Georgian Bay Islands National Park
Address City
P.O. Box 28 Honey Harbour
Province Country
ON Canada
Postal Code Phone
P0E 1E0 705-756-2415
 
Fax: 705-756-3886

Location: Lake Huron. Access is by boat only. Easy access from Honey Harbour. From the south take the 400 from the 401 in Toronto well passed Barrie to exit 156 where you pick up the 5 which takes you to Honey Harbour. From the north take either the 69 south from Sudbury or the 11 from North Bay. The 69 connects to the 400 while you have to connect to the 400 by way of the 12 in Orillia (there are a few other connector options as well) from the 69. Location Map - Area Map

Weather: Honey Harbour Forcast
Marine Forcast

Season: Open year-round.

 

 
Camping in the shade of one of the Canadian Shield's classic pines. .
 
Hiking: There are 11 hiking trails in the park, ranging from 0.3 km to 8.2km

Cambrian Trail: 2km, Easy. A short walk through classic Canadian Shield the trail is a loop off of the Fairy Trail in the north of Beausoleil Island.
Fairy Trail: 2.5km Easy - Intermediate. A winding trail through collees and hills on the shores of Goblin and Fairy Lakes. It can be reached from the Rockview Trail in the north of the island.
Rockview Trail: 1.5km, Easy. A short trail overlooking Long Bay it connects the Fairy and Dossyonshing Trails to the Huron in the north of Beausoleil Island.
Dossyonshing Trail: 2.5km, Easy. A rather beautiful area that contrasts marshes and ponds with hardwood forest. This is an easy walk. The trail can be reached from the Huron via the Rockview Trail in the north end of Beausoleil Island.
Massasauga Trail: 2km, Easy. The trail gets its name from the endangered Massasauga Rattlesnake which along with other reptiles and amphibians take shelter in this area.
Portage Trail: 0.3km, Easy. The trail gets its name from its use by the the first nations peoples and early settlers.The trail goes through a wetlands area.
Huron Trail: 8.km, Intermediate, Mixed Use. The trail moves through the transition zone between the lowlands and the Canadian Shield country. It streaches along the eastern side of the big island and connects with several other trails and provides access to a number of the backcountry campsites. This is a good trail for bird watchers.
Georgain Trail: 5km, Intermediate. A shoreline trail along the west side of Beausoliel Island that takes you over stone and sandy beaches as well as the outcroppings of the shield. The trail connects to the Huron at the southern tip and northern section of the island. It can also be reached from the Christian Trail. A nice choice on a sunny afternoon.
Treasure Trail: 3.8km, Easy. The name comes for local lore of treasure buried in the area. The trail follows a ridge out to Treasure Bay. The trail can be reached in the south from Cedar Springs campground on Beausoleil Island.
Firetower Trail: 1.3km, Easy-Intermediate. This trail is a must do, after some climbing you are rewarded with an excellent view of Papoose Bay. The trail can be reached halfway along the Christian Trail.
Christian: 1.5km, Easy-Intermediate. The trail bisects the lower part of Beausoleil Island. connecting Cedar Springs campground to the group camping area at Christian Beach on the west coast.


Backpacking: The park is in a spectacular setting in Georgian Bay, just off shore. The backpacking trail is on Beausoleil Island, which is only accessible by water. Beausoleil is the parks main island and consists of lightly wooded areas mixed with rocky shores and sand. The trails are most secluded on the back side of the island which also unfortunatly provides the longest stretch without a campsite. There is 24 km of trail and there are 15 camp areas along the way. If you want an extended outting.head south from Cedar Springs campground Beausoleil Point campsite along the Huron Trail. The next day head north along the islands west coast on the Georgian Trail where you can connect with either the Rockview or Massagauga Trail and head for one of several campsite in the north of the park. You can return to your kick off point by following the Huron Trail (branch off on the Treasure if you want another route) back to Cedar Springs. This is only one of several routes you can stitch together on the island which can range from an overnight to several days.The island is only accessible by water so if you don't have access to a boat you can hire a water taxi in honey harbour. Contact the park for campsite reservations and fees.

 
Mountain Biking: There are easy mountain biking trials through the forest and along the islands shore. Bikes are allowed on The Huron Trail, a 6 km long fire road and The Christian Trail, a 1.5 km trail across the island. These are mixed use trail so watch out for hikers. Remember the park is accessible by water only. If you don't have access to a boat you can hire a water taxi in honey harbour.
 
  The windswept shores of Beausoleil Island
Kayaking: This park is a "boating park" and is a spectacular area for sea kayaking with endless channels, bays and inlets to explore. You can sea kayak from island to island or just kayak to the large island, Beausoleil and go exploring. You'll find great camping on one of the 192 sites at any of the 15 campgrounds on the island. There are other areas on one of the parks 58 other islands where you can set up you're tent. Be aware the parks waters have a lot of boat traffic and even thought much of the area is protected, great storms can arise in a surpisingly short time. Make sure your route doesn't exceed your capabilities. If you're not an intermediate or advanced kayaker, hire a guide.Contact the park for more information.  
A shaded spot for kayak camping
Canoeing: Like sea kayaking you can canoe from island to island or just canoe to the large island. Watch for the wake of motor boats in an open canoe, especially if your loaded with gear. You'll find canoe camping at any of the 15 campgrounds on the island with a total of 192 campsites. You can rent a canoe from the marina near Honey Harbour.
 
  Kayaking is one of the best ways to access and explore Georgian Bay Islands
Maps : Federal Toporgraphic Series 1:50,000 Pentanuishene
31 D/13
You can pick up a map of Beausoleil Island at the park office.
It shows the location of the campgrounds and the islands trails.
  Camping: There are 15 campgrounds on the big island with 192 sites in total. The main campground, Cedar Springs has 87 sites, with toilets and showers available. The 105 primative sites are located along the parks shores stretching from the southern to the northern tip. These sites can be accessed by water or you can backpack in from Cedar Springs campground.
Surrounding region Central Ontario North
 

There are two group sites which must be reserved, one at Cedar Springs and a primative site at Christian Beach which you have to paddle or hiked to. All of the camping is on Beausoleil Island which is only accessible by water.

Towns/Cities/Regions

Out-There's Central Ontario North - The Muskokas, Bruce, Grey and Simcoe Counties
Out-There's Ontario

Honey Harbour - In the park
Midland - Nearby
Barrie - Nearest large center
Muskoka Tourism - Regional Tourism

Other Regions in Ontario

Out-There's Greater Toronto
Out-There's Prince Edward County

Accomodations

Blue Water Resort - Honey Harbour
Brandy's Island Resort - 705-756-2312, Cottage Rental, Honey Harbour
Picnic Island Resort - 705-756-2421, RV Campground, Honey Harbour

Water Taxi

Admiral's Marina - Honey Harbour

Kayak, Canoe Rentals and Guiding

Swift Canoe and Kayak - Rentals, Waubaushene (South of the Park)
Black Feather

Web Sites

Beausoleil Island Sea Kayaking - Trip report
Kayak Georgian Bay
Park Pictures
Islands of the Great Lakes
Georgian Adventure Dive Charters
Darren's Outdoor Page - Trip Report

 
     
The park is made up of fifty-nine islands which are part of a 30,000 island archipelago in eastern Georgian Bay. The park is home to the endangered Massasauga Rattlesnake. Make sure to pick up a brochure on the Massasauga before you go to the park. For more information click through to the park's official site online.

Official Site: Georgian Bay Islands National Park - Parks Canada

 
 
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