Shubie Park

I haven’t been to this park since I was a little girl when my grandparents lived in Dartmouth. I’m sure I liked it then, but I love it now! The trails are awesome, very well kept but still feel woodsy. There are a ton of benches to sit and enjoy views of the lakes and streams and plaques to tell you what you’re enjoying. I like all the bridges and cute bird/​squirrel houses. Squirrels in this park are pretty brazen, I had a couple come right over, expecting me to hand them some food. One looked me right in the eye, right into my soul. Just like ducks, they anticipate the food now, but you expect it from ducks. Ducks at the park are your best friend till they get wise to the fact you don’t have any treats for them. Then you’re yesterday’s news. It’s very dog friendly/​baby stroller friendly/​runner friendly so bring everyone!

An amazing park. Lots of dogs and kids. Lake Charles is an amazing lake to swim in in the Summer, and there is a lifeguard at the beach. It’s in a great neighbourhood in Dartmouth. Lots of natural beauty. Canoe and kayak rentals by the hour. Scenic Shubenacadie Canal with al its history, and a lovely little museum too. Check it out and take your dogs and kids!!!

Alas — it seems that I will be the first person to give Shubie Park less than 5 stars. It’s not without good reason, though.
Pros:
— Extensive and attractive trails, many with a view of the lake.
— Lots of shade from surrounding trees to ensure that your visit is comfortable.
— Plenty of garbage bins.
— Most trail-​goers are considerate of others around them.
Cons:
— The section of trail that leads you out to the Waverley Road is not maintained whatsoever. My friends and I like this extension for its length and scenic views, but we absolutely hate it for its terrain. We regularly biked this route from May to October of this year, and the condition of the trail worsened with each passing month. Washouts are all-​too-​common, as is large, loose rock (not gravel) on all hills. This resulted in 2 – 3 unnecessary wipeouts despite precautions being taken.
— The signage in Shubie Park is poor — most of the signs have disappeared, rotted away, or had the lettering peel away.
— Most of the fencing (especially along the highway section) is also poor, and the alarming number of missing/​rotten/​broken posts will certainly not protect anyone who veers off the trail from diving into nearby ravines.
In summary, this beautiful trail is in need of regular maintenance and serious updates. We have searched in vain for a contact name/​number but have come up short each time. Any help in this department would be greatly appreciated.

Shubie Park is a beautiful piece of nature in the middle of a city. I am a nature enthusiast so it did not disappoint. Great for everyone. There is a dog area for walking your pooches and lots of kayaking going on. Café Brea is on site where you can get a cold or hot beverage and I truly appreciate that chocolate almond milk is available for my fellow vegans or dairy sensitive pals. Birds, turtles, squirrels and much more inhabit this area.

Greatest place to run in Halifax — 11 km of gravel trails with rolling hills and views of the lake — and you can always run back for a nice ½ marathon distance.

Thumbs up:
— Clean paths
— Friendly dogs running around
— Cute little beaches
— Parking spaces
— Quiet
— In short: beautiful!
No thumbs down, I simply LOVE to go walking or jogging in Shubie park. :)

Today was my first trip to Shubie and I absolutely loved it. It’s definitely looking like I’ll be coming here weekly this summer, if not more often.
Mike B. and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful not-​quite-​Canada Day (seriously, look it up!) weather and get our butts outside and in the sun. On the recommendation of James G., we decided to rent kayaks at Shubie and paddle down the canal.
When we first arrived, there were no kayaks available. Apparently it’s a good idea to call ahead and make reservations. (They only have five kayaks in total.) We arrived at 2:30 and decided to place a reservation for two kayaks at 3:30. In the meantime, we took a stroll through the many trails Shubie has to offer.
The trails were great — very scenic and practically no mosquitos. (I was wearing bug spray, but I find it’s never effective enough to keep them completely away.) It was great fun to run into some off-​leash dogs who seemed to be having an absolute ball.
Once we headed back to the wharf, we suited up in our life jackets, hopped in our kayaks and headed down the canal. It was beautiful. The water was very calm and the canal was incredibly serene. I did find that the paddles dropped quite a bit of water on me, which wasn’t something I experienced as much when kayaking before. It didn’t detract from my enjoyment, though.
After an hour, we headed back and drove home — but we assured the staff that we’d be returning. Especially with price being pretty great — $ 12/​hour for a kayak. We’re thinking perhaps a CMYE event might be in order!

Probably our 2^nd favorite dog park in the HRM (Point Pleasant being the #1). So many different types of trails in here. Always an enjoyable walk with the dogs! And they even have a little beach where you can take your dogs for a swim.

If I could give more stars I would! I grew up almost literally in Shubie Park. Summers spent on my bike tearing through the park, Cub and school activities, and other times just with friends up to whatever. So many miles of trails to walk, run, and bike on. Lakes and the canal to canoe and kayak on. BBQ pits and a baseball field for other activities.
Just tons of stuff to do. Not to mention an off-​leash area for the dogs. I love this place.

Don’t come here.
.. .
Okay, you should TOTALLY come here! I just said that because it seems like Shubie’s an actual «overlooked gem» in Dartmouth. I kinda wanna keep it secret because whenever I convince someone who’s never been to come, they fall in love with the place!
And why wouldn’t they? You can do almost anything outdoors-​y here. You can take your dog for a walk (both on– and off-​leash areas) or even a swim (dog beach!). No dog? Well, obviously you can still walk. Or even run, if you’re athletically inclined. Enjoy the water? You can go swimming or even canoeing/​kayaking (you’re on your own for those).
What I like best is mountain biking here. Lots and lots of trail. Not a «whole day» of riding but a few hours’ worth at least. At the end, you can zip over to Dartmouth Crossing for a hot beverage.
Yes, that’s right — it’s now connected to Dartmouth Crossing. So you can park by the movie theatre and explore or park in Shubie’s main parking lot.
Whatever outdoor activity you’re looking to do, you’ll probably find space in Shubie to do it. Great place for great adventures.

Shubie Park offers hands-​down the best off-​leash dog walking trails in the region. Remember what Point Pleasant Park was like before Hurricane Juan made it look haggard? Well, Shubie still offers that forested trail appeal.
Whether you bring the pooches or not, there are both on-​leash and off-​leash options, all trailing along either the gorgeous lakes or the beautiful Shubenacadie canal. Don’t feel like walking? Take your water dog to the beach portion of the off-​leash section and hang out on a picnic table while your canine does all the work.
And while this is completely subjective, I’ve found 80% of dog owners at Shubie to be incredibly responsive, attentive and responsible when walking their dogs. As the owner of two small dogs, I love knowing that most owners in the park have a true shared sense of responsibility for keeping everyone safe.

Located in the Waverly area, Shubie park consists of numerous walking trails, an off-​leash dog park, and a campground area.
The Shubie trails go for miles and miles, all the way up by Mic Mac Mall and down to Dartmouth Crossing, with beautiful scenery all along the way. The trails are frequented by hikers, joggers, bikers and leisure walkers. There’s various entrance to the Shubie trails including Jaybee Road, Locks Road, Lakemist Court (by Mic Mac) and Waverly Road.
The dog park is somewhat hidden inside Shubie Park, near the Lock Road entrance. It’s not uncommon to see 12 or more dogs running about the dog park on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. While it’s great fun and exercise for the dogs, you still need to be mindful of the dogs as some play rougher than others, and it’s an easy way for dogs to spread germs and illness.
There is also a campground near the Jaybee Road entrance with a playground, tennis court and beach swimming area. The campground is quite clean and well maintained.