Sandbanks Provincial Park in Picton, Ontario
A Popular Spot for Camping, Hiking, Nature, and Water Sports
Jul 28, 2009
Conveniently situated between Toronto and Ottawa, Picton, Ontario is a short drive or ferry ride from Kingston and home to Sandbanks Provincial Park. One of the most popular parks run by Parks Ontario, Sandbanks features several campgrounds for long or short stays, a number of exquisite white sand beaches, as well as day-use picnic sites for non-campers.
Sandbanks Campgrounds- Richardson’s, Cedars, Woodlands, and Outlet River
The provincial park has four accessible campgrounds with approximately five hundred campsites for tent and trailer camping. With the exception of Richardson’s, each campground is equipped with flush toilets and showers located in convenient comfort stations. Richardson’s is equipped with vault-style outhouses. Sandbanks does not offer backcountry or canoe camping, and has both electrical and non-electrical campsites.
Group camping is available in the Outlet River campgrounds. Reservations for all-sites are a must during the summer months. Bookings must be made six months in advance as Sandbanks is one of the most popular provincial parks for camping.
A park store, snack bar, and a firewood purchase station are also located along the Outlet River campsite and beach.
The Beaches of Sandbanks Provincial Park
Due to the unique location of Sandbanks Provincial Park, visitors have their choice of a number of beaches available to campers and for day-use including the popular Outlet River beach, Dunes beach, and Sandbanks beach. Open from 7am to 10pm daily in the summertime, Sandbanks’ beaches are accessible by car. Due to the vast nature of the park, not all campgrounds have beach access by foot. The Woodlands campground is not located near the park’s swimming beaches, as campers must have vehicle access to drive to the Dunes, Sandbanks, or Outlet River beaches. A 5km Woodland trail exists between the Outlet River Beach and the Dunes beach and takes approximately two hours.
The Outlet River beach area is the most popular for day trippers and is often crowded on hot, sunny days. The sand here is coarser than the Dunes beach, but is easily accessible by car and by foot. As with the Sandbanks beach, the water here is often rougher with large waves due to its unsheltered location on Lake Ontario.
The unique Dunes beach is a sheltered area off of the West Lake, inland from Lake Ontario. The Dunes gets its name from the large sand dunes that frame the shallow water. Ideal for swimming, the shallow waters warm up more quickly than the other, more exposed beaches. The Dunes have a snack bar and parking, although the actual sand dunes are only accessible by foot either through the shallow waters or a short hike up the steep sandy incline of the sand dunes.
Beach Water Sports and Activities
Water sports including boating are popular at all beaches in Sandbanks Provincial Park. As well, canoe and kayak rentals, motor boat rentals, and banana boat rides are also available either on-site or before entering the park grounds.
Canoeing and kayaking are ideal in the East Lake area and the Outlet River, although the waterways are shared with motor boats. The West Lake and Lake Ontario offer a more challenging experience due to waves and high winds.
Natural Setting- Flora and Fauna
As a provincial park, Sandbanks is located in a natural setting with many unique specimens of flora and fauna. Although not a nature reserve, Sandbanks is home to several species of birds which are prominent in the spring and fall migration periods. In the summertime, robins and blue jays are often seen at the campgrounds. There are over two hundred and forty species of bird found in the park, with bird sighting checklists available from the park. Due to its unusual setting, the area surrounding the Dunes beach offers shelter from the elements, allowing species of plants and animals not usually found in the area to thrive.
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