Nova Scotia Provincial Parks Parks Guide 2018 –2019 KEY Table of Contents Campsites Rules and Regulations 1–2 Safe Stay and Emergency 3 1 Wooded 1 Partially Wooded1 Open Reservations & Fees 4–5 Self-Registration Parks 6 Beach Access Lighthouse Partnership Advertising 7 Park Seasons 8 Bicycles Lookout Amherst Shore 9 Boat Launch Parking Battery 10 Bunk House Park Office/Information Blomidon 11 Boylston 12 Campground Host Picnic Area Cape Chignecto 13–15 Canoeing Picnic Shelter Caribou–Munroes Island 16 Change Room Playground Dollar Lake 17–18 Ellenwood Lake 19 Cooking Shelter Program Area Five Islands 20–21 Cross-country Skiing Registration Kiosk Graves Island 22 Dishwashing Rinse Shower Laurie 23 Mira River 24–25 Drinking Water Snack Bar Porters Lake 26 Exhibit/Interpretation Snowshoeing Rissers Beach 27–28 Facilities for the Disabled Swimming Salsman 29 Smileys 30 Firepit Swimming (Supervised) The Islands 31 Firewood Telephone Thomas Raddall 32 Valleyview 33 Fishing Trailer Dump Station Whycocomagh 34 Flush Toilets and Showers Vault Toilets Day Use Parks 35–39 Group Camping Walk-in Campsite Park Locator Map 40–41 Park Events by Date 42–56 Group Shelter/Campers' Centre Waste/Recycling Park Event by Location 57 Hiking Wilderness Cabin Kayaking Wildlife Viewing Laundry Yurt While we strive for accuracy, you may wish to check with park staff, Save this booklet for your next visit or or the nearest DNR office, to confirm availability of services or to inquire about any changes to the policies found in this guide. pass it along to a friend. © Crown copyright, Province of Nova Scotia, 2018 Nova Scotia Provincial Parks Guide 2018-19 NS Department of Natural Resources March, 2018 ISBN 978-1-55457-837-5 Front cover location: Five Islands Provincial Park To ensure everyone has a pleasant stay, please note the following Park Rules and Regulations: Alcohol-free Period Dogs and Other Pets No alcohol is permitted at camping parks Pets are welcome when owners act from opening date to Tuesday July 3, 2018 responsibly and follow the rules: at 1 pm. After this time, campers may • Dogs must kept under control at all consume alcohol at their campsite only. times, on a leash no longer than Mid-season changes to this policy may 2.0 metres (6 feet), including at occur if local issues arise. swimming areas. Group camping areas are alcohol free. Alcohol is not permitted in day-use parks. • Owners must make sure that their dog does not make excessive noise or Camping Permits disturb other park users. • Campers must have a camping permit • Owners must clean up their dog’s waste and must camp in designated sites. and place it in a garbage container. In • A camping permit is issued to an adult the off-season, owners must remove (19 years and older) who is staying at their dog’s waste from the park. the campsite. • Dogs and other pets are not permitted • A person who is 16 to 18 years of in public structures at the park or age may hold a camping permit if in any area designated as pet free. accompanied in the park by a person Public structures include washrooms, 19 years of age or older who accepts vault toilets, cooking shelters, change responsibility for the younger campers. houses, and administrative and program buildings. Service animals • A camping permit includes up to 6 are permitted in these areas. people and one vehicle. Fees apply for extra people, unless part of one Dump Station family. An extra vehicle needs a Don’t put anything other than the contents separate permit. of your holding tanks or portable toilets • A camping permit may be issued for into the dump station. Do not dump up to 14 nights at the same campsite. directly onto the dump station’s apron. If • A camping permit expires if a campsite you make a mess or spill, be courteous is unoccupied for 48 hours. and clean up after yourself with the water tap/hose provided at the dump station. Check Out Firearms Checkout for all parks is 1:00 pm. Make sure that your campsite is clean. Firearms are not permitted within the park. Dishwashing Fires Some parks have a dishwashing station for Fires are allowed within campsite grills your convenience. If you choose to wash only. If the site you reserve does not have dishes at your campsite, please dump the a grill, you cannot have a fire. During a water at the dishwashing station; not at fire ban, you may continue to use the grill your campsite. For those parks without at your campsite, unless park staff tell a dishwashing station please dump the you otherwise. water at the comfort station toilets or RV dump station. Dishwashing is not permitted at the comfort station sinks or at the taps located within the park. http://parks.novascotia.ca 1 Firewood Noise