11 Provincial Parks to Visit in Simcoe County

11 Provincial Parks to Visit in Simcoe County

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Why Simcoe County?

Are you looking for a new place to adventure this year? Located only an hour north of Toronto, Simcoe County is home to many provincial parks that do not require expensive or grand itineraries to have fun. Simcoe County has a variety of views and landscapes to be experienced stretching from Georgian Bay to Lake Simcoe; each destination delivering on the promise of a unique blend of outdoor activities, serene landscapes, and a chance to disconnect from the hustle of daily life. Whether you’re planning a family camping trip, a fishing expedition, or simply a day of hiking and picnicking, Simcoe County’s provincial parks are treasures waiting to be discovered. See more about where to eat and experience below!

McRae Point Provincial Park

Ramara, ON

McCrae Point is located close to Orillia and is known for its beautiful beach, large swimming area, boating access, birding, fishing, and the 1.2 KM hiking trail that offers lakeside views, including a view of Strawberry Island. It is also a great park to catch the sunset at!

You can camp at McCrae Point, with some campsites being pretty close to the water. Be sure to reserve your campsite in advance to secure your spot at this must-see park. There also is a pretty large playground for kids to enjoy if you’re bringing your family!

Springwater Provincial Park

Springwater, ON

Springwater is a hiker’s haven with 12 KM of scenic hiking trails. The views at this location are breathtaking, as it is abundant with trees, ponds, and wildlife. This day-use area has grand picnic shelters that are popular, and for good reason! Food always tastes better outdoors, so heading to a provincial site for a picnic is a great idea. There are playgrounds for children to enjoy here as well.

Heads up, this location does not offer camping, the closest sites that do are Earl Rowe and Bass Lake. But it’s worth a day-use visit! If you don’t have a chance to visit here in the warm seasons, you’re in luck! It’s open year-round. You can come in winter to enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and wildlife viewing.

Bass Lake Provincial Park

Orillia, ON

Bass Lake has a great 2.8 KM loop trail that takes you to some of the park’s most beautiful spots. The trail takes you through a mix of forest, lakeside, over a boardwalk and through the campground area.

Aside from the popular hiking trail, Bass Lake is also known for the great campsites, sandy beach, canoe/kayak rentals, day-use area and snowshoeing in the winter! This park is situated very close to Orillia, so it has lots close by!

Awenda Provincial Park

Tiny, ON

If there was a poll of some of the best places to hike in Ontario, Awenda would likely be pretty high up on it. Awenda is a gorgeous park with beaches, 30 km’s of hiking trails, camping, canoeing, backcountry ski trails, and so much more. The campsites are great and can feel more private because of all the trees.

Awenda is most visited by people heading to the beach! There are 4 beaches here to enjoy. Beach 1 tends to be the most popular – pro tip. The beaches in Awenda are incredible because of the views, sand and how great the sunset looks there. A full beach day is highly recommended in this park! Fishing and swimming are allowed in designated areas.

Mara Provincial Park

Ramara, ON

Mara is a popular park located in Ramara that provides you with a great taste of the shores of Lake Simcoe. The beach here is wonderful and features a big playground for children to enjoy. Don’t forget to stop by the Gatehouse for an ice cream!

If you are on a mission to catch a beautiful sunset – this is your destination.

Earl Rowe Provincial Park

Alliston, ON

Something really special about Earl Rowe is that in the fall, you can view salmon spawning here, and in the spring, you can see trout. This park is great for water activities as it offers canoeing, kayaking, paddle boating, and fishing.

It has camping available, as well as hiking and biking trails to enjoy. Did you know that you can even reserve a Picnic Shelter here? Perfect for your next family picnic!

Devil’s Glen Provincial Park

Clearview, ON

Devil’s Glen is a unique non-operating park just south of Collingwood that is situated on the Niagara Escarpment. It is only accessible by foot and features a viewing platform overlooking the Niagara Escarpment (beautiful year round but would be breathtaking in Fall) and Devil’s Glen also provides access to the Bruce Trail.

What is a non-operating park? A non-operating park is a provincial park that generally does not have facilities or dedicated staff but is maintained by Ontario Parks.

But That’s Not All…

Simcoe County has some other gems worth visiting such as:

• Nottawasaga Lookout Provincial Park: A non-operating park with beautiful hiking views of the escarpment, caves and crevices located in Clearview, ON.
• Noisy River Provincial Park: A non-operating provincial park that the Bruce Trail travels through also located in Clearview, ON.
• Waubaushene Beaches Provincial Park: A non-operating park containing an important sequence of historic shorelines located in Waubaushene, ON.
• Wasaga Beach Provincial Park: An operating park with a 14 KM freshwater beach featuring 8 different designated beach areas located in Wasaga Beach, ON.

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Psst… Have you ever heard of park hopping? It’s an activity that involves going from a provincial park to another provincial park in one trip! In Simcoe County, the most popular park hopping order that can be done in a single day is around the perimeter of Lake Simcoe where you’ll be able to visit the following parks: McCrae Point, Mara, Bass Lake, where you can end it there or finish up at Springwater. 

All that exploring can sure make you hungry! During your visit to Simcoe County, there are also plenty of incredible restaurants, breweries, cafes and sweet treats for you to try in between your visits to these Parks. Just to name a few…

• DWN Craft Chocolatier – Orillia, ON
• Cool Moose Ice Cream – Alliston, ON
• Grounded Coffee Company – Midland, ON
• The Wired Owl Coffee Company – Barrie, ON
• Balm Beach Bar + Smokehouse – Tiny, ON
• World Famous Dock Lunch – Penetanguishene, ON
• Creemore Springs Brewery Limited – Creemore, ON
• Couchiching Craft Brewing Co. – Orillia, ON

Whether you’re looking to visit a park for a day or wanting to go camping overnight, be sure to check out the Ontario Parks website (reservations.ontarioparks.ca) to book your reservation online.

Now that you’re all set, the next thing to do is to decide which park you want to visit first.

Happy adventuring!

Please remember when visiting anywhere in nature to be mindful of your surroundings and respectful of nature and other visitors.