Turkey Point Provincial Park Camping Review & Guide

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

Just like all the other Ontario Park campsites, you can book your campsite at Turkey Point up to five months in advance of your arrival date.

This is easily done 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.

Turkey Point Provincial Park is open for camping from the beginning of May until late October.

Turkey Point Provincial Park Address:
194 Turkey Point Rd., Ontario, N0E 1T0
https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/turkeypoint

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Arriving at the Park

Once you arrive at the park, you are able to check in at the main gatehouse. This is where we also pick up our paper map, as well as our parking permit.

We arrived exactly at 2 o’clock and there wasn’t a line to check-in.

However, our stay was in late October, so I’m not sure what kind of lines to expect in the peak summer season.

We were also able to purchase our firewood at the Camp Store, which was conveniently located right by the gatehouse.

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Turkey Point Provincial Park Map

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Navigating the Park

Signage at Turkey Point Provincial Park was pretty good for the most part.

The park is quite small, so there aren’t too many roadways to get lost or turned around on.

The roadways, including the small campground roads, were in pretty good condition as well.

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Parking

You will find parking lots near the playground and picnic shelter, as well as at all comfort stations.

We even found small parking lots at the trailheads.

While we didn’t notice the lots having too many cars, this again could be the result of it being the shoulder season.

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Turkey Point Provincial Park Camping

Turkey Point Provincial Park accommodates a variety of camping styles.

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

You will also have the choice between electric and 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.

Turkey Point Provincial Park has 3 campgrounds – Walking Stick Woods, Fin & Feather, and Whippoorwill – with a total of 234 campsites.

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Campgrounds at a Glance

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Our Campsite Experience

During our first visit to Turkey Point, we stayed at campsite #87 in the Walking Stick Woods Campground.

Our site was quite large, especially for our 18-foot Teardrop Trailer. We had plenty of room to spread out.

The site was pretty level, with a packed dirt floor and plenty of canopy to keep us shaded.

And while we had great privacy to the rear and one side, there was nothing but a log between us and the neighbours on the other side.

The redeeming factor, of course, was that the sites were so big that the neighbours were not that close (we would have had to yell across the site to speak to them).

During our stay, we did have a few inconsiderate campers in the distance blaring their music into the night.

But we were pleased to see that the park rangers circled the campground several times to take care of the noise.

During a subsequent stay, we were at campsite #36 in Walkingstick Woods.

The site was pretty private, just slightly sloped, and had enough filtered sun coming in during the day.

We actually really enjoyed this site and have booked it again for our next visit!

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What Amenities Does Turkey Point Offer?

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Comfort Stations

There are two comfort stations complete with flush toilets, showers and laundry facilities at Turkey Point.

One is located in the Walkingstick Woods Campground, and the other is in the Whippoorwill Campground.

One thing to note is that the showers at Turkey Point are not separate from the bathrooms like in other Ontario Parks.

Instead, there are two shower stalls in both the men’s and women’s bathrooms.

There are no doors, just shower curtains for privacy.

And while the showers looked pretty clean, they were definitely showing their age.

All vault toilet buildings within the campgrounds also offer mini-flush toilets and vanities.

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Laundromat

A laundromat can be located at both the Walkingstick and Whippoorwill comfort station locations.

While there is only one set of machines and no laundry sink, everything was clean and in working order during our visit.

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Park Store

The Park Store at Turkey Point is pretty small.

You will find it towards the entrance of the park, next to the Park Office.

The Park Store carries some basic campers’ supplies, souvenirs, clothing, snacks, beverages, ice and firewood.

I am always happy to pick up my Park Patch when we visit a new Provincial Park.

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Playground

The main playground at Turkey Point was actually quite nice.

It’s tucked away in a nice section of forest at the entrance to the campground area.

With several different play structures and play areas, you could spend a couple of hours there with younger children.

You will also find picnic tables, water taps, and BBQs nearby, making it pretty convenient for families.

The second playground can be found in the Whippoorwill Campground and is a little smaller.

The playground is conveniently located right next to the comfort station.

There is a large grassy area surrounding the playground, which is perfect for picnics.

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Day Use Area

Turkey Point does not have a large day-use area like at Presqu’ile or even Sibbald Point.

