Getaway to Inverhuron Provincial Park

Although exploring the trails of the Dundas Valley is one of my favorite pastimes, the summer season brings with it the opportunity to venture out into other parts of Ontario as well. Last weekend we spent a few days on the sunny shores of Lake Huron at Inverhuron Provincial Park.

One of Ontario's best kept secrets, Inverhuron Provincial Park is quite small with fewer than 200 sites. It is located in the hamlet of Inverhuron which is between Kincardine and Port Elgin.

This park features a nice sandy beach, biking trails and large private campsites. In addition to the spectacular beach and dunes, Inverhuron includes wetlands and a young hardwood forest.

The diverse habitat nurtures rare plants and protects many woodland animals and birds. The park is also steeped in history.  Aboriginal people roamed here for thousands of years. In the 1800s, a small town was located in what is now part of the provincial park.

We camped in the Gunn Point section of the park, a location that we have visited before as it provides excellent access to the rock beach. I always enjoy getting one the sites that back onto the beach as getting one of these sites will ensure that you are lolled to sleep to the sound of the rolling waves on Lake Huron.

The waterline here is fascinating, rocky and rugged and with a feel that nothing has changed in thousands of years. For me, there is nothing better than sitting here with the first coffee of the morning and watching the day get started. In terms of hiking opportunity most of mine on this trip entailed walking the Scenic Drive Trail which is approximately four-kilometres long and follows along the Lake Huron shoreline cutting through parklands back towards the park office. This a great trail that provides for a continually changing view as it follows the shoreline.

There is a unique feature in the park, that being an old family cemetery that is like stepping back in time. This is within cycling distance of all camp sites and is worth a visit. You can’t help but be aware of how infant mortality rates have improved since the turn of the century when you see how many of the stones in the cemetery are for children under the age of seven.

All in all, we had a great time. We had one night of rain but other than that we enjoyed the camp fires, spectacular Lake Huron sunsets, well maintained private camp sites and the quiet. If you are looking for a quiet park with great views, I would highly recommend this one.

Have you visited the Dundas Valley and Beyond page on Facebook yet? Check it out for photos and more hiking info. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380

Thanks for the ongoing support and dialogue. Happy hiking!

March Break in Turkey Point, Ontario

If you had asked me last week what I thought of when you said “Turkey Point”, I would have said boats, motorcycles and parties on the beach. After last week however, I have a new appreciation of the area and am looking forward to returning often.
Taking advantage of an unseasonably warm and sunny March break and a very generous sister and brother-in-law, we travelled to Turkey Point for a few days of R & R. It felt like we had the town to ourselves and when not catching up on my reading or strolling the beach, I was able to take advantage of some incredible hiking and experience seeing a large amount of wildlife, especially for this time of year. The birds around our cottage were plentiful and we woke daily to the sound of woodpeckers and a variety of songbirds as they too were starting their day. The beach area was very quiet and with beautiful sunrises coming up over the water made for a perfect spot for my morning coffee.

Stopping in at Long Point Eco-Adventures, I was impressed with the interesting hiking trails that they had and the unbelievable volume of birds that inhabit the area. This destination is a popular one in the summer and features zip-lining and kayaking as well as other activities. In the offseason it is closed with the exception of the trails, which can be visited free of charge. Leaving the parking lot and walking past the pond, there was lots of activity with turtles and leopard frogs sunning themselves and red-wing blackbird flying overhead. Entering the woods at the top of the Acorus Boardwalk trail, the trees were so full of blackbirds, it sounded like we were approaching a waterfall. The boardwalk itself is really nice and provides a spectacular view of the Turkey Point Marsh. This area is rich with waterfowl, herons and even bald eagles that can be spotted here. The property of Long Point Eco-Adventures borders the St Williams Conservation Reserve and walking along the Carolinian Trail, you get a pretty neat perspective of this beautiful area. Trails also enter this reserve from Front Road as well as from Turkey Point Road. I hiked a number of these trails and found each of them to be very worthwhile. Environmentally, The St. Williams Conservation Reserve is an important area in that its forests, oak savannah, sand dunes, ravines, wetlands, and streams are home to 23 species at risk, which includes 7 plant, 1 insect, 1 amphibian, 12 bird and 2 mammal species.I spent hours exploring this area and have already planned a return visit this summer. With the prospect of adding zip lining and kayaking to the experience, I have a family that is sharing my enthusiasm and a new appreciation for Turkey Point.