Each year since starting here at Naturally L&A, I’ve headed to Bon Echo Provincial Park to spend a fun-filled day. This year, I decided to invite my boyfriend Devon, who loves camping, to join me. Since we were there, we booked a campsite to extend our stay a bit longer, turning a one-day work excursion into a mini-holiday.
Something about me, however, is that I do not share Devon’s affinity for sleeping outdoors. I’ve always had an appreciation for AC, running water, and bug control. The only way to get me to sleep in a tent is with a good enough reason, and writing this blog about our Bon Echo camping trip was the perfect motivation.
As we spent the day exploring, and the night in a tent, we quickly learned this was the perfect middle ground for us, with a mix of sleeping under the stars and having access to comfort centres with running water and indoor plumbing.
If you’re heading to Bon Echo Provincial Park this summer or are looking to learn more about it, this blog is for you! Here is a glimpse into our Bon Echo camping trip…
Visitor Centre: Bon Echo’s History, and Wildlife
As we arrived at the park, we decided to park and wander around a bit. We started at the Visitor Centre, where park staff taught us all about Bon Echo’s history, as well as the surrounding wildlife. We even played a game where we guessed the animal by the skull. I can’t say I won… but I did learn a lot! This was the perfect place to begin our trip, as it gave us a deeper understanding of the park and its natural and cultural history.
Souvenir Shopping at Greystones Gift Shoppe
Our next stop was Greystones Gift Shoppe. I was pleasantly surprised to see all of the local, handmade items available. If you’re like me and love getting souvenirs, Greystones is the best place to go at Bon Echo Provincial Park. This is also a great spot to purchase Bon Echo merch, like sweaters and t-shirts.
Greystones is also where you can purchase boat tour tickets, which is definitely something we will be taking part in on our next visit!
Paddling Mazinaw Lake from The Lagoon
After getting a lay of the land, we decided to explore the water. We utilized the boat launch at The Lagoon and paddled around Mazinaw Lake. This paddling trip was very peaceful and scenic. Even though the campground was nearly fully booked, the water felt like we were some of the only people on it. I would highly recommend paddling on Mazinaw Lake!
The Lagoon also offers canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard rentals, making it a great hub for Bon Echo water activities.
The Stair-Filled Journey up the Mazinaw Rock Along The Cliff Top Trail
As we were paddling around, we docked at the Cliff Top Trail to attempt the daunting climb to the top of Mazinaw Rock. This trail is made up of stairs and exposed Canadian Shield rock. At first, I was super nervous about the climb, but quickly realized it was more fun, and more beautiful, than it was difficult. There are multiple lookout points where we stopped to enjoy the view. The scenery along the trail strongly outweighs the number of stairs!
Cooling Off at the Main Beach on Mazinaw Lake
Once we were done our hike, we paddled back to the Lagoon and headed over to the Main Beach to cool off. We set up our towels on the soft sand along the shore and walked into the swimming area. The water was clear and the perfect temperature to cool us down. The swimming section is marked with rope, ensuring swimmer safety as boats share Mazinaw Lake. There’s lots of space to relax by the water and swim around. This is one of my favourite beaches in L&A!
A Surprisingly Cozy Night Camping at Midway Campground
We were pretty tired from our day of exploring, hiking, and swimming, so we made our way to our campsite at Midway Campground. Our site was clean and had the perfect amount of flat space for our tent. The campsites include a firepit and a picnic table for use. A highlight for me, however, was the comfort stations nearby. As I mentioned before, I’m not a big camper, so having access to running water and soap nearby made the trip much more comfortable for me!
This trip was full of outdoor adventure and excitement. We got to swim, hike, and explore the beautiful nature surrounding the area. Bon Echo Provincial Park really showed me that maybe camping isn’t so bad… I think it’s safe to say we’ll be back for another Bon Echo trip this summer!
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