Ontario Parks encompass approximately 9% of the province’s overall area. There are more than 100 designated recreation class parks within the system that over 10 million visitors frequent annually.
Recreation Parks
Ontario Parks manages a variety of park categories including Waterways, Wilderness, and Cultural Park classifications. People, however, generally associate Ontario Parks with the Recreation Park.
Recreation Park attractions typically include:
- toilets and showers
- laundromats
- interpretive programs
- playgrounds
- boat launch facilities
- hiking trails
- picnic tables
- good beaches
- campgrounds
- outdoor opportunities
For most folks that means a trip to a campground where they can enjoy the great outdoors, have a campfire, paddle a canoe, catch a fish, or snap the pic of the perfect sunset.
What many do not know about Ontario Parks is their hidden attractions. Beyond the pedal boat rentals and the visitor centres, there are some unexpected recreation attractions to enjoy.
Hidden Attractions:
Prisoner of War Camp (Neys Provincial Park)
During World War 2, German POWs were interned at Neys Camp 100. It is now Neys Provincial Park. The campground offers 144 campsites and informative displays depicting its history. You will also find the actual boats used to ferry the prisoners. They are visible where they were last beached on the rocky shore of Lake Superior.
2. Golf Course (Turkey Point Provincial Park)
While golfing can be a recreation people enjoy while vacationing, it is not typically offered at the same place you are camping. At Turkey Point Provincial Park they have a 9 hole course that is accessible from the campground. It is the only Ontario Park to have its own golf course.
3. Observatory (Killarney Provincial Park)
Navigating the night skies can be a fun past-time for the amateur astronomer. Some Ontario Parks will host a local astronomy club that will bring in their telescopes and provide a demonstration. It is the luck of the day, however, that you are actually camping there on the weekend this attraction is offered. At Killarney, they have a 10 inch Meade 2080 LX3 telescope available for recreation use. The campground at Killarney offers a variety of sites, though no hook-ups are available.
4. Ice Skating (Macgregor Point Provincial Park)
The winter RV program is unique to MacGregor Point in the Ontario Parks system. Winter RVers stay warm and cozy on their electrical campground sites. There is a fully functioning comfort station and the roads are plowed. You can enjoy the winter activities that MacGregor Point offers such as gliding through the woods on an ice trail. The 400 m skating oval provides a unique recreation experience-it’s truly magical when they turn the lights on at night.
5. Wolf Howl (Algonquin Provincial Park)
Algonquin Park is the crown jewel of the Ontario Parks system. There are a variety of activities to choose from that provide for every camping experience you could think to want. What many do not know about is the Wolf Howl. Participants meet at the Outdoor Theatre and then go to a location where a wolf pack has been heard for the previous 2 nights. The naturalists howl into the woods and listen for the yipping responses from the pups as well as the deeper howls from the adults. You virtually become part of the pack. A true bucket worthy experience.
