Presqu'ile Provincial Park
Presqu'ile Provincial Park things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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DO NOT BOOK SITE #57 in High Bluff. It is one of the worst sites, zero privacy, people drive by so fast that your RV or tent will be full of dirt n dust, may be because there is no 20km speed limit signs nearby. You may have a lake view at Site 57 if you can see through dust created by inconsiderate campers, but it is at the mercy of parks officer as they love to block that view by parking their truck at staff access to the Lake. I may not return to Presqu'ile again, at least not anywhere close to the High Bluff campsite. Other campsites have better environments and better sites, especially Pines Campsite. Not all sites on the highbluff have lake access. There is a drop before you get to the lake. Only 4 or 5 sites there have a lake access. Park Store is mostly closed at times and any other park stores they may have. Garbage disposal is ample, always clean, and tidy. Bathrooms are good, maintained, BUT can not regulate water heat, I almost burn myself as I like Luke warm water for shower. Sites have a lot of mud or super saturated sites, so be mindful of that. In my view, site #57 SHOULD be converted into a parking lot because most guests will illegally park their vehicles right across the site to access the trail and the beach, therefore might as well do that to help people. Public boat launch is on the other side of the campsite, about 8kms round trip on water to get to campsite side, which is lake Ontario. We, however, had a small 80 lbs tin Boat with a 5hp small motor and an electric troller motor so we carried across the road to the lake and launched, as long as one can carry it and no trailer attached is fine to launch into the waterbody especially lake Ontario. A few beautiful trails this park offers were awesome. We loved the preserved islands as bird sanctuaries and thanks to staff and friends of the park who maintain that tirelessly. The park must place an officer on the check point #2. The worst experience apart from the Site#57, was the Potable Water and Dumpsite. First, the staff failed to advise if they even had potable water stations, as she said only taps to fill water into the RV. We happened to find the site, but it was full of people leaving and arriving at the same site and only two lanes. Why can't the park keep both traffic separate? It is beyond my understanding. RV haulers watch for speed bumps, and they may get you off guard. Raccoons will definitely pay your campsite a visit. They're all over the place, cute but annoying. Brighton town roads are bad, potholes, and very narrow. Overall, it was an annoying experience compared to Killbear or Algonquin parks. However, we were closer to nature, birds, Lake Ontario, habitat, and, of course, the sandbanks, so we tried to ignore other issues and enjoyed as much as we could. Remember not to book Site #57 in High Bluff campsite; believe me you will thank me.
RV, OntarioRV, Ontario
20
We were at site 502 for a group camp. The group sites are well laid out and are mostly flat with the ones from 502 to 513 being covered by grass. 501 appears to be heavily used and as such has more bare soul than grass. There are taps in the group sites area and have movable toilets that were surprisingly cleaner than one would expect them to be. The group site is not clearly marked and shares it's boundaries with a trail. The road to the site is one way and from the site to the office it's a very long winded route through the trails and lighthouse road. This was a pain given that the nearest comfort station was close to the individual site office. The one way must be removed as it is tedious, arduous, time consuming and quite frankly silly. The comfort station at the Maple site near the amphitheatre is clean but has showers that are not fully functional. The amphitheatre is the saving grace at the park as many actives are held during the day. The nature centre is further down the road from the group site and is a must visit. Again very well maintained and the staff are knowledgeable too. The water near the amphitheatre is clean and the shores are rocky but can be easily treaded upon. Another attraction is the Marsh Boardwalk that walks one through the marsh safely except for a place where the boards are almost falling apart. The boardwalk leads throght planet and trees. Don't miss the horse shaped trees towards the end of the boardwalk. There are 2 beaches closer to the entrance and far off from the campgrounds. The water at the beaches is smelly and dirty thanks to the algae, moss, feathers and all kind of dirt. The beaches is place to some rare species of birds that visit the park during this time of the year. Given a choice I prefer the water near the amphitheatre over the water at the beach. Another thing to keep in mind is that the distance from the entrance to the sites is really long and could have been marked better especially the campgrounds and group sites. Thr lighthouse area is clean and there is a lot of history to know when you visit there. We also saw many deers in the park and there is a sizeable population of them in the park. Overall I would rate the park 8/10 for the beauty, natural richness, and places or things to see or do. The deduction in scoring will be primarily for the unwanted one way route passing around the park and the poor markings in the park.
