If you haven’t done your research yet, New Brunswick is Canada’s largest of the three Maritime provinces. That means you’ll have a lot of bodies of water to spend your time and adventures in and many perks and quirks that come with it. Whether you love swimming, fishing, boating, or just lounging by the shore, you’ll have a swell time choosing which lake to do those activities in.

New Brunswick is home to a bunch of lakes. And when I say a bunch, there are many lakes you can choose from! It’s hard to choose because every lake is equal parts serene, picturesque, and relaxing, and of course, for all the adventure enthusiasts out there, there are a great deal of activities you can do in the water and on the land around it. CanadaDo picked out the 10 best lakes in New Brunswick for you to choose from. Check them all out below!

Lac Baker

Source: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/551339179358415575/

Lac Baker, literally translates into “Lake Baker,” is home to a Canadian community of 727 residents. The picturesque lake is between two wooded hills where you can hike, camp, walk, or just simply view and admire. 

Lac Baker’s community first settled around 1885, and since then, the community has started to flourish, producing several activities and even a tourism festival called the “Lac-Baker Tourism Festival” held during the summer. 

Along with the many hotels, AirBnBs, and even museums around the area are many activities you can do in and around Lac Baker. Aside from their annual Lac-Baker Tourism Festival, Lac Baker is also widely recognized for its water activities, including freshwater swimming, diving, sports fishing, ice-fishing during the winter, camping, hiking, and there are even beach volleyball sports for the sporty lot. 

Your Instagram feed is bound to love all the photos you will take. But most of all, the unmatched bonding and relaxing time with your friends and family, or even solo, will have you going back to Lac Baker at every opportunity. 

Chamcook Lake

Source: https://fundybayrealestate.com/fall-colours-at-chamcook-lake/

Chamcook Lake has an array of outdoor activities that are waiting for you. Additionally, if you’d like to sit back and relax, the view that will welcome you at Chamcook Lake will be more than breathtaking. 

Chamcook Lake is a part of the Saint Andrews Parish, New Brunswick, just north of Passamaquoddy Bay, that’s a part of the Bay of Fundy. And yes, it is pretty near the border of Maine, USA. Aside from the lush greens surrounding the area, you’ll be mesmerized by the view of Chamcook Mountain sitting nearby. 

Additionally, Chamcook Lake is well-known for its fishing. In 1886, salmon and salmon trout fry were deposited into the lake. Fast forward to today, your fishing rod will be delighted to catch numerous sockeye salmon, steelhead trout, brown trout, brook trout, and Sebago salmon. It’s a fisherman’s paradise.

Lake George

Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_George_from_village_beach.jpg

Lake George is a 10-minute drive away from the capital city of Fredericton and a few minutes from the Kingslanding Historical Settlement. It’s a great destination if you’re touring around New Brunswick because it sits only a few minutes away from other major lakes. 

If you’re a history or geology buff, you’ll be glad to know that the lake was created by glacial action about 10,000 years ago. However, settlement in Lake George began only around the mid-1830s when the land grants were distributed. Lake George has faced a steady increase in permanent and seasonal residents since then. 

Lake George is a great destination for those who want to explore the waters through swimming, recreational boating, fishing, kayaking, and more. Additionally, the surrounding area makes for a great staycation destination, complete with cozy cottages, hiking trails, and more.

Grand Lake

Source: https://tourismnewbrunswick.ca/listing/municipality-grand-lake

New Brunswick’s Grand Lake, just less than an hour away from the capital city of Fredericton, is Atlantic Canada’s largest freshwater lake. It is home to several communities, which can be found scattered around the area, along with a handful of camping grounds great for any outdoor enthusiast’s adventure. 

Grand Lake is one of the most picturesque places you’ll ever visit in New Brunswick, as the abundance of lush greens and the beautiful road trip scenes you’ll encounter change depending on the season of your visit. Of course, the autumn season, with its abundance of orange leaves and more, is considered the best time to drive around Grand Lake. 

The largest freshwater lake in Atlantic Canada allows you to enjoy boating, swimming, fishing, camping, mountain biking in the summer, spring, and fall seasons and riding snowmobiles during the winter. The place is also best for birdwatching with the abundance of winged wildlife that passes by every season.

