You may know that I’m committed to visiting all of the 63 U.S. National Parks, but I am also going to take advantage of the opportunity to explore some of Canada’s nearly 50 National Parks while I’m residing in Toronto over the next few years. Canada’s NPs are similar in mission and beauty to those in the U.S. What’s not to love!
There are 5 of Canada’s finest right here in Ontario, along with the Rouge Urban National Park located near me in Toronto!
1. Bruce Peninsula
2. Georgian Bay Islands
3. Point Pelee
4. Pukaskwa
5. Thousand Islands
So far, I’ve made it to The Bruce, Pelee, and The Rouge as they are called by the locals. Here’s a bit on those experiences!
Fun Fact: Parks Canada offers an annual Discovery Pass covering admissions to not only the National Parks but also many National Historic Sites – all for the bargain price of about C$70 per adult, C$140 per family.
Point Pelee National Park
I officially became a birder earlier this spring with the purchase of a pair of Nikon Monarch binoculars. One of the best places to go birding is Point Pelee National Park on Lake Erie. Pelee is Canada’s second-smallest national park, yet over half of Canada’s 690 bird species visit the point annually as a popular resting spot for migrating birds.
Pelee is a 4-hour drive from Toronto, so an overnight visit is a must. I suggest going in May, at the peak of the migration season. It is very popular so arrive early as the parking is limited and is often full by 7 am!
Near the Park entrance is the Marsh Trail, a half-mile, raised-boardwalk path. Here, you may see Canada Geese, Mute Swans, and Blue Heron, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Robins, and Barn Swallows to name a few. A short walk takes you to The Point, the southernmost spit of land in Canada, just south of the 42nd parallel (same as Northern California and Rome). For a newbie birder like me, Pelee was a great first experience.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the long-distance record holder is the Arctic Tern whose annual roundtrip migration path is nearly 20,000 miles? The Tern follows the sun as it moves from endless days in the Arctic Circle to endless days in Antarctica. That’s one bi-polar bird!
Rouge Urban National Park
The Rouge Urban National Park is the largest urban NP in North America and is in my Toronto backyard! It is 30 square miles of land, accessible by subway and nestled next to the Toronto Zoo. The Rouge follows the final miles of the Rouge River as it makes its way to Lake Ontario.
Fun Fact: The Rouge is situated within an hour’s drive of 20% of Canada’s population. It is estimated that 80-90% of the roughly 38 million Canadians live within 100 miles of the U.S. border.
The most convenient park entrance is near the Toronto Zoo, plus there is ample parking. Signage at the trailhead warned of recent bear sightings. And these are not escapees from the zoo, as it turns out: black bears are frequent visitors to the Rouge!
The trails offer scenic overlooks, flora, and fauna with evergreens, maples, and oaks amidst the beauty of the rushing Rouge River. Now that I consider myself a bit of a birder, I was pleasantly surprised to observe hawks, turkey vultures, meadowlarks, and warblers! I was also introduced to the official provincial flower of Ontario – the trillium.
While the area was an easily accessible and wonderfully detoxifying experience the fall foliage is said to be spectacular, so I can’t wait to return!
Bruce Peninsula National Park
The drive to The Bruce is similar in length to Pelee, about 4 hours, and therefore requires a weekend or overnight visit from Toronto. The Park is located at the tip of the peninsula separating Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, and it includes the northern terminus of the Bruce Trail.
The Bruce is known for its majestic cliffs and epic coastlines, clear and bright blue water, lighthouses, and shipwrecks. The Lake Huron side offers the Singing Sands area with sandy beaches, but I opted for hiking trails to and along the rocky coastline of Georgian Bay.
The Grotto and Half Way Dump can be enjoyed along several short trails of varying difficulty (1-2 km, ½-1 hr) leading past small lakes to the Georgian Bay coastline. There is a large cave or grotto for the adventurous, areas for swimming, and yes a log dump!
Fun Fact: The Bruce Trail is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, extending about 900km all the way down to Niagara at the US border.
You can also take a boat tour from Tobermory at the tip of the peninsula out to Flowerpot Island located within the Fathom Five National Marine Park. I am told the glass-bottomed boat tour provides incredible views of several shipwrecks. Unfortunately, I ran out of time on this trip so it will have to wait!.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, and I plan to visit many more Canadian National Parks, particularly all the ones in Ontario in the near future. If you live in Toronto or are visiting Ontario, I really encourage you to check out and explore National Parks in the province. Even in this big city you can connect with nature and discover biodiversity in our backyard!
Up Next: Find out soon…
In the meantime, check out my past travel blogs and stay tuned for more adventures…