Vinay ParamanandVinay Paramanand
10
For many years, I avoided campsites near marshes, thinking there must be tons of mosquitos there. So I always skipped Presqu'ile over. This year, we finally went there - and it turned out to be one of the best places in Ontario. First of all, there is a spectacular sand beach, some 60m wide and over 2km long. It is about 20-30 min walk from the Maples, the Pines or the High Bluff campgrounds, so most people come by car. It reminds me what the Pinery beach was before the water level in lake Huron started rising. The southern shore is covered with round stones, but quite swimmable on the west side, further east the current becomes too strong and swimming is prohibited. Presqu'ile is located on a former island, which is now connected with a land bridge built from accumulated sand brought by the winds and the current. There were not many mosquitos, much less than my average experience. The forest is beautiful, pines and ashes - no oaks, so there is no caterpillars to drive you nuts. Ashes are healthy, no sign of emerald borer. There is a nice ring road around the island, very good for bikes and roller blades. Amenities are pretty good, and washrooms are being cleaned several times a day. There is even a sink to wash your dishes, which is rare in Ontario (but common in BC or AB). The soil drains the water quite well. Camp sites are relatively small, but not too crowded. There are a few yurts as well. Bird watchers must love this place. Just off Presqu'ile there are a few rocky isles with colonial birds (off limits for boating or visiting). The marsh boardwalk is superb, with several observation towers - it's better than the one in Point Pelee. The High Bluff campground for RVs has a nice village vibe, plenty of open space, no fences or borders. Park store has ice, snacks, necessities and ice-cream. There is a lighthouse at the eastern tip of the island, and plenty of signs about the loss of schooner "Speedy" in 1804, with many prominent people on board.
Roman KosarenkoRoman Kosarenko
100
Camped at this park for the first time for 4 nights this July. Arrived during a rain storm, and the following day was still a little cloudy. Our site didn't have great drainage. We had a small 'pond' in front of our trailer but as we walked around Trails End, we found our site drainage was excellent compared to others. All in all, our site was great considering the sites at this park are not very private. As we toured the park it didn't matter which camp ground you stayed at most sites are very open in the front and some have zero privacy. High Bluffs is where everyone wants to stay because Lake Ontario is behind you but Trails End we found had great proximity to the trails and to the lake. We could hear the waves crashing throughout the day & night. There were little coves where you could sit right near the lake. Lots of trails in this park both hiking and biking. Bike trails are not challenging simple flat road but goes around the entire park. It was a nice park to stay at. Now the cons....not many comfort stations at all, we have stayed at many provincial parks and for the size of this park only 3 comfort stations not many at all. And Trails End had no flush toilets, so if you are tenting or tent trailer be aware. Another con the fill station is before the registration office, which the rangers at the front gate forgot to mention. The road in the park and to the camp ground is shared with home/cottage owners of Presqu'ile so be sure to stay to the right!! The beach was ok, but we were there after a rain storm so that usually turns up a lot of debris. Warning for dog owners, there are no dogs permitted on the beaches at all. There is no designated dog beach, so we were glad our dogs stayed home with family. We did enjoy our stay but this isn't one of our favourite provincial parks. We won't be rushing back.
Liz SantoLiz Santo
30
Today's outing took us to Presqu'ile Provincial Park, one of the lesser known gems in the crown of Ontario Provincial Parks. We were greeted by friendly, helpful park staff who helped us make the best of the three hours we had. This included two nature walks; one to a marsh with viewing platforms and the other along the beach and through the forest to the spit of land where the birds nest in spring. Our last stop was one of the oldest inland lighthouses in Ontario and the sad story of the Speedy. In season and on shoulder weekends there is also a nature museum and a small interpretive centre near the lighthouse. There were more historical trails to walk, which we will explore on our next visit. There are picnic tables throughout the park, and the bathrooms are handy and scrupulously clean. Also worth a visit if you are already in the area is the town of Bright itself and the Big Apple (bakery).
marianne froehlichmarianne froehlich
10
Great place to spend one day or two hours! I would recommend starting with the Nature Centre and Lighthouse/Interpretative Centre, because they have some fun (albeit old) exhibits and very friendly staff on hand to provide you with suggestions and answer any questions. You can drive all the way to the tip of the park, which is convenient, but the road also makes it feel less natural as they take up so much space. So, if you’re looking for a more natural hiking environment this might not be the place for you; if you just want to relax and do some short, casual walks, this is a great place! The Marsh Boardwalk trail is not to be missed and late afternoon is a great time to do it for perfect lighting. The trail is very easy and quite short, with plenty of short, informative plaques along the way. The horse trees offer some interesting photo opportunities.
Andrew YinAndrew Yin
10
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
328 Presqu'Ile Pkwy, Brighton, ON K0K 1H0
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Phone
(613) 475-4324
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Website
ontarioparks.com
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Reviews
Overview
4.6
(1.5K reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
adventure
family friendly
Description
Presqu'ile Provincial Park is a park in southeastern Northumberland County on the north shore of Lake Ontario near the town of Brighton in Ontario, Canada. The park occupies an area of 9.37 km².
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