Human feces, garbage left by loud ATVers at campsites near Fundy Footpath

Fundy Footpath hikers are finding themselves at odds with unruly ATVers wreaking havoc at campsites, according to Marc Leger of the Fundy Hiking Trails Association.

Leger said one group at Quiddy River campsite left a chair with a hole cut into the centre of it that they had used as a toilet during their stay. 

 "When they left, they just left everything," Leger said. "They didn't bury anything.

"They left the chair, along with cigarette butts and all other kinds of garbage."   

Quiddy River and Martin Head are only accessible by foot, but some people are driving their ATVs on the trails leading to the sites regardless.

Martin Head campsite has also become a popular destination for partiers along the Fundy Footpath over the last 30 years. ATVers drive through waterways to reach Martin Head, and it's disrupting the hiking experience along the trail, Leger said. 

He said hikers on the trail, which runs from St. Martins to the edge of Fundy National Park, are intimidated when they come out of the wilderness and are greeted by people drinking and driving loud machines. 

Roger Daigle, the president of the New Brunswick All-Terrain Vehicle Federation, said he wants to meet with the Fundy Trails Association as soon as possible to help rectify the issue. It's possible the riders may not be members of the ATV federation, however. 

"It's a sad situation because we are getting painted with the same brush, and in many cases our members are not even involved," Daigle said. 

He said some ATV drivers are causing problems on regular ATV trails as well.

"They'll get on a bridge, they'll spin their tires until they're smoking and sometimes our bridges catch fire," Daigle said, adding he hopes those ATV drivers quit their bad behaviour. 

Leger said the Fundy Hiking Trails Association has no authority over some of the campsites, including Martin Head, which is federal land, so the group's options for taking action are limited. 

The Fundy Trail Hiking Association has reached out to the Department of Environment of Local Government, which is looking into the issue, Leger said. 

CBC has also asked federal authorities for comment.