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Fiona-Ravaged P.E.I. National Park Prepares For 2023 Season

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By NPT Staff - February 20th, 2023
Flat Rock is one spot in Prince Edward Island National Park that was damaged by post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022.

Flat Rock is one spot in Prince Edward Island National Park that was damaged by post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022/Parks Canada

Parks Canada has promised that all of its parks and site on Prince Edward Island will reopen for this summer’s visitor season now that it has had time to assess, clean up, repair, plan and navigate the aftermath of post-tropical storm Fiona.

Prince Edward Island National Park, Stanhope and Cavendish Campgrounds and the national historic sites will all be open.

“Many of these places will look very different to visitors as post-tropical storm Fiona left a profound mark on coastal and forested areas,” Parks Canada said in a new release.

Beach access is currently permitted at Covehead Lighthouse beach and North Rustico beach, and more access points will reopen as repair work is completed. Pending completion of repairs to dune crossings, access — including the fully accessible beach offer — will be available in Brackley and Cavendish for summer.

All trails will be fully or partially re-opened.

Long-term planning is ongoing following the impacts of post-tropical storm Fiona in September 2022. Parks Canada says that Fiona accelerated infrastructure vulnerabilities in coastal areas like Dalvay Beach, Stanhope Main Beach, Robinsons Island and Cavendish Campground, and that “the park’s dynamic environment requires a dynamic approach to planning.”

The damaged stairs at MacKenzies Brook will be removed.

The damaged stairs at MacKenzies Brook will be removed/Parks Canada

Among Parks Canada's post-Fiona updates:

• The Homestead Trail was heavily impacted. One bridge that was washed away will soon be put back in place. Sections of the trail will reopen for the 2023 visitor season, but not the MacNeill loop.
• Cavendish Campground was significantly impacted but will open in 2023. At least 10 unserviced sites in the D (coastal) loop are being decommissioned due to damage. The new unserviced campground loop and washroom facility south of Graham’s Lane remains under construction and is slated to open this year.

• The lookout platforms at Oceanview were destroyed and new lookouts won’t be in place for this season. Fencing along the northern coastline will be adjusted inland because the bank was undercut. This location will still be available for parking, visitation, Cavendish Dunelands Trail access and sunset viewing.

• The small Flat Rock turn-around off the Gulf Shore Parkway West sustained erosion and the traffic loop and parking area will be closed so the area can undergo an ecological restoration. The nearest similar coastal viewing area will be at MacNeill’s Brook.

• MacKenzies Brook Arch collapsed after the combined impact of Fiona and post-tropical depression Nicole. An unstable pile of sandstone rubble is left in this area and sediment is vulnerable to future potential collapse. The stairs at this location are being removed but the lookout platform close to the shore will remain in place.

• The cliffs at Orby Head were severely impacted and undercut. Orby Head will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian access. The driving loop and parking area will be revegetated.

• Robinson’s Island Road and Trail System were heavily impacted and so the visitor experience will be different. The constructed artificial causeway to the island has repeatedly sustained damage and erosion from wave action and storm surges. Parks Canada will proactively remove the asphalt from Robinson’s Island Road and create an unpaved multi-use trail in its place so the asphalt doesn’t get washed into adjacent waterways in future storms. Only emergency response vehicles will have access to Robinson’s Island Road. Visitors looking to access the Robinson’s Island Trail System in 2023 can park at the Brackley Beach Complex and hike or cycle 3.5 kilometres (2 miles) to the island. There was also significant blow down of trees all across the island. Visitor access has been cut to open up the trails, but woody debris and uprooted trees and stumps are present throughout the trail network.

Trees along Robinsons Island trail system have been uprooted.

Trees along Robinsons Island trail system have been uprooted/Parks Canada

• A new beach access for Shaws will be constructed this summer, causing delays in visitor access.

• Shoreline protection will be installed at eastern and western approaches to Covehead bridge and its abutments. The Gulf Shore Way Multi-use Trail west of Covehead Bridge is being repaired and will reopen for this season. Construction activity and single-lane slow-downs can be expected.

• Access to Ross Lane Beach will be via temporary stairs at the end of the existing shortened boardwalk.

• All campsites that were available in 2022 will be available this year at Stanhope Campground, although many trees were lost during Fiona.

• Parks Canada will protect the cross culvert with stone near the beach access point across from Stanhope Campground. New stairs will be installed this spring.

• The coastline and beach access at Stanhope Main were dramatically altered by Fiona. Access to the beach will be via temporary stairs which will be installed in the spring. The traditional accessibility features (like the ramp and mobility mat) won’t be available at this location this summer. Pending completion of repairs, the fully accessible beach offer will continue to be available in Brackley and Cavendish.

• There will be a single access to the beach via stairs northwest of the parking lot in Dalvay, to be installed in the spring. Visitors will see the former eastern beach access point (boardwalk, stairs, crosswalk) is gone, as is the parking lot on the north side of the Gulf Shore Parkway.

• Coastal erosion severely impacted the dunes and roadway in Dalvay, compromising safety where the road was undercut. The damaged roadway has been repaired and a buried revetment (i.e., sloped structure comprised of large stone) is being installed to provide shoreline protection in this area. The revetment will be capped with sand allowing a vegetated dune to regenerate over time. Construction activity should be expected in this area.

An aerial view of the damage to trees along the Robinsons Island trail system.

An aerial view of the damage to trees along the Robinsons Island trail system/Parks Canada

Barricades remain in place at the following locations:

• From Brackley to Covehead, PEI National Park (including Robinsons Island).

• All beach accesses, except Covehead Lighthouse Beach and North Rustico Beach.

• Some look-offs and parking lots along the Gulf Shore Parkway West.

All other beach accesses remain barricaded due to safety concerns. Visitors should not seek to access the beach by walking around broken infrastructure and crossing over the dunes. A full dune closure remains in effect.

More details on this year’s operational season are expected.

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