Instead, there are several small picnic areas located in the main portion of the park.

There, you will find picnic tables, BBQs, garbage cans and drinking water taps, but no washroom facilities.

That said, you will still need to obtain a day-use vehicle permit if you decide to visit Turkey Point.

The good thing about the permit is that it is not only valid within the park, but also at the beach located a short drive away. (more on that below).

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Picnic Shelter

The picnic shelter is also located on the main road right before entering the campgrounds and adjacent to the children’s playground area.

You will find a parking lot right across the road.

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Turkey Point Provincial Park Beach

The beach is located outside the park, about two kilometres away in the village of Turkey Point.

And even though we were visiting in October, we still decided to go for a walk on the beach. We pretty much had the place to ourselves – surprise, surprise!

The beach is quite large, with nice powdery sand.

There are a number of stores, hotels and restaurants, as well as two bathrooms with vault toilets located adjacent to the beach area.

Make sure to have your parking receipt or day-use receipt with you, as there is a gatehouse you need to go through in order to park.

During our most recent visit to the park, we noticed that our parking receipt now has a barcode sticker on the back.

You need to scan the barcode to get through the gate at the beach.

The parking lot is quite large, holding 275 vehicles. But I imagine it fills up quite fast during the summer.

Keep in mind that there are no lifeguards on duty at the beach.

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What Services Does Turkey Point Offer?

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

Water

You will find the water-fill station for your trailer across from the entrance to the Walking Stick Woods Campground.

This area is completely separate from the dump station, so you won’t get stuck waiting behind people who are dumping their waste.

You will also find two water fill stations within the sanitation area.

There are also plenty of drinking water taps at pretty close intervals located in all three campground loops, as well as in the day-use areas.

There are no water hookups at the individual campsites.

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Dump Station

While there is only one sanitation area at Turkey Point, there are two dump stations.

The area is made up of two lanes, so each lane has access to the dump station.

So with one sanitation area, just expect it to be busy around check-out time.

We checked out of our campsite at about 1 pm and still found a line at the dump station.

But we didn’t have to wait too long to get through the line.

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Garbage and Recycling

There was a small area located between the playground and the sanitation station with both garbage and recycling bins.

There is a small area to pull into so that you are not blocking the road with your vehicle or trailer.

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Wi-Fi

During our first visit to Turkey Point, I found that we had very little in the way of Wi-Fi.

While I was able to make a phone call from my campsite, I had little chance to do anything online.

However, during our most recent stay in October, we had pretty good cell reception.

We were easily able to make calls, use the internet, and even stream a hockey game while sitting around the campfire (c’mon… we’re Canadian after all!).

I’m not sure if this was because there were fewer people camping, fewer leaves on the trees, or the wind was blowing in the right direction?? Ha!

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Things to Do at Turkey Point Provincial Park

1. Enjoy Some Hiking

Turkey Point has three hiking trails within or adjacent to the park.

This hike takes you from the park office to the edge of the bluff overlooking Long Point Bay and back.

There is a small parking lot conveniently located at the trailhead.

We found the path to be well-maintained, flat, and very family-friendly.

Keep in mind, you will need to cross the main road two times on this trail.

We were a little disappointed at the Lookout Point, however.

There really isn’t much to see, as there are hydro wires and houses blocking most of the view of the water.

All in all, it was a really nice trail to go for a stroll on.

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This trail begins at the north end of the Fin & Feather Campground.

You will hike along the old hatchery pond to the Normandale Fish Culture Station, around to the north boundary of the park and then retrace the trail back into the park.

We found the trail to be quite nice, but very narrow and uneven at times.

This trail is also shared with mountain bikers, so you will need to pay attention.

We did not find this trail to be well-signed. In fact, we got turned around a couple of times as signs were hidden in bushes.

But we persisted and made it to the Fish Culture Station. And guess what? There was NOTHING to see there! Ha!

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This trail is located just east of the Whippoorwill Campground.

The hike takes you through an area of plantation and naturally forested areas that have had controlled fires over the years.

We found the trail to be an easy walk with only a few obstructions on the path.

Once again, this trail was not well-marked.

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2. Go for a Boat Ride

Boating is not offered within the park.

If this is something that you are interested in, you will need to head out to the nearby marina in Turkey Point. There is a fee involved.

