Bruce Peninsula National Park
Bruce Peninsula National Park
4.5
About
When visiting Bruce Peninsula National Park, start your adventure at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre in Tobermory. Here you'll find information to help plan your visit including tips on where to go when the Cyprus Lake parking lots are full, activities for children, and recommendations on hiking trails. Don't forget the Visitor Centre also includes a natural history museum and just around the corner, a viewing tower and some great hiking trails. While you're at the Visitor Centre take in an Interpretation program. Other visitor attractions in the park include Singing Sands Beach, Halfway Log Dump with incredible views of limestone cliffs and boulder beaches, and of course the Grotto and Indian Head Cove near Cyprus Lake. Bruce Peninsula National Park also includes the popular Cyprus Lake Campground with 232 camp sites and 10 yurt accommodations. Please visit the park website for more information and links to the Parks Canada reservations website. July and August are extrememly busy times in the park so plan your trip accordingly and visit the park website for information on other attractions in the area, fees, hours, park regulations and safety tips.
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4.5
767 reviews
Excellent
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149
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36
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21
aac720
Toronto, Canada1 contribution
Aug 2021
We were not prepared (did not bring insect repelllant ) for biting flies along georgian bay in halfway log dump area and people said that there are snakes under the rocks?, We turned back right away and walk another 900 miles back to parking lot and left. We had flies bites where skin was exposed.
It was a waste of time and money of almost $70 for a group of ten people.
I was wondering that i did not read any reviews regarding these or maybe i missed reading it.
It was a waste of time and money of almost $70 for a group of ten people.
I was wondering that i did not read any reviews regarding these or maybe i missed reading it.
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rani White
3 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
My experience was very poor because of how Canada manages their national parks! No wonder people go to the States. Bruce peninsula is one park but anywhere you want to go you have to pay extra $12 for parking. Besides already paying per person. That’s a greedy scam! It takes away from the experience if you ask me! The place is jaw-dropping beautiful. But it’s overcrowded. Even now with covid as they are working only half capacity (so they say). You want to visit the grotto? Sure drop a ton of money for parking plus per person. But then you wanna go somewhere else inside the park, well that’s another $12 for parking plus each person. Don’t be ridiculous!!! As an experience traveler, I’ve been to many national parks, but nothing is as ridiculous as the parks in Canada! Such a turn off! It makes me never want to go to a national park in this country ever again! No matter how beautiful or breathtaking it is. If anything they should make it free for Canadians who already pay some of the highest taxes around! To me there’s no reason why you should spend $200 to see NATIONAL PROTECTED LAND!!! For a few days!! This is how much we spent only to see parts of the national park in a party of 2! Not counting the stay at a campsite or food. Parking and “entrance” fee alone! F that!!! For real! I hope to not come here again.
Written September 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trish M
Toronto, Canada7 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
I was road tripping to Manitoulin Island and decided to leave a day early to get a quick hike in at Bruce Peninsula NP. The fee to park for 4 hours was exorbitant at 32.00 for a solo traveller. Though the trail I chose to hike was beautiful and not at all occupied with other people, Yay! The problem started when I arrived at the grotto. A large and very loud and obnoxious group of people mobbed the grotto and beach area and would not leave. Yelling and screaming. Behaviours inappropriate for a sporting event or festival let alone in a nature park. Resulting in myself, two other couples and a family of 4 unable to have a meaningful experience there.
I highly recommend the park educate the masses to make it clear that the park is a nature park, to be enjoyed by all who visit and that inappropriate/loud behaviour will not be tolerated.
It is frustrating to head out for a nature experience only to be robbed of it by a pack of unruly, disrespectful, selfish people.
This park requires heavier patrols, especially in the popular areas.
I highly recommend the park educate the masses to make it clear that the park is a nature park, to be enjoyed by all who visit and that inappropriate/loud behaviour will not be tolerated.
It is frustrating to head out for a nature experience only to be robbed of it by a pack of unruly, disrespectful, selfish people.
This park requires heavier patrols, especially in the popular areas.
