Length of stay: 1 day
Visited: August 2021
Long Point Provincial Park is located on Lake Erie on the longest freshwater sand spit in the world. It is reputed to be great for birdwatching and there are more than 300 different species of song birds and waterfowl that migrate through Long Point every spring and fall. Long Point also boasts of having a nice sandy beach for swimming.
Ontario’s green spaces have been busier than usual as a result of the pandemic. In an effort to limit the crowds, Ontario Parks launched a pilot program at 17 provincial parks that requires day-use visitors to reserve a permit in advance. Long Point is one of the parks that participated in this pilot. As such, we were required to reserve our spot in advance. Since we planned to visit on a Monday, we had no issues with permit availability.
We arrived at Long Point shortly after 11a.m and checked in at the Park Office. While we haven’t had much luck with badges at the parks along Lake Erie, lucky for us, Long Point still had a few in stock.
Despite being overcast, we then hit the beach to go swimming. Long Point has 11 beach areas situated over 2km of sandy shoreline. We drove to the third beach area. After getting changed, we walked through the sand dunes to the shore. The water was slightly wavy and a bit chilly, but going for a swim was a great way to end the trip.
We headed out just after lunch. Along the drive back home, we stopped at the Big Creek National Wildlife Area to check out the wetlands near Long Point. At the entrance to the wildlife area there’s a viewing platform that provides sweeping views over the marsh.
The Big Creek National Wildlife Area protects wetlands and shoreline habitats that are important to wildlife populations. It is part of a network of over 55 national wildlife areas across Canada and was established to protect migratory birds, especially at-risk species and their habitats.
We followed the trail that loops around the area. The path is wide and flat and contains a number of interpretive signs that highlight the types of species that live here, the importance of wetland habitats along the shores of the Great Lakes and the history of Big Creek National Wildlife Area.
Overall it took us just under an hour to complete the loop. It was then time for us to head back home.
L
My progress on the Ontario Parks Challenge can be found here
Glad you got your badge! Swimming sounds like the perfect way to end a hiking trip, even if the water is chilly and choppy. This looks like a nice, short walk without any hidden devils (mosquitoes, noisy campers or bogs). Thanks for sharing.
I was surprised that Long Point still had some badges available since it tends to be one of more popular parks. Maybe they just did a better job of planning ahead and anticipating an increase in visitors. Either way, it was nice to finally get one in the bag. The water was a little chilly, but the beach was nice and sandy. Once we got in, it wasn’t too bad. The hike itself wasn’t planned, but it was well worth stopping to explore the wildlife area. The best part was that it wasn’t terrible on the bug scale either. Thanks for reading. Linda
Cute, catchy, Covid-19 phrase in the bird information photo “DO YOUR PART, Stay 2 Loons Apart”. This looks like a well-maintained park.
I’ve seen a few parks play around with their social distancing signs and sayings. It’s a great way to shake things up and agreed, it is pretty cute (and in this case very Canadian).
Yay. A badge. Looks ,ike a great place for migratory bird watching in season. A sandy beach is a nice bonus. How were the campsites? Happy Wednesday. Allan
Yes!! I’m glad I still insisted on going into every park office to double check for badges. It was nice to finally score one on our road trip around part of Lake Erie. While we didn’t camp at Long Point on this trip, I’ve been to this park many times over the years. We used to come camping here when I was a kid. The sites are really sandy and some of them have their own private path down to the beach. The only issue is that since Long Point is near a few wetlands, the bug situation can be awful.
That’s a beautiful park! The Scenic Drive just west of Las Vegas also requires a reservation due to Covid. Sad.
While it’s great to see so many people getting outdoors and enjoying nature, I’m not a fan of the overcrowding (and the abundance of trash). The reservation system isn’t a bad idea in theory, it’s just annoying when it’s not well thought out or communicated.
I never understood why people toss trash everywhere, it’s so wrong!
Same. Why bother visiting a park or hiking a trail if you’re just going to toss your trash on the ground. Clearly they don’t appreciate nature to begin with. It’s actually one of my biggest pet peeves.
There’s NO excuse for that, these dolts need to be handed a huge fine by the local authorities!
Agreed! And then banned from visiting any parks. I don’t get that kind of behaviour.
They had really bad parents I guess, never taught them to have respect for others. It’s the same crap here…
Yup, unfortunately these jerks are everywhere. It’s such a shame because more often than not there are no consequences for their actions.
To end a trip at a sandy beach, sounds good to me! And glad you got another badge – hooray! And a lovely walk as well 🌸.
Even though it was overcast and looked like it was going to rain, it was still nice to go for a swim. If anything the gloomy weather probably helped deter the crowds. Glad we managed to collect at least one badge on our road trip around part of Lake Erie!
What a beautiful area! It’s so nice that there’s so much green space and wildlife conservation . SO crazy that the pandemic has pushed people into more green spaces in the way that it has – here too.
It’s insane how much busier our trails and parks have become over the past year. It goes to show just how important it is to have these green spaces. While it’s nice to see more people getting outdoors, I’m hoping things will go back to the way things were before the pandemic. I much prefer to hike and camp in solitude. Plus the amount of trash we’ve been encountering on the trail has been awful.
I completely agree!
I think we’ll stick to camping in the off-season or the backcountry next year. We were really hoping to start doing some international travel, but things aren’t looking hopeful with this new variant.
Yay for the badge! We really liked Long Point and Big Creek. Looks like you had a really nice trip along the shores of Lake Erie!
I used to camp at Long Point with my family when I was a kid, so this park brings back lots of memories. I love how sandy the sites are and how some of them even have their own path down to the beach. This was my first time visiting Big Creek. The scenery was lovely and I was pleasantly surprised that the trail was so well-maintained.