There is no canoe launch available within the park either.

You can launch your canoe from the main beach in Turkey Point village. From there, you can paddle westward towards the Turkey Point marsh area.

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3. Try Your Hand at Fishing

Just like with boating and canoeing, there is also no place to go fishing within the park.

However, you can fish from shore at the south end of Turkey Point village. Just head to the break wall near the marina.

If you have a boat or are planning to rent one from the marina, the fishing on Long Point Bay is excellent for bass and perch.

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4. Enjoy a Bike Ride

If you brought your bike along to Turkey Point, you are in luck.

The park offers several kilometres of hard-surfaced and park campground roads to ride bicycles.

Turkey Point also has a network of trails both within and adjacent to the park for mountain bike riders.

You can find Mountain Bike Trail Maps available online.

There were a ton of bikers on the trails each time we went to Turkey Point.

We have even seen families with younger children biking on some of the more ‘tame’ sections.

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5. Go for a Swim

The beach is located in Turkey Point village and stretches over two kilometres.

You can get to the beach via the main paid parking lot as well as two other access points. You will also find free street parking outside the main lot.

We found the beach to be very sandy and easy to walk on.

The water is generally warm and shallow with a sandy bottom and no undertow.

The swimming area is also protected by a buoy line, making it extra safe for families with younger kids.

Keep in mind that there are no lifeguards on duty at this beach.

Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) are even available for rent (with a small refundable deposit) from the parking lot entrance.

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6. Do Some Birding

Bird watching is not really a main activity at Turkey Point. However, the area is well known for bird migration.

Birders can also find the Long Point Bird Observatory located in Port Rowan, just 15 minutes outside of the park.

The Observatory offers a bird banding station along with information on many bird species that can be found in this part of the province.

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7. Take Part in the Discovery Program

During the months of July and August, Turkey Point operates an Exploration Station aimed at the younger visitors.

Pick up a Discovery Activity Book at the Exploration Station and use the equipment and materials provided to explore the park.

Kids can observe plants and animals, and learn all about the area’s ecosystems as they make their way around the park

You will find the weekly calendar of events posted throughout the park.

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Is Turkey Point Provincial Park Accessible?

Yes. We found the park to be really accessible.

All comfort stations and vault toilet buildings within the campground areas are barrier-free at Turkey Point.

There is one designated barrier-free campsite with an electrical hook-up.

Campsite #81 is located adjacent to the comfort station located in Walkingstick Woods Campground.

There is also one non-electrical barrier-free campsite.

Campsite #212 is located directly across from the main comfort station in Whippoorwill Campground.

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Are Pets Allowed at Turkey Point?

Yes. Turkey Point Provincial Park is pet-friendly for the most part.

Dogs are allowed in the campgrounds and on the walking trails.

However, dogs may not be allowed in public buildings.

Dogs must also be leashed at all times.

Turkey Point Beach also has a dog-friendly beach, as pets are not allowed on the main beach.

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Turkey Point Provincial Park Tips

As we mentioned, we visited Turkey Point in late October (the last weekend before they closed for the season).

What we really enjoyed was that the hiking trails were all decked out for Halloween!

There were props and decorations, some pretty funny “Dad Jokes” and riddles on cards hanging from the trees, and a word-search-type game to play.

Had our kids been with us that weekend, they would have enjoyed the added fun on the trails.

This was the first Ontario Provincial Park that we have been to that did this. And it would definitely be an incentive to come back!

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Is There Winter Camping at Turkey Point?

Unfortunately, there is no winter camping available at Turkey Point Provincial Park.

In fact, the park is closed through the winter even for day use.

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Turkey Point – FAQs

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Our Park Rating

We give this park 4 out of 5 stars for having:

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Final Thoughts

We had a really nice time at Turkey Point Provincial Park.

While it is a small park compared to many that we have been to (not even mentioning Algonquin here), it did have nice hiking trails and awesome campsites.

And for the most part, we found it to be quite peaceful.

And since we have already booked a return visit for the upcoming camping season, mostly to try out the beach, that should indicate that we enjoyed our stay.

Hopefully, with our park guide and review, we have made a convincing case for you to add Turkey Point Provincial Park to your must-see campground list!

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