4 Reasons Nature Lovers Should Visit Point Pelee National Park

Discover the outdoor activities waiting for visitors at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, Canada. See monarch butterflies, migrating birds and more.

Lookout tower at the Marsh Boardwalk at Point Pelee National Park, Ontario, Canada.Steven_Kriemadis/Getty Images
Lookout tower at the Marsh Boardwalk at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, Canada.

Witness Monarch Migration

Watch thousands of monarch butterflies at the Tip, the southernmost point of the park and of mainland Canada. Monarchs congregate in the trees during the fall, waiting for the right moment to cross Lake Erie on their 1,800-mile migration to Mexico.

Check out more fascinating facts about monarch butterflies.

Gaze at the Stars

Experience the park on a designated Dark Sky Night, when park visitors are allowed to stay until midnight to stare at the stars. Point Pelee has been named one of the best stargazing spots in Canada. Check the park’s website for dates and information.

If you love to explore nature at night, try creating a moon garden.

Attend a Birding Festival

Learn how to identify warblers and other songbirds, gulls and raptors by sight and sound during the park’s annual Festival of Birds every May. Naturalists lead birding tours and teach sessions on local and migratory species found in the park.

Watch for Wildlife

Point Pelee National Park is Canada’s second-smallest national park, but it holds the title for being the country’s most ecologically diverse. Lake Erie warms this 5-mile peninsula, creating an environment ideal for many birds and plants. Discover sandy beaches, dunes and trails for biking, hiking and bird-watching. Or meander through the marsh on a boardwalk or by canoe, looking for waterfowl, beavers, turtles and muskrats.

Looking for birding adventures throughout the year? Check out this list of birding hotspots for every season.

Lisa Ballard
Lisa Ballard is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer who watches birds and other wildlife from her home in Red Lodge, Montana, and throughout the United States.