Fulton Island Loop

A spectacular family-friendly paddle set in the middle of a birdwatching paradise is the Fulton Island Loop at Lakeville Corner, in the heart of the Wolastoq Watershed’s lake country. The low-to-no current route is a wetland thoroughfare around Fulton Island between French Lake and Macquapit Lake. It’s a short 25-minute drive from Downtown Fredericton on the unbelievably scenic riverside Route 105 along the Wolastoq (Saint John River). This paddling route travels through the Grand Lake Meadows area, one of North America’s great wetlands. This area is a large expanse of grasslands, marshlands, lakes, rivers and dugways, and it is home to stunning birdlife. It’s very common to see multiple endangered Great Blue Heron on this paddle. The start/finish is between the landmark two bridges at Lakeville Corner, which itself is the junction between four lakes: Grand, Macquapit, French, and Indian.

Route Type

Loops & Lakes

Seasonality

All Seasons

Difficulty

Beginner

Community

Capital Region Rural District

Route Length

8.4

Key Highlights

Community: Capital Region Rural District
Route Type: Loops & Lakes
Number of segments: 1
Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate due to length of the route. Mostly easy, flatwater, low-to-no current. Occasional winds on the short Macquapit Lake section.
Total Distance: 7 km
Seasonal Information: All-season, spring until late fall

Fulton Island Loop - Lakeville Corner

Most will put in on the 40 m-wide, twisting southern Main Thoroughfare, paddling east toward Macquapit Lake. At 1.5 km, there’s a side creek to the right that accesses a wetland pond, dense with wildlife. There’s often a functioning beaver dam that blocks the way into the pond, but it can be portaged by the adventurous. At 3.5 km, the Main Thoroughfare enters Macquapit Lake. Turning, left, hug the shoreline, returning west for 2 km. From here, it’s easiest to cross over to the northern side of the channel to continue west, back to the launch side. Great Blue Herons are most commonly seen here, close to the two bridges launch area. Keep an eye out for other birdlife including osprey, eagles, kingfishers and a variety of ducks.
Another way to approach this paddle is as a guest of the delightful Country Lane Bed & Breakfast, at the point where the northern thoroughfare meets Macquapit Lake.
Note: During the duck hunting season, October 1^st onwards, it’s worth wearing some hunter orange just to be on the safe side.
This paddle could easily be combined with a trip into Hunters Ferry Cove, another spectacular wetland adventure 5 km from Lakeville Corner off Macquapit Lake.