Bruce Peninsula National Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Featuring limestone coasts, cliff-side cedars, mixed-wood forests, and clear-water lakes, Bruce Peninsula presents RV campers with various opportunities for fun holiday and outdoor experiences. Located along Southern Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment, this national park is part of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, and is just about 4 km (2.5 miles) south of Tobermory, Ontario.
Facilities at Bruce Peninsula National Park include RV campsites, swim beaches, multi-use trails, yurts, picnic tables, fire pit with grill, potable water taps, washroom facilities, and cold water sinks.
Bruce Peninsula National Park sits on 156 sq km (60 sq miles) of park land and offers campers opportunities to enjoy activities such as hiking, canoeing, kayaking, bouldering, swimming, wildlife viewing, birding, children programs, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, as well as park and interpretive programs. RV campers at Cyprus Lake Campground in the park often hike to The Grotto, a scenic cave containing a pool of blue water, on the Georgian Bay shoreline.
This park is the traditional home of the Saugeen Ojibway First Nations, a group of people who have inhabited the land for centuries. The park is also a protected preserve for more than 200 bird species, mammals, amphibians and some rare reptiles.
RV Rentals in Bruce Peninsula National Park
Transportation
Driving
Bruce Peninsula National Park is located along Highway 6, about 4 km (2.5 miles) southwest of Tobermory, Ontario, and is hence a simple drive-in park easily accessible by RVs, trailers, and other motorized vehicles. The roads within the park are paved and offer easy accessibility to the different areas of the park for campers in their rigs. There are no driving restrictions within the park except for the requirement that campers abide by the posted speed limits on the park roads.
Parking
There are various parking areas in Bruce Peninsula National Park, offering RV campers options for parking their rigs and camping units. The three parking areas in Cyprus Lake camping area offer campers at Birches campground, Poplars campground, and Tamarack campground good choices of where to park their RVs/trailers. Overnight parking is available at the park.
Public Transportation
An express bus service is offered by Parkbus from Toronto to Cyprus Lake Campground in Bruce Peninsula National Park, Tobermory.
Campgrounds and parking in Bruce Peninsula National Park
Campsites in Bruce Peninsula National Park
Reservations camping
Birches Campground
Birches Campground in Cyprus Camping Area in Bruce Peninsula National Park features 99 pet-friendly campsites available for RVs and tents. There are no RV hookups at the campground. RV length limit Birches Campground is 27 feet (8 meters). Amenities available at the campground picnic tables, fire pit with grill, potable water taps, washroom facilities, and cold water sinks. Quiet hours in the campground run from 10pm to 7am, during which period alcohol consumption, music, generator use, campfires, and loud conversations are prohibited.
Poplars Campground and Tamarack Campground are also located in Cyprus Camping Area, however, they are tent trailer campgrounds.
Seasonal activities in Bruce Peninsula National Park
In-Season
Hiking
Bruce Peninsula National Park features various hiking trails that wind through forests in the park as well as along the rocky end of the park. Part of the 782 km (486 mile) Bruce Trail, which is the oldest and longest footpath in Canada, also passes through the park. RV campers that hike on these trails see spectacular scenery along the shoreline in the park and enjoy memorable experiences. These trails are found in the Cyprus Lake Area, Singing Sands Area, and the Visitor Center, and vary in difficulty from easy to strenuous. Hence, you have every opportunity to test your endurance on the trails that add up to 14 km (8.7 miles) in the park.
Canoeing/Kayaking
RV campers at Bruce Peninsula National Park are exposed to wonderful opportunities to explore the inland lakes in the park on canoes and kayaks. Cyprus Lake, for example, is easily accessible to paddlers who want to enjoy kayaking on the lake all the way to Cameron Lake. Campers are only allowed to use non-powered craft, such as canoes and sailboards on Cyprus Lake, hence motorboats are prohibited. Emmett Lake is another amazing place for canoeing/kayaking in Bruce Peninsula National Park.
Bouldering
The shoreline boulders at Halfway Log Dump in Bruce Peninsula National Park offers RV campers the opportunity to enjoy bouldering. As the area is a designated bouldering area, campers gear up to enjoy the climb at the site located on the scenic Georgian Bay shoreline. The remote setting of the area also adds to the interesting experience. Climbers are advised to exercise caution when the rocks are wet as they can be very slippery.
Off-Season
Swimming
Bruce Peninsula National Park is uniquely sited between two large freshwater bodies, making it a great swimming destination. On the one end, the Singing Sands on the Lake Huron side of the peninsula is an amazing swimming destination for inexperienced swimmers and children as the beach is shallow and has warm water. At the other end, the crystal clear Georgian Bay water is perfect for breaking the heat of summer, thanks to the coldness of the water. Only experienced swimmers are advised to swim in this area as the water is susceptible to rough conditions and powerful waves.
Swimming in all parts of the park is unsupervised, hence caution is advised.
Cross-country skiing/Snowshoeing
Bruce Peninsula National Park is a great place to create memorable experiences in winter through wonderful cross-country skiing and snowshoeing activities. Campers can enjoy cross-country skiing on all the trails in the park and are required to bring all their skiing and snowshoeing gear when visiting the park as there are no rental facilities available in winter.
Visitor Center
RV campers at Bruce Peninsula National Park begin their adventure at the Visitor Center in the park where they are presented pertinent and timely information on how to navigate the park and have the best possible experience. The Visitor Center features exciting exhibits, a theater with hourly feature film presentations, a 65-foot lookout tower, and nearby trails. Interpretive programs are held in the center, one of which is the famous snake talk.
