Visitor guidelines
Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
Protected areas are unique places and require unique rules to protect them.
Breaking the law in a national park or national historic site can result in consequences including evictions or tickets, or in more serious cases, court appearances and/or large fines.
View the Canada National Parks Act and its regulations
Alcohol
Consuming alcohol is only allowed at registered campsites or private residences, or on licensed premises.
Alcohol is not allowed at beaches, day use areas, cook shelters, or on trails.
During certain periods of the year, the campground may have a temporary alcohol ban in effect. This will be identified through notices posted online and at the campground.
Area closures and restrictions
Area closures and restrictions are sometimes needed to protect natural or cultural resources or for visitor safety reasons. Closures are enforceable by law.
Closure notices will be posted at the trailheads, access points, park offices, and at the Visitor Centre. Information on closures is also available on our Important Bulletins page.
Boating
Any type of inflatable is considered a vessel when it is used for navigating and each occupant/passenger requires a life vest and safety equipment.
Drinking alcohol and/or consuming cannabis and boating is illegal, similar to drinking and driving.
More information:
Businesses
A business licence is required for all businesses, companies, guides and/or vendors who are operating in places administered by Parks Canada.
If you are proposing a new business or changing the location of an existing business in Kejimkujik, please email peckeji-kejibl@pc.gc.ca.
Camping
You can be a good neighbour by respecting the following conditions:
| Campsites |
Camping is allowed in designated campsites only. The permit holder for the campsite is responsible for the site, including cleanliness, noise levels, and actions of visitors. Camping (including sleeping in a vehicle) is not allowed in roadside pullouts, trailheads, and day-use areas. |
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| Washing dishes |
Use the outdoor sinks at the washroom buildings, or a personal basin for washing dishes on your campsite (not the bathrooms or water taps). Dispose of dishwater at the outdoor sinks. |
| Washing laundry |
Please use your own tub and dump water down the outdoor sink or toilets. |
| Driving |
Respect the posted speed limits and remain alert while driving in the campground. Trees may obstruct your view and you should expect pedestrians (including children) on the road. |
| Accessing facilities |
Please use roadways and pathways to access campground facilities ( bathrooms, playgrounds, etc.) and your own campsite. Cutting through a neighbouring campsite or the forest can disturb other campers and damage vegetation. |
| Recycling |
Nova Scotia law requires waste to be sorted before disposal. Proper waste sorting will assist in recycling efforts, keep nuisance animals away, and leave your site in good shape for the campers who follow you. Sorting stations are located throughout Kejimkujik. |
| Garbage |
Help keep Kejimkujik clean by disposing non-recyclable items into marked garbage receptacles. Pack in, pack out. All backcountry campsites have "Pack in, pack out" rules. All garbage (food wrappers, beverage containers, etc.) brought into the site must be carried out. |
| Vehicles |
Vehicles staying overnight must be registered to a campsite. |
| Generators |
Generator use is permitted from 9 am to 11 am and 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. |
| Noise and visitor enjoyment |
You are not allowed to interfere with others’ quiet enjoyment of Kejimkujik during any part of the day or night. This includes loud music and shouting in campgrounds or in day use areas. |
| Quiet hours |
11 pm to 7 am Quiet hours are enforced in all campgrounds. Please remember, even quiet conversations can carry through a forested area. |
Cannabis
Cannabis is legalized and strictly regulated in Canada. It is your responsibility to understand federal, provincial, and municipal regulations for cannabis use.
Cannabis consumption is permitted on registered Parks Canada campsites only.
Cannabis consumption is prohibited in all other campground common areas (including beaches, playgrounds, washrooms, shelters, roads, trails, and other public areas).
Cannabis consumption is prohibited inside oTENTik units, Ôasis, rustic cabins, and the yurt.
The minimum age for cannabis possession in Nova Scotia is 19.
More information:
Commercial film and photography permits
Commercial filming activities have special considerations. All commercial activity is subject to business licencing and permits.
Contact Kejimkujik for details and to determine whether your activity requires a permit.
Drones
All places administered by Parks Canada are ‘no drone zones’ for recreational use.
If you do not possess a permit or special permission to fly your drone in Kejimkujik or Kejimkujik Seaside, please leave your drone at home.
