Oromocto River
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Quick Facts
| Features | river, streams |
| Access | boat launch |
| Route Difficulty | easy |
| Water Body Type | river |
| Current Type | minimal |
| Route Type | linear |
| Route Distance | 19 km |
| Portage Distance | none |
| Estimated Time | 4-5 hours |
| Elevation Change | 5 metres |
| Scenery Rating | beautiful |
| Cell Reception | variable |
| Fees | none |
Description
On our adventure we paddled from Prides Landing behind Fredericton Junction down to the Sunpoke Bridge. The Sunpoke Bridge is about halfway between Fredericton Junction and the Town of Oromocto. This makes it a great place to start or end a paddle. It also provides access to Sunpoke Lake and French Lake that are on each side of the river.
We started our paddle by leaving a car at the parking area on the west side of the Sunpoke Bridge. We then drove out the French Lake Road to Broad Road and then headed to Fredericton Junction. This was about a 25-minute drive. We drove out to the boat launch at Pride’s Landing and then started our paddle downriver. The large turns in the river soon made us feel like we had left civilization behind.
After a few more turns we came to Three Tree Creek and Three Tree Pond on the left. A beaver came to check us out as we passed the pond, but then quickly disappeared. We then came to a patch of green slime on the water. We later figured out that this was caused by the incoming tide meeting the outgoing stream current. We explored a bit more and then returned to the main river.
The next creek we came to was Bass Creek on the right. This deep, narrow channel had beautiful hardwoods growing out over the channel, making it well protected from wind. Bass Creek comes to a junction with Bear Creek where you can go in either direction for another 2.5 to 3 kilometres. Both directions look like they open up into some interesting wetlands. We turned around before we made it to the junction with Bear Creek but noted that it would be a great place to explore on our next visit.
The next creek was McLaughlin Creek on the right. It had a large beaver hut at the start of the creek. It didn’t go very far before it hit a rough beaver dam blocking the creek.
The last creek we explored was Morrow Creek. After entering the creek, it takes a sharp turn to the right. It then emerges into a large open meadow. There is a narrow, deep channel to the left that takes you out into the meadow. This meadow floods at high tide. I am not sure if its possible to explore it at low tide. The amount of water flowing into this large meadow through the small channel creates quite a current so use caution. You don’t want to have to wait until the tide goes out to return to the river.
We saw lots of eagles along the main river and a blue heron in McLaughlin Creek. There were also ducks in Bass Creek. This section of the river is surrounded by meadows and wetlands on both sides, which results in abundant wildlife. We saw beaver and their huts and dams. We also saw lots of muskrat holes but no muskrats.
The Oromocto River is less than 100 metres wide and has a lot of turns it in. There are large hardwoods along both sjores so it is well protected from the wind. Even if you have a headwind in one section you will soon turn a corner and be out of the wind. There is also no perceptible current, which makes this a great paddle for a family, or for people who are new to kayaking. There is some boat traffic but it’s usually not an issue if you stay out of the middle of the river.
When paddling in this area we always stop and visit Hanson’s Art Gallery on the east side of the Sunpoke Bridge. Even if the gallery is closed you can explore their yard full of interesting wooden sculptures.
Map
Directions
We left a vehicle at the Sunpoke Bridge. To get to Sunpoke Bridge from route 7, take exit 29 onto Broad Road towards Geary. Drive for 1 kilometre and turn left onto Branch Road. Drive for another 850 metres and turn right onto French Lake Road. Drive for 5 kilometres and you will come to an intersection. Turn left at the intersection. Drive for 300 metres and keep right at a junction. You will soon cross the single lane Sunpoke Bridge. At the far end of the bridge there is a sharp turn to the left. Just past the turn is a road on the right that goes back towards the bridge. Take this road and just after the bridge ramp you will come to an open parking area with a boat launch. Park in the parking area.
We then drove to the access in Fredericton Junction. In Fredericton Junction, turn onto the Prides Landing Road next to the school. This road turns into a gravel road after the school. Drive for 1.9 kilometres and at the split in the road keep left. Drive for another kilometre and you will come a boat launch on the river. There are a few spots to park around the boat launch.
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Other Routes nearby
Route Last Paddled: August 25, 2024.
Page Last Updated: November 18, 2024.