Visiting Rondeau Provincial Park
Rondeau is an hour further east than Point Pelee and far less crowded. If you are making a multi-day trip out of Lake Erie migration, this is the obvious second day.
Getting there
| From | Distance | Drive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leamington / Point Pelee | ~75 km | 1 hour | — |
| London, ON | ~110 km | 1.25 hours | — |
| Toronto, ON | ~290 km | 3 hours | — |
| Detroit, MI | ~160 km | 2 hours + border | — |
Distances and times are approximate, and assume you are not sitting in traffic.
Which day to pick
Weekends here are still manageable in May. That is the main argument for choosing it over Point Pelee if your dates are fixed.
Parking and entry
Provincial park day-use permit required per vehicle. Lots are rarely full outside holiday weekends.
A day that works
First light
Tulip Tree Trail
Boardwalk through flooded slough. This is the Prothonotary Warbler habitat, and it is best at dawn when they are singing.
Mid-morning
Spicebush Trail
Dense Carolinian understorey for Hooded Warbler and Acadian Flycatcher.
Late morning
Visitor Centre feeders
An easy, productive sit-down once the morning movement slows.
Afternoon
South Point Trail and the beach
Open country, raptors overhead, and terns and gulls along the shoreline.
What is on site
- Visitor Centre with feeders that are worth twenty minutes on their own
- Tulip Tree, Spicebush and South Point trails
- Campground and seasonal cottages inside the park
- Beach access on both the lake and the bay
What to bring
- Binoculars with genuine close focus for slough birding
- Insect repellent, which the sloughs will have earned by June
- Ontario Parks day pass, bought ahead on busy weekends
- Rubber boots for the wet trails
Forgot something?
Pelee Wings Nature Store is at 636 Point Pelee Dr. in Leamington, open 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day. Straps, harnesses, rain covers and field guides, plus the largest stock of binoculars in Canada to compare side by side.
Plan next spring migration and carolinian breeding season at Rondeau
We send arrival timings and trip-planning notes ahead of each season, so you can pick your dates before the good weekends fill up.
One email a week in season. Unsubscribe any time.
Official information
Fees, opening hours and shuttle times change from year to year. Check them at the source rather than taking our word for it.