When we first moved to Kincardine with two small children we were on the lookout for inexpensive, easily accessible outdoor activities. Having two Ontario Parks within a half hour was such a pleasant surprise and we have explored them repeatedly over the years. A vehicle day pass can cost between $12-20 depending on the number of people in your car. A yearly vehicle pass in 2023 is $99.00. As a family of four we recently starting buying the annual pass and it surpasses its value every year. I highly recommend buying one if you live in the area of these two parks for the following reasons:
1. The Beach at Inverhuron Provincial Park
Lake Huron offers so many beautiful beaches and both Kincardine and Port Elgin have their fair share close to town, Station Beach and Main Beach to name two. Located 15 minutes north of Kincardine’s center and 20 minutes south of Port Elgin, Inverhuron Provincial Park's white sand beach is surrounded by a dune system and forest which make it even more stunning than many of the surrounding beaches. You can park outside of the park in a few places and walk in but having the Parks Day Pass allows you to drive in with all your gear and park in the beach parking lot.
For the first few years we lived here we did not have a pass but have found since investing in one we head out to this beach more frequently both to enjoy swimming but also to enjoy morning walks and especially to watch the spectacular sunsets. It can be busy in July and August as most beach towns are but with the pass you can easily enjoy those unseasonably warm Junes and Septembers and have the beach mostly to yourself.
2. Hiking MacGregor Point Provincial Park
There is so much to do at MacGregor Point Provincial Park for individuals and families. 10 minutes south of Port Elgin and 30 minutes north of Kincardine it is worth the drive even for a short stop to feed the chickadees. The benefit of having a park pass allows you to use the hiking trails here to get your nature fix daily or weekly. Longer hikes like the Tower Trail take you around a pond complete with bird blind to watch the Spring and Fall bird migration that flows through this location. The shorter Huron Fringe Trail is a boardwalk trail perfect for toddlers and older kids that showcases the wetlands and beach. Feeding the chickadees along this trail is always a highlight for my kids and in the summer you are sure to catch a glimpse of some painted turtles in the turtle pond.
Be sure to check out the visitor centre which is full of interesting displays about the park and the animals that live there.
3. Fishing at Sauble Falls Provincial Park
Everyone who lives in the Kincardine Port Elgin area visits Sauble Beach at least once a summer (along with everyone else living in Ontario). Having a pass allows you to also visit Sauble Falls Provinicial Park. The falls are lovely. When the water is low you will see many people wading out and climbing the tiers of the falls. It is a great place to bring a picnic if you are passing by or looking for a quiet day trip that includes the beach.
In the Spring and Fall it is also a great place to bring your fishing rod and see what you can catch. Below the falls it is clearly marked where you can and can’t fish. While we have not had much luck catching fish here, we do know people who have, and more importantly we have enjoyed exploring the park between unsuccessful casts.
4. Exploring Point Farms Provincial Park
This is a park that I really didn’t know anything about until we had a pass. We have driven by it many times when driving south to Goderich, London, and Kitchener but had never visited it. When looking for something to do with my kids on a PD Day I remembered it and we drove down to spend the day exploring. It is 30 minutes south of Kincardine, 55 south of Port Elgin. There are some great trails and a spectacular beach.
5. Snowshoeing and Skating the Loop at MacGregor Point Provincial Park in the winter
You can purchase a summer pass, winter pass, or a full year pass. Inverhuron is closed for the winter but I do recommend the full year pass because of the amazing activities offered at MacGregor Point. Winter in this area can be long, cold and snowy, making it difficult to travel long distances and making it so important to embrace the outdoor activities that are available.
As mentioned before there are some great hiking trails at MacGregor Point. These convert to snowshoe trails in the winter providing a great, mostly enclosed trail to keep active on with friends. There are also two outdoor skating rinks that are very popular with locals in the winter. One of the two parking lots in the visitor centre area is flooded providing an opportunity for pick up games and learning with little ones when it is not busy. There is also a beautiful forest loop skating trail in the Algonquin Campground area. It is open 10am to 10pm everyday and is lit up once the sun goes down. It is something to experience at least once every winter.
Parks provides a daily snow report that lets you know if/when the rinks are open. Temperatures often fluctuate which can cause melting and poor ice conditions so be sure to check it before heading out.
2 Bonus benefits you will have access to if you buy a pass
1. Ontario Parks Discovery Programs – both Inverhuron and MacGregor Point offer these programs for kids in the summer. They are geared at teaching kids about nature and animals. They are a great activity for long summers and March Break. We have attending a Birds of Prey session, Tracking Animals session and a few others.
2. Any road trips you do in Ontario for the rest of the year can include a pit stop at any of the other parks. Before you set out of your other Ontario road trips make sure to take a look at your map and see if there are any Ontario Parks on the way. They make for great stops to stretch your legs, have a picnic, do a quick hike and explore some place new.
Whether you purchase a pass or not these parks are worth exploring on your own or with your family. We discover something new every time we go and enjoy bumping into friends who are also enjoying our natural areas. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know these areas too.
TO NOTE: If buying a pass is not a feasible option for your family, both Bruce County Library and Huron County Library have day passes for Ontario Parks available to borrow. Search ‘ontario parks pass’ or ‘ontario parks vehicle pass’ in the catalogue and you can request one.