Pinery Provincial Park

A Large Sandy Park On Lake Huron With 10 Km Of Dune Beach, Oak Savannah, The Old Ausable Channel, A Big Campground And Rare Plants And Birds. One Of Ontario'S Most Popular Camping Parks, Near Grand Bend, With A Day Use Fee And Large Crowds In July And August · Grand Bend, Ontario

Pinery Provincial Park runs along about 10 km of the southeastern shore of Lake Huron beside Grand Bend, roughly 60 km north-west of London, Ontario (confirm). Its wide sandy beach is backed by tall dunes, stands of oak savannah, pine and Carolinian forest, and the Old Ausable Channel, a quiet old river bed that is popular for paddling. The park holds one of the largest campground systems in Ontario and is among the most visited provincial parks in the province, so July and August weekends are crowded and booked out months ahead. Rare plants, including a prickly pear cactus, grow in the dry savannah, and the park is also known for birds, with warbler migration in May. Sunsets over the lake are the evening ritual here, and the beach empties slowly. Trails for walking and cycling cross the dunes and woods, and a visitor centre explains the dune ecology. A vehicle permit is needed (confirm the price).

Pinery Provincial Park, on the Lake Huron shore beside Grand Bend about 60 km north-west of London, Ontario; coordinates approximate, Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada

Pinery is open all year for day use, but most services, including the visitor centre, store, bike rental and beach facilities, run from about May to early October, so confirm dates before a spring or autumn trip. The gate office is usually staffed in the day, and campers have separate arrival and departure times set by Ontario Parks (confirm). Winter activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter camping depend on snow, and some roads are plowed only to certain car parks. Beaches are unsupervised in most cases, and the busiest weekends may require an advance day-use booking, so check the park page the week before your visit.

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