Things to do in Point Pelee National Park in all 4 seasons

There’s something very special about standing at the end of a sandy point with all of Canada extending out in front of you. You can experience this for yourself at Point Pelee National Park, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. Because of its location, there are many interesting plants, animals, and habitats to discover here that you won’t find anywhere else in the country. Pay this extraordinary park a visit to explore this and many more things to do in Point Pelee National Park.

We’ve gathered the information below on multiple road trips to Point Pelee National Park. Some have been arranged on our own, others hosted by Parks Canada, and most recently our visit was sponsored by Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island. Have questions about planning your own visit to Point Pelee National Park? Join our Facebook community!

Point Pelee National Park is part of our Lake Erie north shore road trip >

Best things to do in Point Pelee National Park year-round

Point Pelee National Park is open year-round, making it a wonderful resource for those seeking time in nature in any season. Here’s a look at the activities in Point Pelee National Park that are available any time.

Visit the southernmost point of mainland Canada

The southernmost point of mainland Canada is at the end of Point Pelee National Park, a sandy point that extends into Lake Erie. This point is known as the Tip and is the busiest spot in the park. To preserve its natural beauty, Parks Canada runs a shuttle service between the Visitor Centre and the Tip from mid-April until the end of October.

If you want to visit the Tip outside the shuttle service hours or if you miss the last shuttle of the day, you can walk or bike along the service road. The distance from the Visitor Centre to the Tip is roughly 2.5 km one-way and takes half an hour at an average walking pace.

After extensive repairs, Point Pelee National Park’s Tip Tower reopened to visitors in February 2025. When you climb its 144 steps, you’ll have a view from 24 metres in the air over Point Pelee and the surrounding region. The vistas are well worth the effort!

As you walk from there toward the Tip, you’ll cross the 42nd parallel north. This small point of land is the only portion of Canada below this latitude. Consider that the Canadian border sits at the 49th parallel in the west, and you’ll appreciate how far south this is compared to the rest of the country! The 42nd parallel also crosses just north of Rome and along the California-Oregon border, which explains why this area has such different ecology relative to elsewhere in Canada.

One important safety tip: swimming is never permitted at the Tip. The water currents are deceptively strong here and can pull you far away from land with no notice. There are plenty of safe spots to swim within the park that are just as beautiful, which you can read about below.

Hike through the Carolinian forest

Point Pelee National Park’s southerly location means it’s home to Carolinian forest. The trees in this type of forest are mainly deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves each autumn. This gives the park and surrounding region a landscape distinct from the rest of Canada. It’s also very biodiverse and provides a home to more than 500 rare plant and animal species.

As you hike through the park’s forest trails, you may see wildlife like deer, turtles, snakes, raccoons, wild turkeys, and more. Point Pelee also sees many birds pass through that are rarely seen elsewhere in the country such as the Carolina wren, prothonotary warbler, and the nearby City of Windsor’s official bird, the tufted titmouse.

This southernmost region is the only place in Canada with a naturally occurring cactus. The Eastern prickly pear cactus is classified as endangered in Ontario, and Point Pelee is one of only a handful of locations in the province where it grows naturally. This cactus grows on dry, forested hillsides and in sand dunes near beaches. If you don’t spot it on one of your hikes, look for a small patch of it in the grassy sections just outside the park’s visitor centre.

Canoe or kayak in one of the largest marshes in Southern Ontario

The marsh at Point Pelee National Park is one of the park’s most distinct features. At more than 1,000 hectares, it takes up two-thirds of the park’s area. It’s one of the few large marshes left anywhere in the Great Lakes and among the largest remaining in Southern Ontario. What a gift to have this special place protected and preserved for future generations!

The marsh has a beautiful and accessible boardwalk that’s wonderful for strolling at any time of year. From the boardwalk, you’re likely to see abundant red-winged blackbirds from spring to fall. Numerous barn swallows nest under the tower at the start of the marsh boardwalk and can be see during the same period. Depending on the weather and time of year, you may also see herons, beavers, muskrats, snakes, frogs, fish, water-borne insects, and turtles basking in the sun.

Thanks to its calm waters, the marsh is also one of the most popular spots in the region for canoeing and kayaking. You can bring your own boat — please make sure it’s clean to prevent transfer of invasive species — or you can rent equipment on-site from Pelee Wings Outfitters from roughly April to October.

Bike the park road or the multi-use trail

Point Pelee National Park is a great destination for biking of all skill levels. The park’s 9-kilometre road is long, flat, and relatively straight with a 40 km/h speed limit, perfect for families with young cyclists still getting their footing. More adventurous bikers can hit the park’s 12 kilometres of groomed multi-use trails. Because of this, biking is a popular way to get around for those staying in or near the park.

Attend a Dark Sky Night

The Windsor Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) designated Point Pelee National Park a Dark Sky Preserve in 2006. This means light pollution in the park is kept to a minimum, making it a wonderful place for stargazing. Dark Sky Nights are held at the park every month, and members of the RASC attend with telescopes to help visitors immerse themselves in the night sky. Before you depart, be sure to check the weather forecast as stars won’t be visible during overcast conditions.

Learn more about the history of Point Pelee National Park

At the turn of the 20th century, families built their homes on the lands now protected by Point Pelee National Park. Some were forced to leave after the land was expropriated to create the park in 1918. Anishinaabe people were also forced off the park’s lands, and the point remains unceded territory to this day.

