Rondeau Provincial Park

 Rondeau Provincial Park is located on an 8 km long sand spit extending into Lake Erie, near the city of Chatham in Ontario. It is the 2nd oldest provincial park in Ontario and was established in 1894. (The oldest is Algonquin Park which was established a year prior). Rondeau protects over 3200 hectares of Oak Savannah, dune habitat, coastal wetlands and some of the last remaining stands of old-growth Carolinian Forest in the province. These important environments support several species that are at risk.

The park was originally chartered specifically for cottaging and it is the only  Ontario provincial park founded for this reason. The earliest cottages still standing were built in 1903. The cottages are privately leased and located primarily on the Lake Erie side of the peninsula and are a vital part of Rondeau’s landscape. There are 262 campsites (both electric and non-electric) that are all a short walk from the beach. 

Site Review:

Rondeau opens for camping on the first Friday in April and closes mid-November.  This gives it one of the longest camping seasons in the Ontario Parks system.

The campground is located at the park’s north end, just southeast of the main gate. Overall, the sites are a good size, with a variety of options. They range from private and shaded to open with full sunlight.

A unique feature of the campground is that the roads are named. You wouldn’t necessarily think that is a big deal, but surprisingly it is. If you have meandered the roads in campgrounds in other provincial parks, especially when you arrive after dusk looking for your site, you will know what I mean. Named roads make it easier to navigate the area.

We were on Site #6 on Tulip Road for our stay.

The sites are generally wider than they are deep resulting in many campers parking parallel to the road, and while this affords an extra degree of privacy when you are outside it does mean you are closer to the road traffic. The sites are all fairly level, though some adjustments may be necessary. All come with a picnic table and a fire ring.

There are 3 comfort stations with flush toilets and free hot showers to service the entire park. This would mean maybe a dozen showers for over 250 sites. They were always busy and often with lines of people waiting.

Rondeau has an easy-to-access trailer sanitation dump station. There are 2 drains, but given the size of the park and how popular it is as a weekend destination, you will probably experience quite the back-up on a summer Sunday when everyone is leaving.

Activities at Rondeau:

Swimming:

Eleven beach access trails lead to 11 kilometres of beautiful sandy beach along the Lake Erie side of the Rondeau peninsula. You can also go for a swim on the Rondeau Bay side, however, there is a lot of seaweed and other plant life which can make the experience less enjoyable. I recommend sticking to the Lake Erie side, but be careful as it can have a strong undertow. There are no lifeguards.

Hiking:

There are 6 named hiking and multi-use trails. All are rated as easy and vary in length:

1. Black Oak Trail: is a loop trail featuring rolling hills and dense forest. The trail is approximately 1.7 kilometres long and while it has the most elevation change of all the trails, it is still a leisurely hike.
2. Warbler’s Way: is a 500-metre loop and is the shortest trail in the park.
3. Spicebush Trail: is 1.5 kilometres long. Several boardwalks along this loop trail go past a wide range of vegetation. You’ll see a variety of wild flowers such as Spotted Touch-Me-Nots and Blue Cardinals.Blue Cardinal flower
4. Tulip Tree Trail: is similar to the Spicebush Trail in that it features several boardwalks. This trail is barrier-free and is the most accessible trail for handicapped visitors. From the trail, you can see types of trees that are usually rare in Ontario, such as Tulip trees (for which the trail is named) and Sassafras. Tulip Tree
5. Harrison Trail:  is the longest trail at 16 km round trip. It is a paved roadway originally constructed to provide access to the lighthouse at the peninsula’s tip. It is perfect for walking and cycling.
6. South Point Trail: is at the base of the park. This was once a full trail that looped around the edge of the peninsula, over time though waves have washed out part of the trail. Now it’s two separate out-and-back trails, east and west, that are 1.6 kilometres and 3.1 kilometres consecutively. Each takes you through a forested area, opening up to a stretch of beach on Lake Erie.

Biking:

Roads: The paved, flat roads of Rondeau are perfect for cycling.

Trails: Of the six hiking trails, three are available to cyclists: the South Point trail(s), Harrison and Warbler’s Way. These trails are flat, making them great for beginner cyclists and families.

Paddle Rondeau Bay:

If you have a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard, bring it with you if you want to paddle the sheltered waters of Rondeau Bay. The park does not rent these items.

Add a golden hour paddle to your schedule if you can, the sunsets over Rondeau Bay are a must-see.

I would exercise caution if paddling the Lake Erie side of the peninsula as it can get very wavy, but if you get a super calm day and you are feeling energetic you could begin your paddle in Lake Erie and go around the whole peninsula ending in Rondeau Bay.

The Rondeau boat launch is located near the park entrance on Rondeau Bay. Due to fluctuating water levels, the ramp is most suited to smaller watercraft -19 ft. and under. Larger watercraft ramp access and boat slips are available nearby outside the park.

Visitor Centre/Nature Centre:

The Visitor Centre at Rondeau is located 5 km south of the campground. There is a nice collection of displays and useful information about the park and the surrounding area.

Birding:

Rondeau Provincial Park boasts 335 bird species including the endangered Prothonotary Warbler and rarities like Townsend’s Solitaire, Yellow-throated Warbler and Painted Bunting.  Over a hundred species breed within the park, and many others are migrating birds that stop at Rondeau in the spring and fall. It’s a perfect choice for a relaxing birding excursion.

Things to Know:

1. There is a camp store with some basic groceries and souvenir items. There is also a snack bar and a place to get ice cream (really good ice cream I might add).
2. Laundry facilities are available in the main campground’s North and South comfort stations.
3. There are day rate fees to visit Rondeau Provincial Park. Like most provincial parks in Ontario, you pay one flat rate per car.
4. Wood and ice are available for purchase at the camp store.
5. Your valid Rondeau camping pass can be used to enter other Ontario parks for day use. Wheatley Provincial Park is less than an hour away.

IMO:

Rondeau is a great park with some nice forest walks and an excellent beach along the shore of Lake Erie.

The sites are a bit tight and without a lot of privacy, also, the bathroom situation is not great. Rondeau is a top-rated park and gets in the neighbourhood of over a million visitors a year. With people, however, comes noise and Rondeau is what I call a “party park”. A common complaint from campers is the noise level into the wee hours of the morning and the lack of violation enforcement by the park staff. If you are looking for a peaceful camping weekend in the summer, being lulled to sleep by the lapping waters of the Lake Erie surf,  then Rondeau probably isn’t your place.

Having said that, if you visit Rondeau at what would be considered non-peak times it can be an excellent park to enjoy. I would recommend Rondeau Provincial Park as an RV Place to Go.