Fires
To keep your campfire safe for you and the environment, please follow these rules:
| Fire boxes |
Fires are only allowed in designated metal fire boxes. It is forbidden to light them elsewhere in Kejimkujik. |
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| Fire bans |
You must comply with any restrictions on fires in effect during your visit. Check the important bulletins to see if there is a fire ban in place. Be prepared for a fire ban at any time. Please plan ahead and bring a camp stove |
| Keep fires small |
To reduce their impact on the environment, fires must be contained within the designated metal fire boxes provided and be kept to a reasonable size. |
| Use firewood provided |
There is a prohibition on importing firewood into Kejimkujik. Transporting wood from elsewhere may spread invasive insects and disease. Visitors must purchase kiln-dried firewood on site, or bring in approved firewood. Approved firewood includes: commercially available heat-treated kiln-dried firewood, fibre logs, and processed fire bricks in the original sealed packaging. Please note that lumber does not meet the criteria and will not be permitted for use in campfires. Visitors to Kejimkujik will be required to relinquish any firewood they bring that does not meet the requirements outlined above for packaged wood. When purchasing firewood in Kejimkujik, visitors will receive a firewood permit at no cost. Visitors may be asked to produce this permit during their visit. Those without a valid firewood permit may have their firewood seized, fined $237.50 per incident, and may have their camping permit cancelled. |
| Do not burn garbage |
Do not burn garbage or collect deadfall from the surrounding forest for burning. For more information: Firewood Management |
| Never leave a fire unattended |
Fires must be attended at all times. Ensure your fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving your campsite. |
| BBQs |
Charcoal barbeques are permitted. Please dump cold ashes into a fire pit. |
| Backcountry camping |
Fires are allowed in designated metal fire boxes only. Campfires are not permitted at all backcountry locations. Be prepared and bring a camp stove. You may not gather any wood, bark, or kindling from the forest. |
Firearms and hunting
Firearms and hunting are not allowed in Kejimkujik.
Fireworks
Use of, selling, or purchasing fireworks, or any other type of explosive, is not permitted within Kejimkujik.
Fishing
| Fishing permit |
A national park fishing permit is required to fish in Kejimkujik. Provincial fishing licenses do not apply. You can purchase a national park fishing permit at Kejimkujik. You can purchase either a daily permit or a seasonal permit. Permit prices can be found on the fees page (link). Anyone under the age of 16 may fish in the national parks without a permit if accompanied by a national park permit holder 16 years of age or older. |
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| Learn more |
Garbage and litter
Never litter.
Good times in the great outdoors are safer and more rewarding when you Leave No Trace of your visit. A good rule is to leave “no trace on the place” and “no trace on others’ space”.
Leaving food out in a campsite can attract wildlife. Wildlife is also attracted to non-food items that smell like food including garbage, dishes, pots, coolers and even toiletries.
In the backcountry, all food and garbage must be packed out.
Natural and historic objects
It is illegal to collect plants, mushrooms, berries, animals, animal parts (including antlers), fossils, driftwood, rocks, signs, or any other historic or natural object.
If you believe you have found something significant, leave the item in place and report your finding to the Visitor Centre. Please leave these natural items for others to enjoy.
Motorized vehicles (off-road driving, snowmobiles, ATVs, personal watercraft)
Vehicles must remain on hardened surfaces, paved and gravel roads.
The use of ATVs, snowmobiles, dirt bikes, or other off-road vehicles is not allowed.
Scooters are considered motor vehicles for these purposes and are not allowed on trails or areas closed to motor vehicle traffic.
Pedal assist e-bikes
Pedal assist electric bicycles (e-bikes) are allowed on designated bike trails at Kejimkujik.
What does pedal assist mean?
- Power assistance is only provided when the bicycle is being pedaled.
- When pedaling stops, the power assistance also stops.
What other specifications does the bike need?
- The motor can generate a maximum of 500W.
- Power assistance stops when the bicycle attains a speed of 32 km/h on level ground.
Please note that e-bikes equipped with an accelerator (a throttle) are not pedal assist e-bikes and can only be ridden on roads.
Electrical bikes (e-bikes) used on Parks Canada’s trails need to respect the following definition
- has steering handlebars and is equipped with pedals,
- is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground,
- is capable of being propelled by muscular power only,
- has one or more electric motors which have, singly or in combination, the following characteristics:
- it has a total continuous power output rating, measured at the shaft of each motor, of 500 W or less,
- power assistance immediately ceases when the muscular power ceases,
- it is incapable of providing further assistance when the bicycle attains a speed of 32 km/h on level ground,
- is equipped with a safety mechanism that prevents the motor from being engaged before the bicycle attains a speed of 3 km/h.
Pets and service animals
At all times, pets must be kept on a leash or in suitable confinement.
Don’t leave your pet unattended in a vehicle, on your campsite, or anywhere else, during your visit. Wildlife, weather, and an unfamiliar environment can be scary or dangerous for your pet.
Don’t allow your pet to chase any wild animal – it’s illegal and dangerous.
Pets are not allowed on public beaches at Kejimkujik, with the exception of one part of Merrymakedge Beach.
Clean up after your pet.
Service animals are welcome, in the company of their handlers. Please keep service animals on a leash or harness during your visit.
Smoking and Vaping
Be aware of provincial smoking and vaping regulations regarding distances from buildings, playgrounds, and other facilities.
Cannabis is legalized and strictly regulated in Canada. It is your responsibility to understand federal, provincial, and municipal regulations for cannabis use.
Learn more:
Wildlife
You are not allowed to entice, pet or attempt to pet, harass, or feed wild animals in Kejimkujik or any other national park.
Bring your binoculars or a telephoto lens to capture that once-in-a-lifetime photo of a wild animal in its natural environment.
Be respectful when photographing wildlife. Animal behaviour is unpredictable.
Obstructing traffic is an offence and a hazard to other motorists. Only pull over in designated pullouts for viewing wildlife.
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