Long Point Provincial Park Review & Campground Guide

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Long Point Provincial Park Reservations – What You Need to Know Before You Go

Making a reservation to camp at Long Point Provincial Park is pretty easy.

Just like all the other Ontario Park campsites, you can book your campsite up to five months in advance of your arrival date through the Ontario Parks reservation system.

In order to make a reservation online though, you will first need to have an Ontario Parks account.

Registrations begin at 7 am EST.

We really didn’t have much trouble booking our site at Long Point. Of course, this was probably due to the fact that we visited the park in mid-November.

When we arrived at the park, we noticed that an entire campground was taken over by waterfowl hunters.

This older part of the park is completely separate from where the regular campers were located.

Long Point is open for camping from the beginning of May until the middle of November.

Long Point Provincial Park Address:
PO Box 99 350 Erie Blvd, Port Rowan, ON, N0E 1M0
https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/longpoint

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Arriving at the Park

Once you arrive at the main entrance to the park, you will find a single lane of parking spots that are parallel to the road.

The gatehouse also doubles as the Park Store and Park Office. It was pretty big and carried an impressive amount of merch, food and things you may have forgotten.

We were able to grab a printed map and my park patch, as well as purchase ice and firewood at the gatehouse.

We arrived just before the 2 o’clock check-in time, so we were lucky that our site was clear by the time we filled our rig with water.

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Long Point Provincial Park Map

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Navigating the Park

We found that Long Point Provincial Parks was really easy to navigate.

There were plenty of signs to help you find your way around the park, the day-use area, and the campgrounds.

But to be honest, the layout of the park was pretty simple, so even without signs, it would be difficult to get lost.

The main park roads were paved. However, the smaller campground roads were a little more narrow and many were in rough shape.

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Parking

In general, we found the parking lots located throughout the park to be more than sufficient in size for this park.

There were a total of 4 large parking lots in the beach/day-use area, one at the campground beach, one at the boat launch, one at the comfort stations, and at least one inside the campground area as well.

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Long Point Provincial Park Camping

Long Point Provincial Park accommodates a variety of camping styles.

From car camping to tenting and RVs up to 32 feet (9.7 metres), you will find it all.

You will also have the choice between electric or non-electric sites.

Unfortunately, not all types of camping can be accommodated at all sites, so you will need to watch for this when making your reservations.

Long Point Provincial Park has 3 main campgrounds in the “new” section – Firefly, Monarch’s Rest, and Turtle Dunes Campground. There is also one campground in the “old” section of the park – Cottonwood Campground.

All in all, Long Point is home to 250 campsites.

All but the Firefly campground offers a mix of electric and non-electric sites. Firefly only has electric sites.

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Campgrounds at a Glance

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Our Campsite Experience

During our visit to Long Point, we stayed in the Monarch’s Rest Campground.

The campsite was a little on the small side, which was absolutely fine as our Teardrop doesn’t take up much space!

And while I am not a fan of sandy sites (there’s no way to avoid tracking sand into the trailer), the privacy was pretty decent, even in late fall when most of the foliage was gone.

Not only could we barely see our neighbours to one side or behind us, but even the site directly across the street was partially hidden from view.

Only the site on the one side was exposed, but that was mostly due to the fact that the shrubs were bare.

We also really liked the fact that our site was less than a 5-minute walk to the beach. And even in November, we took full advantage of that!

One thing I would like to point out is the fact that we were visiting the park during the fall waterfowl hunting season (mid-September through to mid-December).

As such, the sounds of gunshots rang through the campgrounds constantly during the day and into the evening.

Might be triggering (no pun intended) for some people.

Oh, and if you have kids in tow, you will be happy to know that there is a fantastic playground located at the far side of the Firely and Monarch’s Rest Campgrounds.

It was one of the nicest that we have seen.

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What Amenities Does Long Point Offer?

Comfort Stations

There were 3 comfort stations with showers at Long Point. They were located in Turtle Dunes, Monarch’s Rest and Cottonwood Campgrounds.

Comfort stations with flush toilets are also located in the day-use area.

Vault toilets were also located at the boat launch, as well as in each of the campground areas.

We found the comfort stations to be quite clean and well-kept.

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Laundry

A coin laundry is available in the Monarch’s Rest Campground. It can be found attached to the comfort station.