Explore the many facets of this history by visiting the DeLaurier Homestead. There, information panels are set up that look at both sides of this issue, from the importance of protecting the park’s rare ecosystems to the impact it had on the people who called them home. These displays also explore the park’s transition from farmland to vacation community and later to conservation. It’s fascinating to examine the shifts in values that have taken place across the decades.

Point Pelee National Park camping at Camp Henry

Camping in Canada’s national parks is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in this country’s most beautiful natural spaces.

At Point Pelee National Park, there are no traditional campsites designed for use with tents. Instead, visitors can book overnight camping at Camp Henry, the park’s village of semi-permanent camping structures called oTENTiks. Camp Henry gets its name from the YMCA camp that occupies half of the oTENTik village on weekdays during the summer months.

The oTENTiks at Point Pelee National Park come very well-equipped. They include sleeping space for up to six people on the mattresses provided, plus an interior table and chairs, a heat source (either natural gas or a wood-burning stove), a power outlet and interior light, a set of dishes and glassware, and a broom and dustpan. Outside, each campsite has a barbecue, picnic table, two Muskoka chairs, a wildlife-proof food storage bin, and a fire pit.

Camp Henry’s wash building includes washrooms with potable running water, flush toilets, showers, and an interior dishwashing station. The camp office sells snacks and treats, merchandise, coffee, and firewood. (Note that as with all national parks, bringing wood in from outside the park is not permitted, nor is collecting your own wood from the forest floor.) The campground has one oTENTik that is accessible (site 11) and two others that are pet-friendly (sites 8 and 9).

Camping in the oTENTiks at Point Pelee National Park is open year-round. Since interior heating is provided, this is a wonderful way for curious travelers to experiment with camping during the colder months. Note that eating and preparing food inside the oTENTiks is not permitted, so you will need to be outside for this. A kitchen shelter is provided at the south end of the campground.

Things to do in Point Pelee National Park in spring

The peninsula created by Point Pelee National Park extends out into Lake Erie. Together with the Lake Erie Islands, it makes a natural crossing point for migratory birds. This makes the park a major hotspot for bird watching each spring.

Peak viewing season for migratory birds in Point Pelee National Park runs from mid-April until late May, when the park hosts its annual Festival of Birds. Stop in at the park’s visitor centre for more information on recent bird sightings and special events.

Since Point Pelee National Park is one of the most popular places in Windsor Essex for birding, it does get very busy during the peak season. It’s therefore important that visitors stay on the marked trails and respect the park’s signage to avoid trampling sensitive areas. For those who prefer a quieter environment, visit one of the other nearby birding hotspots in Windsor Essex instead.

Other services within the park start up beginning in mid-April, including paddlecraft rentals at the marsh and the park shuttle to the Tip.

Things to do in Point Pelee National Park in summer

With its 20 kilometres of sandy shorelines, Point Pelee National Park’s beaches take centre stage during the summer months. Northwest Beach is a family favourite with extensive picnic shelters, barbecues, a playground, and on-site washrooms. Swimming is permitted here as well as at Black Willow Beach and West Beach.

Note these beaches on the west side of the point can be subject to closures when water testing is conducted during the summer months. There are beaches on the east side of the point, but these are not easy to reach and have no visitor facilities. Due to the dangerous strong currents, swimming is never permitted at the Tip.

Parks Canada also offers guided Freighter Canoe tours through the marsh daily in July and August. An interpreter leads the tour by explaining the marsh’s deep ecological importance while pointing out interesting plant and wildlife sightings along the way. All safety equipment, including life jackets, is provided. This is a wonderful way for those with little to no paddling experience to get out onto the water and get to know this beautiful part of the park.

Things to do in Point Pelee National Park in autumn

Autumn is a magical time at Point Pelee National Park. The wide variety of deciduous trees in the park’s Carolinian forest create a dazzling display of colour as their leaves turn.

For the same reasons the park attracts bird watchers in the spring, nature lovers flock to the park in the fall to witness the Monarch butterfly migration. Thousands of bright orange butterflies pass through the park from late August to mid-October as they fly south to overwinter in Mexico.

It’s impossible to predict which days will see the most butterfly activity during this period as it depends on the weather conditions and prevailing winds. Fortunately, the park is a beautiful place to be in autumn regardless, and you’ll typically be able to spot at least a few butterflies on any given day. Look carefully: when they’re resting in the trees with their wings folded, their camouflage means they look very similar to the leaves that surround them!

One important note about visiting Point Pelee in late summer and autumn is stable flies can be a nuisance. Bug spray is important any time the temperature is above freezing due to the presence of black-legged ticks in the park, which carry Lyme disease. But stable flies specifically target exposed calves and ankles, so wearing long pants in addition to bug spray during these months will make your visit much more pleasant.

Things to do at Point Pelee National Park in winter

Point Pelee National Park is open year-round. While most visitor services are available from roughly April to October, some winter hiking is available and the campground at Camp Henry remains open. Winter is the only time of year when visitors can drive directly to the parking area at the Tip as the shuttle goes out of service from November to mid-April.

We haven’t yet visited the park during winter, but we’ll update this article with out experience once we do.

FAQs about visiting Point Pelee National Park

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