National Parks in Ontario
For spectacular scenery unique in the world A visit to an Ontario National Park is a must
National Parks in Ontario are located in area’s designated as a natural area of Canadian significance that will be protected by law. Canada’s National Parks are located in every province and territory and are among the world’s jewels of natural environments with most National Parks contain stunning scenery in remote wilderness settings.
Ontario is lucky to be blessed with 7 of the 42 National Parks or National Park Reserves designated by Parks Canada. This includes the 2 special National Marine Conservation Areas located in the province.
The 7 protected areas in Ontario are:
- Bruce Peninsula National Park
- Fathom Five National Marine Park
- Georgian Islands National Park
- Point Pelee National Park
- Pukaskwa National Park
- Thousand Islands National Park
- Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area
National Parks in Ontario
Each National Park in Ontario will be reviewed in depth on this website as they are located in areas of such significant beauty and importance that a trip to 1 or more may be on your itinerary. Local day-trippers will also get all the information they need to plan a short excursion. For more information see the following:
Located on the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. Encompassing an area of 155 sq. km. it is at the end of the Niagara Escarpment and has limestone cliffs, caves, underground streams, ancient forests and rare orchids.
Fathom Five National Marine Park
Located just off the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula it encompasses 130 sq. km and is the oldest national marine park in Canada. Consisting of 20 islands containing rare ferns and orchids and some of the oldest forests in eastern Canada. There are also 21 historic shipwrecks protected in the area.
Georgian Bay Islands National Park
63 islands comprising 13.5 sq. km situated off the southeast shore of Georgian Bay. It is a protected habitat for rare species including the Massassauga rattlesnake that lives on Beausoleil Island and is the only venomous snake in eastern Canada. The park has greatest variety of reptiles and amphibians in Canada.
Situated on the southernmost tip of Canada’s mainland (on the same latitude as Rome, Italy). It contains over 300 species of birds. A lengthy boardwalk gives access to marshlands with reptiles and amphibians.
Ontario’s only wilderness park it is located on Lake Superior and is huge as it encompasses 1888 sq. km. Its boreal forests are home to moose, black bear, woodland caribou and wolves. Within its borders it contains spectacular vistas of Lake Superior.
Thousand Islands National Park
Formerly known as St. Lawerence Islands National Park, at only 24.4 sq km. it is one of Canada’s smallest national park’s. It consists of all or part of 21 granite islands scattered from Kingston to Brockville in Eastern Ontario.
Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area
While not a National Park in the tradional sense it still is nonetheless considered one. It stretches 140 kilometeres (87 miles) east of Thunder Bay to Terrace Bay and encompasses a lakebed area of 10,000 sq. kilometeres and 60 sq. kilometeres of islands and shoreline. It is the largest freshwater marine protected area in the world.