- There are a handful of historic churches to see on the island, including the oldest site right at the south tip. First is the St. Charles Catholic Mission site, dating back to the 1600s, with the St. Mark’s United Church a short walk away from the mission site. On the north end of Miscou Island is the Saint John United Church from 1912, which had its original oil lamps and no modern electricity and was in proximity to the Lighthouse.
- The Miscou Island Lighthouse and United Church on the north end of the Island are also near one of the Discovery Beaches. Miscou Island Lighthouse is a national historic site and is among the oldest in the Gulf of St. Lawrence region and one of the rarest surviving wooden, octagonal, tapered lighthouses.
- A walk around Wilson’s Point on the southeast side of Miscou Island will reveal more of that 17th-century history, including the Indigenous perspective, the growth of the fishing industry, and more religious history.
Where to Stay on Miscou Island
Miscou Island is a great place to camp not only for the natural beauty, stargazing, or beaches but also for the many campgrounds on either Lamèque or Miscou. And for those who don’t camp, the area has a spa resort, vacation rentals, and a few historical accommodations.
- There are two locally operated campgrounds on the island: La Vague, with campsites or glamping sites, and Miscou, with campsites and cabin options.
- Further south in Lamèque are many other campgrounds from which to choose: Janine Inn, Gîte and Camping, Lamèque Campsite, Rainbow Campsite, the Municipal Campsite of Ste-Marie-St-Raphaël, Chalet & campsite of the Jeannot Islands, or Cielo Glamping Maritime.
- For something a little different during your stay, try the old school of Miscou, or the Malia Spa and Resort, or Aux Peupliers.
Credit: New Brunswick Tourism
Seafood and More
- La Terrasse à Steve is a famous spot for seafood on Miscou Island’s south end near the bridge, while the Guardian Café takes care of visitors and travellers on the north end of Miscou.
- Within the town of Lameque are a variety of locally owned eateries and restaurants to try, like Pizza Amy, La P’tite Friture, Dixie Lee, or Le Kabernet Gourmet-Pub.
Planning your Trip – Miscou Island
What: Miscou Island is part of a municipality with the neighbouring Island to the south, Lamèque. While one town, these are two separate islands with both Lamèque and Miscou accessible by car/bridge. Famous for its peat bogs, which turn fiery scarlet, Miscou Island is steeped in early Canadian religious history and natural beauty. The island is home to two official beaches and many permitted swimming areas.
Location & how to get there: located on the northeastern tip of Gloucester County.
~125 km from Bathurst
~320 km from Fredericton
~290 km from Moncton
~420 km from Saint John
Best time to go: May-October; Open year round.
Cost: free to access
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