I had never heard of Awenda Provincial Park prior to visiting, and the sights we saw when we reached Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay took my breath away. The park is located in Central Ontario on Lake Huron.
Our trek through Awenda Provincial Park was mostly on snow cone snow (think of a snow cone, then think of the ground covered in that) and mud. About 3.2 km (2 miles) into our hike, after going up and down frozen wooden stairs, we made it to the beach. Believe it or not, we were standing on the water looking at frozen waves.
Established in 1975, the park offers a variety of summer and winter activities. Classified as a Natural Environment Park, all of the land is protected. We made the trek in late March, 2022.
Where Is Awenda Provincial Park
Awenda Provincial Park is near Tiny Township, in Central Ontario, Canada. During our visit we rented an Airbnb in Tiny, but the nearest town to the park is actually Penetanguishene. On the shores of the Georgian Bay, Awenda Provincial Park covers more than 2,900 hectares (7,200 acres) of land.
Activities at Awenda Provincial Park
The park is open year round, with some activities seasonally weather dependent. Some areas may be designated as ecologically dependent. All living things are dependent on both nature and each other for their survival. Being ecologically dependent means certain areas at Awenda are dependent on humans and the surrounding habitats.
Recreational activities include hiking, biking, skiing, canoeing, swimming, fishing, and camping. Snowshoeing is another activity you can add to the list during winter months.
To learn more about each of these activities, read on below.
Hiking
There’s a total of 31 kilometers (19.2 miles) of trails, and 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) of backcountry skiing trails in the winter. Trails are marked well, and there are parking lots close to each trailhead.
There are additional areas open during the summer months, but since we were there at the tail end of winter, we were limited to a few trails. If you’re planning to visit in the fall/winter seasons, keep this in mind. While limited, we still had a great time hiking here.
Awenda has a range of trails to choose from, mostly easy to moderate in difficulty. Here’s a list of the trails, the approximate time to complete them, and a PDF version of a park map.
- Beach Trail – 4 km (2.4 miles) return – 1.5 hours – linear, easy
- Beaver Pond Trail – 1 km (0.6 miles) – 30 minutes – loop, easy, barrier free
- Bluff Trail – 13 km (8 miles) – 3.5 hours – loop, moderate
- Nipissing Trail – 1 km (0.6 miles) return – 30 minutes – linear, moderate
- Brûlé Trail – 4 km (2.4 miles) return – 1.5 hours – linear, easy
- Robitaille Homestead Trail – 3 km (1.8 miles) return – 1 hour – linear, easy
- Wendat Trail – 5 km (3.1 miles) – 2 hours – loop, easy
We hiked on parts of the Bluff Trail from the Registration Office to the Beach Trail. I highly recommend checking out either of these, in addition to all the others in the park.
Camping/Accommodations
In terms of accomodations, you will have two options. Camping at one of their many large campsites, or roofed accommodation, located at The Stone Cottage.
There are six campgrounds offered at Awenda, many of which are private. Private in the sense there are sites where other campers aren’t close by. From regular tent camping to RV and car camping, this park is perfect for overnight stays. Some of the camp sites offer electrical hook-ups, and some are designated as radio-free and/or dog-free.
All six campgrounds are served with drinking water taps, toilets, and a central comfort station complete with flush toilets and showers. A notable feature of this provincial park is that half of the comfort stations at the campgrounds also have laundry facilities, which can be a big plus if you’re planning on staying for a while.
Bug spray is also a must for most of the adventures you choose at Awenda. Camping areas are closed during the fall, but we’ll be back during the warmer months to give it a try ourselves. There are a lot of positive reviews about the available campsites and amenities online.
Fishing
There are a few areas to fish within Awenda Provincial Park. Two of the best and most popular spots to fish are between the beaches at Awenda Provincial Park and Giant’s Tomb Island. You can expect to catch Northern Pike, bass, pickerel, and other small fish here. According to Ontario Parks, bass and panfish are also found in Kettle Lake. This is a good smaller lake to fish if you don’t want to try the Georgian Bay.
Canoeing
Taking a canoe into the Georgian Bay is for experienced boaters, as the waters out here can get a little rough. As an alternative, Kettle Lake has much calmer waters if you’re looking for somewhere more relaxing to go canoeing (or fishing). This is because Kettle Lake is motorboat free, making it ideal for novice boaters.
Canoes can be rented during July and August, or you can bring your own. Canoes, complete with paddles and PFDs, are available to rent, by the hour or half day, for use on Kettle Lake by campers within the park. Canoe rentals are not available for day use visitors. There’s additional canoe rentals at Diverse Rentals & Vacations right outside of Awenda Provincial Park.
Skiing & Snowshoeing
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing is available throughout the park on 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) of backcountry trails. At the Trail Center, you’ll find a rustic wood heated log cabin where the ski trails begin.
Trails might be packed with a set of tracks, but Ontario Parks advises to be prepared to track your own trails because of the backcountry intent of this park. From the Awenda Provincial Park Management Plan (PDF), this is the “intent to protect the natural and cultural features of Awenda Provincial Park and maintain and develop high quality opportunities for outdoor recreation and heritage appreciation for both residents of Ontario and visitors to the Province.”
Although trails are available for you to cross country ski or snowshoe, rentals are not. Therefore, make sure to bring your own or rent them from outside the park.
The Landscape
After only spending a day at Awenda Provincial Park, I felt compelled to share the otherworldly experience we had with what we saw. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie. We were stunned and amazed at the different landscapes the park has to offer.
From the parking lot, we were surrounded by forest and signs for trails. I’ve heard a lot of Ontario is forested areas like this. Because of the time of year we were there, we were faced with crusty and slushy snow starting our trek through the woods. There are wooden walkways and stairs along the hike that are part of the trails. They were covered in ice during our trip, but they were helpful in leading us to the beach.
Dunes & Beaches
Awenda Provincial Park has an ancient dune system, boulders, stone, and sandy beaches that make up the shorelines along the Georgian Bay. We hiked on a few of the dunes. They were like little barriers between the beach and the treeline. It’s a very interesting landscape if you’ve never been. The park has many educational opportunities as well for those who are willing to stop and read the info signs.
Water levels in the Great lakes rise and fall with the seasons. I can imagine the water is crystal clear during warmer months. We could see the bottom of the lake through some areas of the thick ice. It felt like we were hovering 6 feet over the lakebed. Beyond what we were standing on were frozen sculptures of waves. I can only imagine what swimming in this water would be like. Snorkeling is something I’d like to try out here during the summer!
Wildlife
Bear sightings are rare at Awenda Provincial Park, but there have been Black Bear sightings reported recently. Bird and other animals are plentiful with over 200 different bird species, and 32 species of amphibians and reptiles. Not to mention, all the different fish that live in the Georgian Bay and Kettle Lake.
There are no poisonous snakes, wolves or anything really dangerous to humans in the park. Coyotes are known to be around, but the most harmful animal to humans in the park is a snapping turtle. They rarely snap at people unless provoked, so it’s safe to say the wildlife at Awenda Provincial Park is pretty harmless.
For people who enjoy going to national and provincial parks, Awenda Provincial Park is a great place to visit. Sometimes the best places we visit are the ones we stumble upon because we see things through a lense without expectations.
