Hiking to Friars Nose | Sussex | New Brunswick

Friars Nose is a great hike with a lovely lookout over the rolling hills of the Sussex area that you can experience throughout any season of the year. This lovely hike is located in Sussex, New Brunswick. An easy stop if you are in the Sussex area or on your way out to the the Fundy Parkway.

The trailhead for Friars Nose is the same one used for the Parlee Brook Amphitheatre which can be accessed approximately 7.5km into Parlee Brook road and just before the tiny blue camp on the right hand side. Parking for this hike is just past the blue camp on the other side of the bridge.

From the trailhead you follow the Parlee Brook Amphitheatre trail for the first kilometer which is a rather steep slope climbing 110m. From here you turn left continuing the uphill trend from another 700m and 70m in elevation. The total elevation of the whole hike being 180m making the return hike completely downhill. It would be a fantastic idea to bring a sled or GT during the winter months to make the return hike much more exciting and speedy. I would suggest a sled that you can control of course or things could get dicey! The total hike out and back was 3.4km and should take approximately 1 hour of moving time. It is upto you how long you would like to spend and enjoy at the lookout, but be sure to bring along your crampons during the winter as this trail can be very icy at times..

At the 600m mark there is some flagging tape on the right hand side of the trail. It goes in about 30m to a well known landmark which is a very large Pine tree which is hollowed out on the bottom. You can completely stand inside of the tree with some room to spare and it was my sons favourite part of the whole hike.

This would be a great for families, friends and pets alike. I would not necessarily recommend this hike to anyone with mobility issues or who may not be physically able, due to the steep incline which continues on for what may seem like forever for some, as well as the potentially icy conditions during winter. If hiking with a child or pup, the only place to really be cautious would be the area nearing the lookout as there is quite the drop-off at the top. The rest should be manageable and fairly safe.

You will likely encounter others on the trail during the winter due to the popularity of the Parlee Brook Amphitheatre, with much less on the Friars Nose trail. Other times of the year I would expect less, but I am sure that there is still potential to run into others enjoying the trail.

This trail would serve as a great adventure for anyone in the area of Sussex or Fundy. There are also many other amazing hikes and activities in the area, including Parlee Brook Amphitheatre during winter, which is along this same hike and doubles the distance of the adventure. Another highly popular year-round hike in the area are the Sussex Bluffs which are across the street from the beginning of Parlee Brook road. Potential for a full day of great hiking and views available year-round!

I hope that this video serves as a trail guide for some and as motivation for all to get out and enjoy some waterfalls, mountains and hiking trails wherever you may be!

Happy Hiking🥾


-Hiking Thru