You got a badge! Going for a swim is a great way to end a hike. It must be fantastic to go birdwatching in those migratory areas!
It was the only park along Lake Erie that we visited that still had a few badges available. I’m glad I went into the park office to ask, even though my expectations were pretty low. This area seems like a prime location to go birdwatching. Perhaps that’ll be another hobby I pick up if this pandemic continues to drag on.
The pandemic. Ugh. I’m so ready to say goodbye and then another variant comes along. I think we’re going to be wearing masks for a long time, unfortunately.
Yup. I think we were all ready to say goodbye to this pandemic. We were even hoping to do some international travelling next year. Maybe not anymore. Sigh.
Amazing views. Thank you.
Even though it was overcast outside, it was actually a pleasant day to go for a swim and hike. If anything, the gloomy weather probably kept people away. Good for me. And hey, it didn’t even rain.
I love how wetlands are rich in wildlife, even if you don’t always see a lot of them
Agreed, it’s amazing how much biodiversity wetlands support. Lake Erie actually has quite a bit of coastal wetlands. I’m glad we visited later in the summer as I bet this place is paradise for the mosquitoes in the spring.
Yeah, sometimes it’s best to leave wetlands be on mosquito season
No kidding. Even if you wear a layer of insect repellent, they still have a tendency to swarm and buzz around the face. Some parks are better to visit in the fall or winter for that very reason.
That is a lovely Sandy beach and water at Long Point and way to go with getting a park crest. What is your 2021 total? 😃
I think the park pass permit pilot was a hit and I hope they continue it in 2022. 🤞🏻
I’ve lost count of how many badges I have, but I think it’s just over 50. The number is misleading because we missed out on a lot of badges since we either visited during the off-season or the parks were sold out. Plus, Ontario Parks also released a few additional badges later in the summer for the remaining operating parks. Oh well, looks like I might have another opportunity to collect some more next year given what’s happening around COVID. Ugggh.
Agreed about the park permit pilot. It was a great way to prevent overcrowding.
Just 50?! 😆 That is pretty darn amazing!!! Congrats. 😊👍
The signs do point to another very limited year in terms of travel. Our March Break tropical vacation is now at risk but I’m not giving up hope yet. 🤞🏻
Enjoy your weekend. 7 days till Santa!
Thanks! We’re currently trying to figure out what our next challenge should be for 2022. Fingers crossed this variant gets under control and we’re able to get boosters in a timely fashion so we can travel.
Hard to believe that Christmas is in one week! I still need to get a couple of small gifts and wrap all my presents.
Beautiful pathways even in winter! But what I’m really interested in knowing is how much you had to bundle up to walk these paths. I have the impression that Canada is so much colder than Tennessee, but you may be experiencing temperate weather. Or, I could just be wrong. (Has happened before!)
We actually visited this park back in August. It’s hard to believe given how gloomy the skies are. I imagine this place gets quite blustery since it’s on the lake and there aren’t too many trees around. Canada can get cold, but a lot of it depends on whether you’re close to the ocean of Great Lakes or in the mountains. It’s not too bad here in southern Ontario. I’m actually hoping we at least get some snow before Christmas.
Would love to see snow!!!1
It’s currently snowing here in southern Ontario now. Fingers crossed it stays for the week and we’re able to have a white Christmas. It definitely makes it feel more festive.
I agree, a nice swim to end the day is a great idea. This looks like a fun place to look for birds, too. Ever since we put a bird feeder outside our back window, we’ve become very interested in different types of birds. It’s surprising how much variety there is – I’d love to see the variety in a different region!
Lake Erie is apparently one of the best spots in Ontario for birdwatching. That reminds me that I should put a bird feeder outside as well now that it’s winter. It’s definitely a great idea to see how many different types of birds visit. I bet my cat would enjoy that too.
Yes, your cat would definitely love that. We had trouble with squirrels attacking the feeder last year, but now I buy feed with hot peppers in it – birds like it but the squirrels don’t!
I heard that squirrels can be an issue with bird feeders. I’ll have to use the hot pepper trick when we set ours up. I didn’t know that. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
You too! – Barb
Thanks! It’s hard to believe that it’s almost Christmas.
I also visited Long Point, I remember this grassy path, there were more birds on the interpretation panels than in the water, but that’s normal, it’s not a zoo, the birds come and go.
I’ve been to Long Point many times over the years. I actually used to come camping here with my family when I was a kid. This was our first time stopping to check out Big Creek. It’s great that these places exist for the birds and to protect the wetlands. I couldn’t help but laugh at your comment about seeing more birds on the signs rather than in the water. I imagine a lot of that depends on time of year. Either way, we still had a good time and enjoyed our leisurely stroll along the trail.
And you’ve got another beautiful badge, that’s fantastic! It must be an amazing experience to see one of many migrating birds that arrive at the peninsula that is covered with sedge and grass. Thanks for sharing and have a lovely weekend 🙂 Aiva
Yay! I’m glad we were able to pick up at least one badge on our trip around part of Lake Erie. Given that there’s more travel restrictions and the fact that we may go back into lockdown, looks like we may get a chance to return to see the migration. That would be neat. Enjoy your weekend as well. Hard to believe that Christmas is in one week. Cheers. Linda
Such inviting green paths… I wonder if you could get the missing badges someday online or by email by sharing the posts of your visits.
It’s hard to believe how lush the landscape looked a few months ago. There’s been talk of Ontario Parks creating an online store, which would be very convenient. I might just give some of the parks a call at the beginning of next season to see whether they’d be willing to send one in the mail.