Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

The reddish cliffs at the Hopewell Rocks of New Brunswick were first formed millions of years ago as a massive mountain range?—?older than the Appalachians and larger than the Canadian Rockies?—?began to erode.

Today the famed Hopewell Rocks, also known as the Flowerpot Rocks due to the vegetation clinging to the tops, are a testament to the carving force of the Bay of Fundy. Here you can walk on the ocean floor until Park staff clears the beaches of visitors well in advance of the highest tides in the world?—?swirling seawater which can reach up to 15 m (50 ft) twice each day. Hopewell Rocks features an upper site and a lower site, connected by gravelled paths and serviced by shuttles.

About 150,000 people visit the Hopewell Rocks each year, including four-year-old Sebastian Drouin, and his dad and mom, Steven Drouin and Joeli Reardon of Ottawa, Ont.

Photo by Tom Reardon.