General Info:
– 1 hr. 45 min. south of Toronto
– seasonal: open from May-October
– 4 campgrounds (all car/RV)
– long rocky beach along lake Erie
– shores are covered in fossils
– no boat launch area in park
– 1 hiking trail:
Woodlot (2km)
Directions:
https://goo.gl/maps/7iK4Cr9cCSUQKrgc8
The Good Stuff: Rating and Review
Rock Point was a pleasant surprise! The park itself was large, the beach beautiful and the sites accommodating for both electric-free tenting or RV pull throughs. With several play areas and beach access points in each of the four campground loops, the park felt well spaced out and maintained.
[Side note: I’m not sure if I was just lucky or if it’s the park’s own measure to ensure distancing, or if those site scalpers got owned – but I was the only person in my site loop and most I walked by were vacant. If the park had been filled to capacity, I’m curious as to how much privacy you would actually get on your site or how busy the beaches would be. In my case, I had the great luck of being the only one on the beaches or trails in several instances.]
Lake Erie’s shore at Rock Point is comprised of clusters of fossils/shell debris or sparser sandy areas. Stretching out quite a way into the lake, large flat rocks line the coast and are a welcome break from the sharp edges of most peddled lake floors. The rocks also keep it shallow for some time before suddenly dropping off into deep waters so that’s just something to be mindful of. Leading down to the water are several metal staircases at various intervals along the beach. Unfortunately, I didn’t find any beach access points, other than in the day area, that could accommodate for those dependent on wheelchairs or physical aids though.
Woodlot was the only trail really listed as a must for this park and I understand why. Well marked, very accessible and featuring a lookout over the water, it was a very leisurely walk and one you don’t have to break a sweat for. Tracing above the coastline, the sounds of the waves are a constant and there’s plenty of side paths down the steep bank to the water’s edge along the way. Short and sweet, this is a beginner or family-friendly trail that can take less than an hour.
The park map also marked another (longer looking) loop of trail on the west side of the park near the day use area. To be honest, I’m not sure if I properly found that one. The trail I did find wasn’t marked (there was a post but no sign), and didn’t seem to have been used or maintained in the past while. Mostly overgrown, the trail snaked through fields and open plains and looped back into a second day area (attached to the main one by a small bridge) that has definitely been the less popular of the two lately. It was a nice walk, but I did find myself missing those forested hikes of pines and maples and snagging roots.Rock Point gets a 3/4 stars from me. Great weather is hard to beat and the sun and beautiful sunsets definitely made this a more than ideal visit! If you’re looking to laze on a beach all day this is the place for you. The coast was definitely the centrefold of Rock Point and even just watching the storms roll in is time well spent. I left here relaxed and refreshed, which is what we all hope for from camping and it delivered in spades.
Personally, I found the hikes a bit limited and the sites generally average. And if I hadn’t been as lucky as I was, I could imagine the park getting packed and noisy on weekends and offering little privacy. So with those strikes against it, Rock Point doesn’t get 10s across the board from me, but regardless, it was a few nights very well spent and a place I’d revisit.
She Collects Campsites 