Buy firewood locally to prevent the spread Quiet time is 10:30 pm to sunrise. Noisy of invasive species. Moving firewood, even parties and rowdy behaviour are not just a few kilometres, can spread invasive tolerated. insects and diseases to our forests. Regulations • Don't pack wood—buy it locally The Parks Act and Regulations are • Burn it on site enforced at all times. Those who fail to • Leave un-used wood for the next camper comply will be asked to leave the park. • Never take wood back home Selling Selling is not permitted in the park. Fireworks Advertising or operating a business within Fireworks are generally prohibited. the park requires a special permit. Some exceptions are made for special events. Event leaders should seek special Shelter Equipment permission at least one week in advance You are allowed up to three pieces of from the local DNR district office. shelter equipment, space permitting. Fishing Showers Fishing is permitted with a Nova Scotia Showers are for registered campers only. sport fishing licence. Traffic Speed Garbage and Recycling Speed limit within the park is 15 km. Practice waste sorting and recycling in accordance with provincial and municipal Vehicles regulations. (Please note: regulations may A camping permit includes one vehicle. vary between municipalities.) The required An extra vehicle requires a separate steps will be posted at the park. Propane permit. Off-highway vehicles and canisters and cylinders: never put these in unlicenced vehicles may not be operated the garbage. within the park. Generators Visitors/Non-Campers Generators may be used between 9:00 Visitors may enter the park up to 10:00 pm. am and 8:00 pm only. Medical use: If you Visitors must leave by 10:30 pm. require a generator for medical purposes, Access by vehicle may be limited to only tell us when you arrive at the park. We will those who are registered campers. Visitors try to place you so as not to disturb other to a provincial camping park may drive campers. their vehicle through a campground only with permission of the park attendant. Hunting and Trapping If you are not a registered camper, you No hunting or trapping within the park. may picnic in the day-use area only. 2 http://parks.novascotia.ca Tips for a safe stay • Avoid insect bites by using insect repellant and wearing long sleeves and pants. Light coloured fabrics are less attractive to biting insects. • Apply a sunscreen of at least SPF 30, wear a broad-brimmed hat and sun glasses. • Supervise children around water and playground equipment. • Encourage children to keep their distance from wildlife and other campers’ pets. • Have family members tell you when they are leaving the campsite, where they plan to go and when they’ll return. If someone does get lost, be able to give a physical description – weight, height, clothing, hairstyle and colour. • Cook and store food carefully to avoid food-borne illness. Cleaning your picnic table after meals helps prevent odors which attract insects and wildlife. • Keep valuables out of sight in a secure area. Better yet, leave them at home. In Case of Emergency An emergency evacuation plan has been prepared for all camping parks to ensure everyone can exit the park safely. The law requires that you obey directions given by park staff. Should you or a member of your group have an emergency, notify staff or call 911. Parks are Natural Environments Coastal Parks • Use caution when walking along the beach as the tide comes in quickly. Check tide times before you head out. • Cliff edges are constantly eroding. Approach cliff edges only at designated stations. Obey all signs and stay behind barriers. • Beware of currents when swimming in the ocean. Wildlife Lives Here Year-Round • Please respect wildlife and appreciate them from a distance. Do not tease or chase wildlife, or allow a dog to do so. • Never feed wildlife. This can cause them to lose their natural fear of people. • If you encounter a large mammal, do not approach it. Leave the area at once by slowly backing away in the direction from which you came. • Avoid dune and beach areas where piping plovers may be nesting. Leave No Trace Leave No Trace is about respecting and caring for wildlands, doing your part to protect our limited resources and future recreation opportunities. Once this attitude is adopted and the outdoor ethic is sound, the specific skills and techniques become second nature. http://parks.novascotia.ca 3 Reservations Making a reservation is easy. Reservation lines open April 2 and operate until park season ends in October. • Just call 1-888-544-3434 from 9:00 am to Midnight ADT (7 days a week) to speak to a reservation advisor. Service in French is available.