Bruce Peninsula National Park is a 136 sq. km. park that protects a rugged limestone landscape and one of the largest remaining tracts of forest in Southern Ontario. The National Park's main attraction is the spectacular 20km. ribbon of Niagara Escarpment cliff, which runs along the deepest part of Georgian Bay. The famous Bruce Trail follows much of this shore and offers countless lookouts as well as close encounters with sea caves and car sized boulders. On the cliffs is a fragile community of plants. Clinging here are remarkable white cedar trees. In these harsh conditions they grow slowly but continuously and are the oldest living things in Eastern North America...some are over 1,000 years old.
The Lake Huron side of the park is very different with a gradual sloping shore. It makes a perfect stage for viewing sunsets. At Singing Sands, there is a pancake beach making it an excellent spot for wading and swimming. Behind the beach are several fragile dunes and wetland habitats that are important refuges for plant life.
At both the Cyprus Lake Campground office and the Diver registration office, there are displays and brochures that interpret the natural and cultural heritage preserved within Bruce Peninsula National Park. The park staff are also happy to answer your questions. This is a wonderful place to explore, and we strongly suggest that you contact the Bruce Peninsula National Park to make reservations well in advance of your trip, so you are not disappointed. You can contact the central reservations line at 1-877-737-3738.
The Niagara Escarpment runs from Niagara Falls to Tobermory. It forms the backbone of the Peninsula and shapes the northern boundary of most of the park, providing our park with some of its most spectacular scenery. The rock of the Escarpment is thousands of years old.
The Peninsula is unique in Canada for its wide variety of wildflowers. This is because, for a relatively small bit of land, the Bruce has an unusually rich diversity of habitats, from the rugged cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment to flat, dry rock plains called alvars, to various types of swampy wetlands.
One of the Peninsula's claims to fame is the profusion of species of orchids found here. They're not just tropical plants. There are, believe it or not, over 60 species in Ontario. Approximately 43 are found on the Bruce Peninsula, likely due to the area's variety of habitats. Orchids aren't the only unusual plants on the Bruce. It is also home to about half the worlds dwarf lake iris, and most of Canada's stock of Indian plantain. The Peninsula supports more than 20 kinds of ferns, including the rare Northern Holly Fern.
Commonly seen wildlife on The Bruce Peninsula includes chipmunk, squirrel, raccoon, porcupine, snowshoe hare, skunk, white-tailed deer, snakes and frogs. Black bear, fox, fisher, martins and the Massasauga rattlesnake are not as commonly seen.
To help avoid a negative encounter when camping, store your food in your vehicle. If you are at a remote site, cache your food away from your site, or use a bear-proof container. Remember coolers and tents are not bear-proof. Pack out your garbage in sealed plastic bags. Never eat or keep food in your tent.
The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake, an endangered species, is now reduced to a few scattered populations. This snake was once found throughout Southern Ontario. When hiking in the area wear long pants or thick socks and boots. Always look where you are putting your hands and feet. Another species to watch out for on the trails is Poison Ivy. It is always best to stay on marked trails and look but don't touch the wildlife.
Address:
407 Cyprus Lake Rd @ Hwy 6
Tobermory, ON
N0H 2R0
Phone: 877-737-3783
Fax: 519-596-2298
Email: bruce-fathomfive@pc.gc.ca
Website: www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/on/bruce/index_e.asp
1.800.268.3838