Kejimkujik National Park is a Canadian national park. It is located about 100 km from Lunenburg in Nova Scotia.
Kejimkujik is a native Mi’kmaq word believed to mean “land where fairies abound”. The park was established in 1969 and is divided into 2 separate areas.
- The main area of Kejimkujik National Park is located 18 km from the village of Caledonia. It is located on Kejimkujik Lake.
- Kejimkujik Seaside is located about 100 km from the main park area along the Atlantic coast near Port Joli.
At Keji Seaside you will find pristine white sand beaches, rich lagoon systems and coastal wildlife. There are 2 coastal hiking trails. It is Day Use only.
Kejimkujik National Park is also one of Canada’s Dark Sky Preserves with its low light pollution.
Site Review:
Kejimkujik National Park has plenty of opportunities for backcountry camping however for RV friendly sites there is only the Jeremy’s Bay campground.
Jeremy’s Bay Campground:
- There are approximately 350 sites located within 3 campground loops.
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- Serviced sites offer electric hook up only.
- Potable water is available nearby.
- There is a well-appointed trailer dump station with easy access.
- The sites are all located in a wooded area.
- The sites are spacious with only minor levelling required.
- There is a good distance between sites but the lack of underbrush makes visual privacy rather poor.
- There are fireboxes for campfires at each of the sites.
- The main roads throughout the park are paved. The campground roads themselves are dirt-packed. They are easy to manoeuvre and have clear directional signs.
- The comfort stations have flush toilets and there is a centrally located building with free hot showers.
Activities:
Swimming:
There are 4 beach areas located in the main area of Kejimkujik National Park.
- Merrymakedge Beach
- Kedge Beach
- Slapfoot Beach
- Meadow Beach
Slapfoot beach and Meadow Beach are easily accessed from the campground areas. There are no lifeguards.
The beaches tend to be stony and gravelly. Water shoes would be required. I found that Slapfoot Beach was probably the nicest as it seemed more sandy.
Hiking:
There are some nice hikes at Keji. They vary in length and degree of difficulty.
Mercy River:
This is an easy hike that travels along the Mercy River. It is about 3.5 km one way.
Slapfoot:
This is a moderate 3.2 km one way trail along the shoreline of Jeremy’s Bay. It is easily accessed from the campground and takes you to Jake’s Landing where you can rent water craft as well as join other trails.
Mercy Meadow/Beach Grove:
A 2.2 km loop trail with some scenic spots.
For a full list of hiking trails available click here
Canoeing/Kayaking:
Jakes Landing is where you will find the rental hut where you can rent equipment to use within Kejimkujik National Park.
Prices vary depending on the length of use.
There are also a couple of guided excursions that you can participate in for a fee.
There are 29 lakes at Keji many of which are connected to the main lake providing many route options. The staff at the rental kiosk are helpful and can provide any information you may need. Whynot Adventures is the parks outfitter and you can make your reservations online before your visit.
You can also launch your own equipment for use on the lakes.
I did not see any motorized boats on the lake and all canoeing is flatwater (no white water).
Fishing:
Fishing is permitted at Kejimkujik National Park. You will require a National Park Fishing permit which is different than the provincial fishing licence. You can purchase a National Park Fishing Permit at the Visitor Centre as well as at Jake’s Landing. The cost is about $10 CAD for a daily pass.
Rules for Fishing at Keji:
- All non-invasive fish are catch and release only.
- Mandatory retention of invasive species.
- All tackle may include only 1 barbless hook.
- No natural bait of any kind including earthworms.
Other necessary information comes with your fishing permit.
Biking:
Biking is permitted on some of the hiking trails
and on the roads throughout the park. I found the paved roads to be flat and easy pedalling. 
You can rent bicycles at Jakes’s Landing rental area.
Visitor Centre/Guided Activities:
The Visitor Centre is located near the park entrance.
It has displays and information to help you enjoy the park.
There are various activities that you can sign up to participate in. Some activities include:
- Petroglyph tours
- Birchbark canoe building demonstrations
- Dark sky interpreters with telescopes
- Campfire theatre
You can rent a Kejimkujik Dark Sky Kit for $5 which includes:
- Binoculars especially for stargazing
- Star finder map
- Red light
- Stargazing references
You do not need to participate in a specific program to experience the dark sky. Information about the Dark Sky Kits can be obtained at the Visitor Centre.
Day Trip to Lunenburg:
The village of Lunenburg Nova Scotia is a World Unesco Heritage Site. It is the best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America. Established in 1753, it has retained its original layout and overall appearance.
It is located about 100km from Kejimkujik National Park. A walk through the old town and along the waterfront makes a nice day trip.
Things to Know:
- Kejimkujik National Park and Kejimkujik Seaside are about 100km apart. Kejimkujik Seaside is Day-Use only. There is no camping permitted there.
- In addition to the nightly camping fees, there is the National Park Day Use charge which is about $8 CAD per adult per day. You can purchase National Park passes for multiday use.
- Leashed pets are permitted on the trails and in the campgrounds.
- There is a small gift shop located within the Visitor Centre.
- There is a snack bar where you can purchase burgers, fries, refreshments etc. located at the Merrymakedge Day Use area.
- The town of Caledonia is located about 15 minutes away where you can purchase forgotten items and replenish supplies. There is no store within the park.
- It should be noted that there is no gas station nearby or in Caledonia. There are signs as you travel toward the park that remind you of this. Best to refuel when you can prior to getting to the park.
- Firewood and ice are available for purchase at the campground kiosk.
IMO:
I really like Kejimkujik National Park. When we visited our trip was cut short due to evacuation in anticipation of Hurricane Dorian. Hurricanes do not generally reach Nova Scotia so it was our bad luck that this one did.
I will be back to Keji at some point to complete my visit. I would have liked to have paddled Kejimkujik Lake, taken advantage of the dark skies and did some star gazing and I would have made a day trip to Kejimkujik Seaside to check out the white sands and the aquamarine water. When I do revisit I will update.
In the meantime, I definitely recommend Kejimkujik National Park as an RV Place to Go!