The laundry room was very clean, and both sets of washers and dryers were in good working order.

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Park Store

As we mentioned earlier, the Park Store is combined with the Gatehouse.

The store was pretty big, and very clean looking.

The park store sells Ontario Parks merchandise, clothing and souvenirs, as well as a small selection of items that you may have forgotten when packing for your camping trip.

The Park Store also sold some grocery items, but alas, no scooped ice cream!

Much to John’s disappointment, it seems like Earl Rowe Provincial Park has had the largest selection of Kawartha Dairy ice cream. Not too many other parks have been able to match their choices.

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Visitor’s Centre

There is no Visitor’s Centre at Long Point Provincial Park.

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Day Use Area

Long Point has an okay day-use area. It was nothing spectacular, unfortunately.

The day-use area is located adjacent to the Cottonwood Campground area, closest to the main gate.

You will find 4 large parking lots in the day-use area that will accommodate over 650 vehicles.

Small picnic areas are located adjacent to the parking lots. There, you will find picnic tables, 12 upright barbeques and two comfort stations.

The day-use area has a small playground, which also wasn’t anything too special.

On the plus side, the day-use area is located directly adjacent to the beautiful beach.

You will find the Dog Beach and exercise area at the far end of the beach at access points 10 and 11.

If you want to visit the park for the day-use area only, you can reserve your daily vehicle permit to guarantee your day-use spot.

Permits can be obtained up to five days in advance.

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Long Point Provincial Park Beach

Long Point Provincial Park is home to over 1.5 km of gorgeous sandy beach along the shores of Lake Erie.

During the summers, you will find that the water is shallow and quite warm.

The beach is a short walk from each of the campgrounds, which was a definite perk. No need to drive there, unlike Pinery Provincial Park or many of the other parks.

While it was too chilly for us to swim during our visit, we walked the full length of the beach during our visit. It was beautiful, even in November!

The lake was also quite calm at this beach, so paddleboarding would have definitely been an option for us.

And if you didn’t already know this, Long Point is home to some incredible sunsets!

We were very fortunate that the weather was absolutely perfect for our weekend in the park, so we made sure not to miss it!

And let me tell you, the beach was PACKED at sunset! It seemed that everyone in the campground made their way to the beach, chairs and all, to watch the sunset!

It was incredible!

There are signs at all beach access points warning of no lifeguard on duty. But this is pretty common at all Ontario Parks.

Another thing to be aware of is that dogs are not allowed on the regular beach at any time.

But as I mentioned, the dog beach is located on the far end of the day-use portion of the beach and didn’t look any different.

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What Services Does Long Point Offer?

Long Point has all the usual services found at other Ontario Provincial Parks.

Water

There is one sanitation station at Long Point Provincial Park. It is located as soon as you enter the park, and right off the main road.

You will find one water fill station in a single lane that loops off the main road.

The water-fill hose is located on the driver’s side, after the dump station.

We later noticed that there is also a separate water fill station located just before the entrance to the campgrounds. It had two separate fill stations.

You will find plenty of water taps located throughout the campgrounds, as well as in the day-use area.

There are no water hookups at the individual campsites.

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Dump Station

Just like with the fill station, there is only one dump station in the sanitation area.

It is located right before the fill station in the sanitation loop, on the driver’s side.

The single-lane sanitation area road was not long enough that several large rigs could be waiting without hindering the main road.

And just like at other parks, expect the sanitation area to be busy around check-out time.

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Garbage and Recycling

There was a garbage/recycling area located at the entrance to the campgrounds.

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Wi-Fi

Just like at most Ontario Parks, Long Point has pretty spotty cell reception.

This meant that while I was able to make phone calls from our campsite, I really couldn’t do much else.

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Things to Do at Long Point Provincial Park

If just sitting at your campsite and enjoying nature isn’t enough, Long Point has got a variety of activities to keep the whole family occupied.

1. Enjoy a Bike Ride

While there are no designated bike paths, you are more than welcome to ride on the park roads.

Just a heads up, the park roads were in pretty rough shape. It definitely was NOT a smooth ride!

You can also choose to ride your bike just outside the main gates of the park. The roads were much smoother and not at all busy.

You will find a few cafes, ice cream shops, and restaurants along the main strip.

I’m sure that these places are quite popular in the summer. In November, most were closed for the season.

