Pinery Provincial Park

Pinery Provincial Park is located on the shore of Lake Huron. It protects a rare Oak Savanna and one of the longest freshwater coastal dune ecosystems in Ontario. It is open year-round and features a number of activities depending on the season.

We’ve been to the Pinery the following times:

Hiking Trails

Pinery offers several hiking trails through the park. Below are some of the trails that we’ve hiked.

(1) Cedar Trail (2.3km) weaves through one of the rarest habitats of Oak Savanna in North America. The path is wide and relatively flat. It’s also signed with ten numbered posts to help with navigation. Mid-way through there’s a turnoff for the Cedar Trail Extension which leads to the sandy shore of Lake Huron.

(2) Heritage Trail (2.3km, loop) meanders through a rare Oak Savanna habitat and leads to a viewing platform that overlooks the Old Ausable Channel.

(3) Tall Pines trail (800m loop) loops through a dense forest of red pines, which is quite different compared to the Oak Savanna found throughout most of the park. A forest fire swept through the area in the late 1800s, which changed the composition of this part of the forest.

Other Activities and Attractions

Pinery Point also offers a variety of other activities and facilities, including a sandy beach, which is great for swimming and watching the sunset

It also offers snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Grand Bend is located nearby, which features another sandy beach and lighthouse.

Camping

Pinery contains three campgrounds, one of which is open year-round. It also offers roofed accommodations, including yurts and rustic cabins. We’ve stayed in one of the rustic cabins in the winter.