05/16/2026
🌅 DID YOU KNOW? 🌊
The peaceful stretch of water beside Sunset View Campground holds a fascinating piece of New Brunswick history beneath its surface.
Before the Mactaquac Dam was built in the late 1960s, the Saint John River looked completely different. Instead of the wide, lake-like headpond we know today, this was a narrower, fast-moving river valley with strong currents, islands, fertile farmland, small communities, and rocky shoreline rapids.
One of the most famous natural features in the area was Pokiok Falls - once considered one of the largest waterfalls on the Saint John River system. The falls disappeared beneath the rising water after the dam was completed in 1968.
When the dam gates closed, the river rose dramatically, flooding approximately 96 kilometres (60 miles) upstream. Roads were rerouted, homes and farms were relocated, railway lines vanished, and entire sections of the Saint John River Valley were permanently transformed.
Today, the river is much wider and dramatically deeper, with some areas estimated to be more than 130 feet deep. Beneath the calm surface are remnants of the former valley - old foundations, riverbanks, wooded areas, and traces of the original landscape that existed before the flooding.
What was once known for rapids and swift current became ideal for boating, fishing, paddling, and waterfront recreation - creating the scenic shoreline views and incredible sunsets that make this area so special today.
Every time you look out across the headpond from Sunset View Campground, you’re looking at a place where history, nature, and engineering reshaped the Saint John River Valley forever.
Want to experience this incredible history firsthand? Pair your camping getaway with a visit to Kings Landing Historical Settlement!
Book your stay now at www.sunsetviewcampground.ca 🏕️☀️
