New Brunswick’s winter wonderland offers five amazing outdoor activities your family won’t want to miss. You can explore serene snowshoe trails across seven stunning destinations, from coastal paths to mountain routes. Hit the slopes at family-friendly ski resorts like Crabbe Mountain, where kids under 5 ski free. Experience the thrill of dog sledding through scenic river valleys with expert guides and friendly sled dogs. Glide across pristine ice at outdoor rinks like Ihtohli-maqahamok in Saint John. For an extra rush, soar through the winter air on exhilarating zip lines at Cape Enrage or TimberTop Adventures. These adventures are just the beginning of your family’s New Brunswick winter story.
Magical Snowshoeing Adventures

New Brunswick offers an incredible array of snowshoeing destinations across the province, with seven distinct locations providing unique winter adventures. From the coastal trails of Shippagan to the mountain paths of Sugarloaf Provincial Park, each destination presents its own special charm and challenge for snowshoeing enthusiasts. Visitors can stay overnight in rustic cabins that offer stunning ocean views.
The province’s snowshoeing network ranges from beginner-friendly 4-5 km loops to extensive trail systems spanning over 30 kilometers. Locations like Kouchibouguac National Park feature specialized snowshoe trails winding through pristine wilderness, while spots like Mont Farlagne and Crabbe Mountain combine snowshoeing with skiing infrastructure, allowing visitors to use ski lifts for elevated starting points. Many trails travel through scenic forests and frozen lakes, offering opportunities to spot wildlife tracks in the winter landscape.
What makes New Brunswick’s snowshoeing scene particularly accessible is the widespread availability of rental equipment. Most locations offer snowshoe rentals on-site, with some venues like Club plein air de Caraquet providing specialized lightweight snowshoes for runners. The trails are complemented by additional winter activities, including cross-country skiing, skating rinks, and warming huts, making these destinations perfect for full-day winter outings.
Family-Friendly Ski Destinations

New Brunswick offers several exceptional family-friendly ski destinations, with Crabbe Mountain standing as the province’s premier skiing location. Featuring the largest vertical drop in New Brunswick at 370 metres, Crabbe Mountain provides 20 kilometres of diverse slopes ranging from gentle bunny hills to challenging black diamond runs. The resort caters to all skill levels with thorough ski schools, exciting terrain parks, and snow tubing facilities, while cozy lodges offer perfect spots for après-ski relaxation. Most snow in Maritimes falls in New Brunswick, ensuring excellent conditions throughout the winter season. Visitors can enjoy hard packed conditions and sunny afternoons during their winter adventures.
Among the notable ski destinations, Poley Mountain Resorts in Alma and Mont Farlagne Outdoor Centre in Edmundston provide varied terrain and excellent facilities for winter sports enthusiasts. Sugarloaf Provincial Park Ski Hill in Campbellton rounds out the major ski destinations, offering not only downhill skiing but also cross-country trails and dedicated snowshoeing areas.
What sets these New Brunswick ski destinations apart is their focus on family accessibility and affordability. Crabbe Mountain, for instance, offers free skiing for children 5 and under, while all locations maintain extensive ski schools and rental programs. The varied terrain at each location guarantees that families can stay together while experiencing different skill-appropriate runs, making these destinations ideal for multi-generational ski outings.
Phone: 506-463-8311
Website: www.crabbemountain.com
Winter Dog Sledding

Winter dog sledding enthusiasts can choose between two premier operations in New Brunswick: Birch Bark Adventures near Bathurst and Snow Dog Adventures southwest of Allardville. Both companies offer immersive experiences with professional mushers who teach participants the fundamentals of dog sledding, from basic commands to handling the teams of Alaskan Malamutes, Huskies, and Samoyeds.
Snow Dog Adventures provides a particularly scenic experience with trails that wind through the valleys and gorges of the Tabusintac River and Big Tracadie River. The activity has a rich history as a vital transportation method in northern regions. Cross-breeding with breeds like Greyhounds has produced highly efficient sled dogs. Meanwhile, Birch Bark Adventures focuses on hands-on experiences where visitors can learn to direct their own dog sled teams through pristine winter landscapes.
The experience begins with the excited barking of enthusiastic sled dogs and includes personal introductions to the team members. Visitors learn essential commands like “Mush Gee Haw!” while traversing snowy trails, and can participate in post-ride activities such as grooming and feeding the dogs. These adventures operate during the winter season from December through March or April, weather permitting, and require participants to be in good health and dressed appropriately for winter conditions.
Skating Under Winter Skies

New Brunswick offers several enchanting skating destinations where families can embrace winter’s magic on the ice. From the newly opened Ihtohli-maqahamok – The Gathering Space in Saint John to the illuminated oval in Dieppe, each venue provides unique skating experiences. The refrigerated oval at Place 1604 in Dieppe stretches 140 metres long and five metres wide, offering free skating amid evening lights and all-day music.
For those seeking a more intimate skating experience, Belledune’s arena provides Sunday evening sessions perfect for beginners, while the NHL-sized Quartermain Arena in St. Stephen hosts family skates complete with professional amenities like skate sharpening services. The Aitken University Centre in Fredericton offers additional indoor skating opportunities for university students and the public. Each location enforces specific safety rules, with some requiring helmets for certain activities and all maintaining strict guidelines about permitted items on the ice. Visitors should note that hockey sticks and pucks are not allowed on these public skating surfaces.
A remarkable addition to New Brunswick‘s skating scene is the Ihtohli-maqahamok rink, which opened in December 2024 as part of Saint John’s waterfront redevelopment. Despite construction delays, this new public space has become a centerpiece of winter recreation, offering extended hours and a welcoming environment for skaters of all skill levels.
Hours: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily (Dieppe Oval), 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Ihtohli-maqahamok), Sundays 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Belledune)
Phone: 466-7700
Thrilling Zip Line Experiences

New Brunswick offers several exhilarating plunge experiences across its diverse landscape. From coastal adventures at Cape Enrage to forest canopy tours at TimberTop Adventures, visitors can soar through the air while taking in breathtaking views. The province’s plunge line attractions range from shorter 600-foot runs to impressive 1,200-foot spans, with some reaching heights of up to 100 feet above water or forest floors. Grand Falls visitors can enjoy additional activities like kayaking and rock climbing alongside their zip line adventures. Safety is paramount, and trained staff members ensure proper equipment usage and provide thorough briefings before each adventure.
Among the most notable options is TimberTop Adventures, Canada’s largest treetop aerial adventure park, which operates year-round by alternating between two locations. During winter and spring, visitors can experience a unique winter plunge adventure at Snider Mountain Ranch, featuring 13 plunge lines, sky-bridges, and sky-stairs, culminating in a cozy campfire with hot cocoa and a tractor-pulled sleigh ride. Summer and autumn operations move to Dominion Park in Saint John, where guests can tackle 12 courses with over 115 plungelines and challenges.
The region’s plunge line experiences showcase New Brunswick‘s natural beauty in distinctive ways. Over the Cove Plunge provides panoramic views of French Fort Cove from 100 feet above the water, while Cape Enrage Adventures offers a unique coastal plunge experience with views of the Fundy coastline and a historic lighthouse. Over the Hill Plunge-Line, the longest in New Brunswick, even offers tandem rides for small children, making it a family-friendly adventure option.