About Burntcoat Head Park
Experience the world's highest tides at Burntcoat Head, where the Bay of Fundy rises and falls an astonishing 16.3 metres twice daily.
Features & Highlights
Detailed Information
Burntcoat Head Park — World's Highest Tides
Burntcoat Head Park holds the Guinness World Record for the highest tides on Earth, where the Bay of Fundy rises and falls an astonishing 16.3 metres (53.6 feet) at its extreme range — twice every single day. An average tide here is 14.5 metres (47.5 feet), and some 160 billion tonnes of water flow in and out of the bay each day. The park sits on the Noel Shore about 90 minutes' drive from Halifax and 45 minutes from Truro, making it an anchor stop on any Minas Basin tidal itinerary.
Planning Your Visit Around the Tides
The single most important thing to know: the ocean floor is only walkable at low tide. Tide times shift roughly 50 minutes later each day, so there is no fixed visiting window — you must check the schedule before you go. Use the Canadian Hydrographic Service tide table for Station 00270 and aim to arrive about two hours before low tide so you can descend to the ocean floor, explore the sea caves and tidal pools, and walk back up well before the water returns. The tide comes in faster than most people expect.
Spring tides (around the full and new moon) produce the most dramatic range and the best ocean-floor exposure, while neap tides (first and third quarter) show a smaller range. Photographers chasing the full 53.6 ft swing should target the equinox spring tides in March and September.
Guided Ocean Floor Tours
From May through October, knowledgeable guides lead low-tide walking tours across the exposed seabed on select days. Tours run only when the tide schedule allows, and they sell out — book ahead through the park website. A guide points out marine life trapped in tide pools, explains the geology of the red sandstone sea caves, and keeps the group safely ahead of the incoming tide.
Park Facilities & Hours
Admission: Free; donations welcome at the interpretive kiosk.
Hours: Park grounds open dawn to dusk year-round. The interpretive centre and washrooms operate extended hours in July and August (9am–6pm daily); hours are reduced outside peak summer.
Accessibility: A wooden boardwalk and viewing platform above the beach are wheelchair accessible. The ocean floor itself is uneven, slippery, and not accessible to wheeled mobility devices — wear secure, washable footwear.
What Else Is On Site
- Lighthouse ruins — the original Burntcoat Head lighthouse (built 1858, demolished 1972) once guided Fundy mariners; a replica tops the bluff today.
- Walking trails wind through the surrounding woods and along the clifftop.
- Picnic areas with Fundy views.
- Interpretive displays explaining the tidal mechanics and the Guinness record.
- Live webcam — watch the tides in real time via novascotiawebcams.com.
Nearby Stops on a Minas Basin Loop
Pair Burntcoat Head with Five Islands Provincial Park (40 min west, also walkable ocean floor and dinosaur-era fossils), Parrsboro (50 min west, Fundy Geological Museum), and the tidal-bore rafting outfitters on the Shubenacadie River. Together they form the province's most concentrated tidal-attraction cluster.
At a Glance
| World record | Guinness World Record for the highest tides on Earth — 16.3 metres at extreme range |
|---|---|
| Average tide | 14.5 metres, twice every day; about 160 billion tonnes of water move in and out of the bay daily |
| Ocean floor walking | Possible only at low tide — tide times shift roughly 50 minutes later each day |
| Tide table to check | Canadian Hydrographic Service Station 00270 at tides.gc.ca |
| Admission | Free; donations welcome at the interpretive kiosk |
| Hours | Grounds open dawn to dusk year-round; interpretive centre 9 a.m.–6 p.m. daily in July and August |
| Guided tours | May through October on select low-tide days; they sell out — book ahead |
| Getting there | Noel Shore — about 90 minutes from Halifax and 45 minutes from Truro |
Frequently Asked Questions
When can you walk the ocean floor at Burntcoat Head?
Only at low tide. The ocean floor is exposed for a window around each low tide, and because tide times shift about 50 minutes later every day, there is no fixed visiting hour. Plan to arrive about two hours before low tide so you have time to descend, explore the sea caves and tidal pools, and climb back up before the water returns.
How do you check today's tide times for Burntcoat Head?
Use the Canadian Hydrographic Service tide table for Station 00270, published at tides.gc.ca. Burntcoat Head sits on the Minas Basin, so timing the visit to that station's low-tide prediction is the single most important planning step — the tide comes in faster than most people expect.
Is Burntcoat Head Park free?
Yes. Admission is free, with donations welcomed at the interpretive kiosk. The grounds are open dawn to dusk year-round. Guided ocean-floor tours from May through October are the ticketed exception — they run on select low-tide days and sell out, so book ahead through the park website.
When are the highest tides at Burntcoat Head?
Spring tides — around the full and new moon — produce the most dramatic range, and the equinox spring tides in March and September are the peak of the year for the full 16.3-metre swing. An average tide is 14.5 metres, still among the largest on Earth.
How far is Burntcoat Head Park from Halifax?
About 90 minutes by road from Halifax, and roughly 45 minutes from Truro. The park sits on the Noel Shore, making it an anchor stop on a Minas Basin loop with Five Islands Provincial Park and Parrsboro.
Can you visit Burntcoat Head at high tide?
Yes. The wooden boardwalk and viewing platform above the beach are wheelchair accessible, and the clifftop trails, picnic areas and interpretive displays work at any tide. A live webcam on novascotiawebcams.com shows the current state of the tide before you drive out.
