Awenda Provincial Park: Chasing Sunsets Along Georgian Bay

Awenda Provincial Park, 670 Awenda Park Rd. Tiny, ON L9M 0B9, Canada

Nestled along the scenic shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada, Awenda Provincial Park offers a harmonious blend of diverse ecosystems and recreational opportunities; hike, paddling, swimming and birding.

Trip Report:

I prepared a plan for us earlier on, but by the time our trip arrived we were both having a “work hangover”. Although we originally wanted to hit up all the offerings (hiking! paddling! swimming!) of Awenda Park, we decided we were going to really relax on this trip. The “take-a-nap-in-the-middle-of-the-day-for-as-long-as-you-want” type of relaxing.

Type
   
Frontcountry

Toronto Drive
   
2 hours

Duration
   
2 nights

Campground
   
Bear

Site
   
119

Season
      
Summer (July 2023)

Day 1

Site #119: the sites are surrounded by Sugar Maples and Red Oaks and have a bit more privacy than many other car campgrounds (you’ll still be able to see your neighbours, but not up close and personal). However, our particular site was nearby playground which you’ll often hear playing kids (especially during summer vacation months where even weekdays aren’t quiet) – this amenity may be perfect for families, but would be a bit noisy for couples seeking a different experience.

Camping Reservations: (here)

Our particular site was also close to a comfort station, which had a hum at night (something my partner didn’t like). The sites away from the comfort stations would be a lot better if you don’t mind the extra walk.

Things to note: there was no cellphone service at the campgrounds. We did get some reception (Bell) by the beach, but other than that you should download all your online resources ahead of time.

Site #119 is a spacious campsite that is close to the comfort station and playground

One of the more private neighbouring campsites at Bear Campground

Dinner + a Movie, Camping-style

Because this park was close to the Toronto, we left late (slept in) and arrived later in the afternoon. After setting up camp we nixed our ambitious - though leisurely -10km hike at the Bluff Trail and I instead set up to do some painting. W’s favorite basecamp pass time is to food prep way earlier than he needs to so he did that (don’t worry, we didn’t burn the plastic bag!).

Camp food: preparing kabobs for dinner — Camp meal: preparing kabobs for dinner

By nightfall, we cozied up in our tent. Yes, we brought a laptop to watch shows. This is car camping! Our favorite thing to watch while on our trips is Alone.

Day 2

Paddling Kettle’s Lake

We actually visited Georgian Bay first to see if the shorelines were calm enough for our inflatable paddle boards but the waves were heavy. We saw a couple kayakers but decided the waters were too strong for our iSUPs. Kettle’s Lake on the other hand is tiny which means calm flat waters that would be perfect for our inflatable paddle boards.

*Note: that there are no motorboats here! Which makes it even smoother.

The lake is popular for swimming and picnics being close to Wendat Trail, so be warned that parking can be crowded by the launch. So come early!

Kettle lake stand-up paddle board — *Kettle’s Lake* stand-up paddle board

No motorboats at Kettle Lake — No motorboats at *Kettle’s Lake*

We wrapped up paddling much quicker than I anticipated. Because Kettle’s Lake is so small, you’ll make loops around here quickly. Great for leisurely paddling, but experienced paddlers may get bored. So we added a hike through Wendat Trail right after because it circled the perimeter of the lake and we were there anyways.

Hiking Wendat Trail + Bird Watching

There are a tons of birds by the boardwalk: great for birding! We saw raptors, crows, and unidentified passerines that were too quick for us. The trail itself is worn down well - this would actually be a great loop to trail run!

Birding at Wendat Trail at the boardwalk

Watching the Sunset at the Beach

After having a quick dinner at camp, we headed to the beach shore to catch the sunset. *Beach #1 has the best view. There are plenty of benches to have your dinner here and the park generally quiets down so it's not as noisy.

You can swim here, but the water is extremely cold! And the waves are strong, so I would only recommend it for experienced open water swimmers. We just dipped our toes in, and I did a bit more painting before sunset.

Day 3

Breakfast before Hitting the Road

Because we nixed a morning swim (and trail run), we had a slow breakfast then decided on a last minute stop at Barrie enroute to visit some secondhand shops before beelining it back to Toronto.

Camp meal: breakfast sandwiches with cheese, egg, patties on an English muffin toasted over a portable stove

Final Thoughts:

Awenda was a recommendation from a friend and we loved our time there; you get access to a variety of scenery. And it’s one of the better parks for car camping. I would say, you could have a short trip here and you’d have a lot to do and come out satisfied without necessarily having to strain yourself. Although one thing I noticed when we were there was that we didn’t see any squirrels?! Is that normal? Was it just us?

For our camping gear list, click here.

Read another car camping trip at Silent Lake, Rockwood, or more.