Holmes Lake

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_Lake_%28New_Brunswick%29

Holmes Lake was named after the first lumberman who worked around the area in 1884. It was an exclusive fishery of the Pratts Family originating from New York for the longest time until they released the rights to the provincial government. 

Because of its abundance of fish, Holmes Lake is widely known to be one of the best fishing spots in all of New Brunswick. Of course, for the ones who would like to stay out of the water, the surrounding areas are great for hiking, walking, and even relaxing in one of the log cabins that are available for booking.

Lockhart Lake

Source: https://ca.geoview.info/lockhart_lake,6058270

Lockhart Lake is a small saltwater lake that’s about 15 minutes away from Alma, New Brunswick. If you’re kayaking around Cape Enrage, you can kayak to Lockhart Lake and enjoy the intimate natural views it provides. Additionally, you’ll be able to occasionally find lobsters and a few other marine animals like monkfish, flounder, or even seals in Lockhart Lake that are brought about by the high tide from the Bay.

Skiff Lake

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When he paddled a skiff to an island he had claimed, Skiff Lake was named by Lord Northcote sometime in the 1800s. The island is named Northcote Island, containing the Lady of the Lake camp, the oldest camp in the area. 

The lake is a glacier lake with over 27 islands scattered all over the area. Skiff Lake is surrounded by granite boulders rumored to be formed from one of the eruptions of Mount Pleasant Caldera. Skiff Lake is a great fishing and camping spot with abundant land-locked salmon, smallmouth bass, brook trout, American eel, cusk, sunfish, pickerel, white perch, and more. 

Skiff Lake was also made famous by the rumors that it has its own Nessy, referred affectionately to as Gertrude. It is said that Gertrude is thirty feet long, but no one has caught the lake-locked serpent in the photo yet.

Spednic Lake

Source: https://tourismnewbrunswick.ca/listing/spednic-lake-park

Spednic Lake is best known for its bass fishing. It is also known for being one of the best camping spots in New Brunswick, with a tent-pitching area in the backwoods that will provide you with a breathtaking view of the lake and its surrounding forests and lush greens. 

Swimming and fishing are allowed in Spednic Lake, but most people enjoy sitting by the shore and enjoying their s’mores by the bonfire as they watch the sky change from daytime to night. Hiking trails are available around the lake, and you can bring your tent or trailer for the best outdoor experience you’ll ever have.

Lake Utopia

Source: https://lakeutopia.ca/news/

Charlotte County, New Brunswick, boasts Lake Utopia as one of the best places you can go in the county. Lake Utopia is connected to the Magaguadavic River by the second deepest natural canal in the world. The lake’s shoreline has seen an increase in campsites, summer homes, and permanent residents seeking to enjoy life in the great outdoors. 

Boating, swimming, and fishing are some of the activities you can do in Lake Utopia; of course, aside from hiking, walking, and other outdoor activities, you can embark on the land surrounding it. 

A local legend states that Lake Utopia has a sea monster known as the Lake Utopia Lake Monster, seen by two Maliseet Natives who were chased by the sea monster. “Old Ned,” as it is commonly known, was last spotted in 1996 by Roger and Lois Wilcox as they were canoeing on the lake.

Yoho Lake 

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Whether you’d like to enjoy the view, have a quiet staycation, or enjoy the waters, Yoho Lake can provide all those experiences for you. With an abundance of yellow perch, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, striped bass, smallmouth bass, and redbreast sunfish, your fishing rods will have the time of their life going in and out of the waters. 

Additionally, the abundance of cabins and AirBnBs in the surrounding areas of Yoho Lake make for the best vacation ever, with almost all of them boasting the great views that the lake offers. Yoho Lake is incredibly near the capital, Fredericton, so you won’t have to worry about the place’s accessibility. 

Isn’t New Brunswick just filled to the brim with so many natural wonders? From amazing views that your Instagram will truly love to experiences that you’ll cherish and even return to, New Brunswick’s lakes are the perfect places to spend your outdoor adventures.