Written October 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele G-W
London, Canada588 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
We spent hours here hiking and couldn't have asked for a better day. The weather was cool but sunny so it wasn't very busy on the trails. Some trails are definitely more challenging than others. There were also some closed as well as the look out tower which we were disappointed by but understood.
The price we paid included parking and day passes (under $30 for 2 people).
The price we paid included parking and day passes (under $30 for 2 people).
Written September 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
a a
3 contributions
Jun 2022
Avoid this ripoff. The land is beautiful but the local towns do everything they can to squeeze every dime you have out of you. Parking in Tobermory is more than downtown Toronto!!!! The fees charged for absolutely everything are outrageously expensive. For what the entire week cost me I could have paid for a week in the Caribbean.
Enjoyed the landscape but deeply regret every penny I spent in this money grabbing town. I will never go back and don't recommend anyone waste their money.
Enjoyed the landscape but deeply regret every penny I spent in this money grabbing town. I will never go back and don't recommend anyone waste their money.
Written July 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Johnnyboy2925
Montreal, Canada29 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
You'll need to reserve campsites, your park access and/or parking fee on the PC website, in advance. Camped total of four nights, first two nights in Birches and last two nights in Poplars campground. Birches is centrally located closer to Cypress Lake w/clean and modern central washrooms, showers with AC outlets where you can charge your devices or inflate a mattress. Poplars camp sites seem larger, have more privacy, are also closer to the trailheads. This year, they supply the firewood for an additional fee on your reservation if you have a firepit. It's delivered near each of the 3 campground entrances daily. You serve yourself and burn as much as you want, which is a concept I like. The grounds and trails are patrolled and kept clean by the welcoming Parks Canada staff. Remember campers keep a bare site, all food items in your vehicles and pls vacate your site like everyone by 11h00 on you last day..and not 14h50! Someone like us, already checked in with site permit in hand changing sites mid week lost 4 hours waiting for you to pack up and leave!
The hiking trails to the grotto area are about 1.3km and take about 15 mins to walk each way. They are well identified, but you'll require good shoes/boots and water to hike up and down the coastline. The Grotto area is beautiful but is remote, fills up with people and isn't monitored. Bring watershoes, you'll understand why.
Our hike south the Bruce Trail to Stormhaven beach area was our favorite!
Drive to Tobormory Marina area is about 20 mins and has tons of awesome cruise tours to explore and delicious restaurants. We enjoyed Tobormory Craft Brewing and Grill, the Sweet Shop and Castaways Shipwreck Lee's
The hiking trails to the grotto area are about 1.3km and take about 15 mins to walk each way. They are well identified, but you'll require good shoes/boots and water to hike up and down the coastline. The Grotto area is beautiful but is remote, fills up with people and isn't monitored. Bring watershoes, you'll understand why.
Our hike south the Bruce Trail to Stormhaven beach area was our favorite!
Drive to Tobormory Marina area is about 20 mins and has tons of awesome cruise tours to explore and delicious restaurants. We enjoyed Tobormory Craft Brewing and Grill, the Sweet Shop and Castaways Shipwreck Lee's
Written August 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sam W
7 contributions
Sep 2023
The Park and the area are quit nice with its natural beauty.
But the National Park management is a disgrace with gouging prices; in addition to camping fee they charged a daily personal usage fee, a $25 firewoor permit fee. And where ever you go they want $20-$30+ parking fee for 10 minutes or a full day!
And the shower at the camp ground, omg! I have better water flow in many developing countries.
But the National Park management is a disgrace with gouging prices; in addition to camping fee they charged a daily personal usage fee, a $25 firewoor permit fee. And where ever you go they want $20-$30+ parking fee for 10 minutes or a full day!
And the shower at the camp ground, omg! I have better water flow in many developing countries.
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth B
6 contributions
Oct 2022
I travelled to the Bruce Peninsula National Park just outside Tobermory for a hike and to climb the tower -- a remarkable view. The tower is well-built and affords visitors a stunning view of Tobermory and the surrounding lands as well as Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. Great attraction!