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2. Go for a Boat Ride

Long Point Provincial Park has a really decent boat launch area.

Not only will you find a large parking lot for both vehicles and boats/trailers, but there is also a picnic area, vault toilets, and even a fish cleaning station.

On the weekend we visited, the lake was pretty calm, so it would be perfect for kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding.

You can even enjoy canoeing along the sheltered marsh of Long Point Bay.

We also noticed that there were life jackets for rent at the gatehouse.

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3. Try Your Hand at Fishing

If you are into fishing, Long Point Bay has one of the best bass fisheries in Ontario.

Fishing licenses may be purchased in the village of Long Point.

And if you don’t have any of your own fishing gear with you, Long Point Provincial Park is part of the Tackle Share Program.

Just inquire about gear rentals at the gatehouse,

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4. Go for a Swim

As we mentioned earlier, our mid-November visit didn’t give us the opportunity to hit the water.

However, it did seem quite nice. John dipped his hand into the water and said that it was actually quite warm.

And with the sandy bottom, I’m sure that it is quite nice to get into.

I did notice that the water was nice and clear as well.

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5. Take Part in the Discovery Program

From what we can see on the website, a basic Discovery Program is offered at Long Point.

During July and August, kids can pick up a Discovery Activity Book, and use the equipment and materials provided to explore the park.

There is also a weekly calendar of events posted throughout the park.

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6. Do Some Birding

While we are not avid birders, Long Point is apparently one of the best locations along the Lake Erie shoreline to see spring and fall migration.

More than 300 different species of songbirds and waterfowl migrate through Long Point every spring and fall.

It was interesting to read that more than 80 species of birds nest on the point annually.

This makes Long Point one of the top bird-watching destinations in North America.

And if you can’t get enough of bird-watching in the park, you will be happy to note that you can find the Long Point Bird Observatory a few minutes outside of the park entrance.

John and I rode our bikes there during our visit. At the observatory, you will find a variety of trails to birdwatch on, as well as knowledgeable staff that can fill you in on what is happening in the area.

Add to this, Bird Studies Canada which is located a short distance away in the village of Port Rowan, and you have all the makings of the perfect birding getaway.

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7. Admire the Stars

During our weekend stay in the park, we were lucky enough to have gorgeous clear skies, both day and night.

And I can’t even tell you how many stars were out!

While the park is not located in a dark sky preserve, it is far enough from big cities to have some great views of the stars.

We were able to sit in our campsite and have unobstructed views of the Milky Way, and even see a meteor or two.

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8. Hunt for Waterfowl

While hunting is definitely not our thing, it is an available activity at Long Point.

The park is the home base for the Long Point Waterfowl Management Unit (LPWMU), which is a controlled waterfowl hunt.

The LPWMU is open for hunting Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during the open season for waterfowl which takes place from mid-September through to mid-December.

If you are looking for information about waterfowl hunting, you can contact the Park Office.

One thing to note, while we could hear all the gunshots in the campground, hunting does not take place on park property and is not permitted within the park.

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Is Long Point Provincial Park Accessible?

We found the buildings at Long Point to be pretty accessible.

All the comfort stations allowed for barrier-free access to both flush toilets and showers.

The Park Store/Gatehouse was also barrier-free.

We did not notice any designated barrier-free campsites in any of the campgrounds.

However, we did notice a sign posted on the Comfort Station bulletin board showing Accessible Beach Chairs for rent at the Park Office.

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Are Pets Allowed at Long Point?

Yes. Dogs are welcome at Long Point Provincial Park.

Pets are allowed at the campground and in the day-use area but must be leashed at all times.

As we mentioned earlier, you will find a small pet beach area at the far end of the day-use area.

The dog beach was just as sandy and pleasant as the regular beach.

Just a reminder, dogs are not allowed in the other areas of the beach.

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Is There Winter Camping at Long Point?

No. The park is not open for winter camping.

However, cross-country skiing and hiking are permitted on the park roads.

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Our Park Rating

We give this park 3 out of 5 stars for having:

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Final Thoughts

Long Point was a wonderful experience.

This park was on the smaller side but had plenty of activities available to keep the whole family busy.

We really enjoyed the beautiful beach and the private campsites.

Our only regret was that we didn’t book our stay during the summer months.

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Pin This Post for Later!

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