Hiking in MacGregor Point Provincial Park: trails, map and practical info

The trails

These are the hiking trails on Ontario Parks' Activities page.

• Tower Trail: 3.5 km, loop, easy. It circles the Ducks Unlimited Canada Wetland, with a two-storey observation tower and a bird hide at water level. Compacted gravel and boardwalk. The first 1.2 km carry the Forest Therapy Trail signs.
• Huron Fringe Trail: 1.2 km, loop, easy. Boardwalk past Turtle Pond and Ash Swamp, with viewing platforms and interpretive signs. Accessible for people with disabilities.
• Old Shore Road Trail: 7.2 km, linear, easy. A shoreline trail linking the park's north and south borders, with viewing platforms at Pitcher Plant Marl, Seiche Pond, Cranberry Bog and Watersnake Pond.
• Deer Run Trail: 4.7 km, loop, easy. It crosses the park interior and connects the main entrance, the three campgrounds and the Park Store. Its extension (1.6 km) links to the Rotary Way and Gore Drain trails toward Port Elgin.
• Lake Ridge Trail: 3.8 km, loop, moderate. It follows a shoreline ridge of glacial Lake Nipissing, with a boardwalk over a former beaver pond. Rough terrain, sturdy shoes recommended; bicycles not permitted.
• Kempf's Trail: 0.8 km, easy, connects the main park road to Old Shore Road. Rotary Way: 1.2 km, easy, links the park to Port Elgin through wooded areas and county road crossings.

Birds and wetlands

Ontario Parks cites the park for migrating birds, including Black-crowned Night Heron and American Egret. The Huron Fringe Birding Festival is held in spring.

Beaches and dogs

The park has no buoyed swimming areas and no lifeguards. The Day Use Beach is about 50 m long, sandy with rocky sections; Camper's Beach is wide and sandy; the Huron Campground Beach is very rocky. Ontario Parks counts one dog beach and one pet exercise area. The Activities page allows leashed dogs (6 ft maximum) at the Day Use Beach and the Huron Campground Beach but not at Camper's Beach, while the general rule bans dogs from beaches except the designated one: check with the park before bringing a dog.

Winter

Cross-country skiing is on Deer Run (4.6 km, loop, easy) and Tomsett (5.9 km, loop, easy), track-set when conditions allow; dogs are prohibited when the ski trails are open. Snowshoeing and hiking are permitted on trails that are not track-set. Two skating surfaces, lit until 10 p.m.: a 400 m trail in the Cedar Lane section of Algonquin Campground and an ice pad at the Visitor Centre. Skating parking uses two-hour timeslots, reservable up to five days ahead. Cross-country skiing fees are included in the daily vehicle permit.

Permit and facilities

Every vehicle in the park needs a valid permit (digital or physical) and must park in a designated area (minimum fine $30 otherwise). The daily permit amount is not published for this park: call 519-389-9056. The park has seven comfort stations, a park store, a Visitor Centre and three playgrounds. No equipment rentals are offered in the park (bikes, skis, snowshoes, skates); the Activities page says outfitters in the area rent canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.