Written October 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michele M
20 contributions
Aug 2021
This is a great area with a beautiful waterfront at the Grotto. It's just hard to get parking passes for this park and although it isn't the park's fault for that, it does make the experience of going a little harder. I do wish that the park also provided some lifeguards in the area of the Grotto. We watched as people jumped and dived off the cliffs surrounding the Grotto which I know you are not supposed to do, but as there is nobody monitoring the area, lots were doing anyways.
Written October 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Curlgolf
Toronto, Canada67 contributions
Oct 2020
The number of visitors was quite reasonable when we visited the first weekend of October and we had a good time. I had trouble figuring out the park from the information online, but there are 4 separate sites: (1) the Visitor Centre and a couple of trails, which is a short walk from Tobermory (the observation tower is closed due to Covid and part of one trail is closed due to high water); (2) the Grotto and the trails near it (Horse Lake, Marr Lake, Cyprus Lake), which you can't go to unless you have a reserved parking spot (we didn't); (3) Singing Sands, which is the only part on the western side of the peninsula, has a boardwalk with nature information and a trail (trail partly closed due to high water, but recent rain had effectively closed the rest of it); and (4) Halfway Log Dump, which accesses the Bruce Trail, rocky beaches and beautiful viewpoints over Georgian Bay after a 1-1.5km hike. You have to drive between each of the 4 sites. Contrary to a previous post, the entry and parking fees we paid at the Visitor Centre covered all the sites except #3.
Written October 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greetings, will I be able to charge via simple AC 110 volt plug my ebikes, overnight or for a few hours, this October 2023? Thanks
Written September 18, 2023
Unless you have an electrical site you may want to take a portable charger ie dewalt style.
Written September 19, 2023
Looking for recommendations for great hiking , camping, swimming, scenery and other recommendations. We are from Boston and traveling in August for a Cubs/ Blue Jays game ( husband from Chicago). We will likely be in Toronto for the weekend and then hope to do some camping/ exploring. We’ve never been to Ontario, we like to hike and explore but also have a 5 and 3 year old. I am just starting to look into the area, but don’t know that much. Any recommendations would be great! We also appreciate breweries, live music, wine, food or cultural activities. Thanks!
Written March 30, 2023
Is it safe to hike alone in October in Bruce Peninsula National Park?
Written September 8, 2022
I am sure it is quite ok even if there are not that many others on the trails and park at that time.
Written September 9, 2022
The parking for Halfway Log Dump is full for this weekend. Are there any other alternatives for me to visit this trail i.e. is there a shuttle from Tobermory?
Written September 8, 2021
Shiva moini nodeh
Toronto, Canada
I called to reserve a parking for grotto no body picked up , is it true that it is the same day reservation?(is there any alternative options to park so we can go to grotto?) Thanks
Written August 25, 2020
Reservations for parking need to be made weeks, if not months in advance. There is an alternate parking area about 4 km south of the Cypress Lake parking area called Halfway Log Dump. It fills up fast so I’d recommend getting there early. This will take you to one of the boulder beaches the Bruce Peninsula is known for and will allow you to access the Bruce Trail
You can hike the Bruce Trail up to the grotto from HLD, however it is a difficult trail and will take at least 2 hours each way. I’d only recommend it if you’re in good physical shape as there’s a lot of climbing up & down hills & rocks.
My husband and I hiked to the grotto from HLD a couple of weeks ago. It took almost 3.5 hours to get to the grotto as we stopped along the way to enjoy the incredible scenery. On the way back to HLD, we made no stops an it took us just over 2 hours to return. There is no cell service along the trail so bring a map and plenty of water & snacks with you
Written August 26, 2020
There is a boat launch in Little Tub harbor.
Written August 18, 2020
Maria G
Toronto, Canada
Is it there any other alternative options to park and visit Grotto? Or what else is available to do in Tobermory? I am planning on a short getaway and this was my option but parking is already full.
Written August 5, 2020
I’m quite sensitive on the washrooms when I go camping, how are the washroom facilites on Bruce peninsula national park?
Written August 5, 2020
The one closest to the grotto is a lot less smelly than a typical outhouse.
Written August 5, 2020
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