Most of the provincial parks in southern Ontario will open for the season today, with the majority of northern Ontario parks opening May 16. Starting this month, visitors can enjoy a range of great family activities in Ontario provincial parks. For example:
- Join park staff at Bronte Creek’s Spring Thyme on the Farm on May 19 and participate in farm activities typical of the 1890s.
- Learn about wilderness navigation at Frontenac Provincial Park on May 31.
- Spot wildlife such as deer and moose at Algonquin Provincial Park.
- Beat the crowds and the bugs with springtime paddling at The Massasauga and Killarney Provincial Parks.
- Check out the waterfalls at Chutes Provincial Park.
- Enjoy walleye fishing at Fushimi Lake Provincial Park.
There are more than 330 provincial parks in Ontario, with more than 100 offering visitor facilities. In 2013, Ontario’s provincial parks received more than 8.5-million visits from people around the world.
If you’re a birder already or would like to become one, there are several birding festivals this month in provincial parks:
- Come to Rondeau’s Big Day Birding Competition May 10-11.
- At The Pinery, see Migration Weekend on May 17-19.
- Visit MacGregor Point’s annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival from May 23 to June 1.
The opening dates for some Ontario provincial parks may be delayed due to the late spring arrival.
Campsites can be reserved online 24 hours a day or by calling the park reservation line at
1-888-ONT-PARK between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily.