Ovens Natural Park, South Shore

Every year, thousands of park visitors hike the spectacular trails along the cliffs to view the famous sea caves, or “Ovens” for which the park was named.

Day visitors find solace in the paths and trails that meander along the Atlantic coast line.

My family is obsessed with rocks and geology, so I knew the Ovens Natural Park would be a perfect family adventure for us.

I remember being there as a child, and being fascinated by the sights and the sounds of these natural caves.

History of the Ovens

In the 1860s, the Ovens was the site of a major gold rush. For the next 6 years, over 1000 miners were present and an entire community grew up around the mining sites. As quickly as it began, it was over. There are still remnants from the mining days and spectacular caves to discover.

Cave Trail Walking Tour

When you arrive at the park, you are given a paper that outlines a guided walk to see all the caves. Follow the path, and stop at the numbered signs to read the information about each of the caves or look off points.

Many of the caves make a loud echoing noise like a cannon or thunder. It is fun to climb the steep stairs down into the caves to get a better view!

Daniel has made another YouTube video outlining the experience and showing you some of the cool things you will see along the way.

The Trail

The trail is about 1km each way and with stops, the entire trail takes about 1 hour to complete.

The trail is rugged and there are a lot of steps, so it is not stroller friendly.

There are fences along the cliffs, but if you have a very active toddler, you want to make sure they are close at hand, or wait until they are a bit older.

Dogs are allowed in the park on a leash.

Other Amenities

At the park, there is also a petting zoo

A playground

And a pool that is open to day guests.

A canteen with basic food and a restaurant.

You can also go down to Cunard beach to play in the ocean.

Or, try gold panning.

Rent a pan and try your hand at gold panning on Cunard’s Beach. Gold fever has always been an epidemic at the Ovens Natural Park!

There is also a museum on site that outlines the 1861 Gold Rush at the Ovens Park. Visit the free little museum, full of pictures, tools and memorabilia from the 1861 Gold Rush.

There is a full campground at the Ovens. Bring a tent or a trailer, or rent one of the cabins, and spend more time exploring the caves and the ocean.

How to Get There

The Ovens Natural Park is located on the South Shore, outside Lunenburg.

The Ovens Park did not come up on our GPS, so we had to resort to good-old fashioned maps.
Directions from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to the Ovens Park
From Lunenburg, NS
• Head west on Victoria Road toward Brook St – 1.1 km
• Continue onto Nova Scotia Trunk 3 W – 1.0 km
• Turn left onto NS-332 W (signs for Riverport) – 9.5 km
• Turn left onto Feltzen South Rd – 2.5 km
• Turn right onto Ovens Rd
• Destination will be on the right – 1.5 km
Ovens Natural Park 326 Ovens Road, Riverport, NS B0J 2W0, Canada