Dog Friendly Vacations Ontario – One of Canada’s largest provincial park systems, Ontario Parks is full of fun recreational opportunities and adventures for you and your four-legged friend.
These parks are managed under the State Parks and Conservation Act because of their significant natural and cultural features. However, pets are an important form of entertainment for humans, so pets are restricted in parks. As a general rule, pets must be kept on a leash no more than 2 meters (approximately 6.5 feet) and are prohibited at most pools and beaches, even in areas where pets are allowed.
Dog Friendly Vacations Ontario
Pets are allowed in all provincial parks in Ontario, with some exceptions listed below. That said, some areas are better suited to enjoying the outdoors than others. To help dog owners choose the best location, here’s an overview of Ontario’s two most parks, including exercise and dog-friendly beach areas.
Huron Shores. Beachy Escape For The Whole Family
If you’re looking for a great summer interpretive program, backcountry skiing, or canoeing on Georgian Bay, you’ll find it at Awenda State Park. The destination also includes areas along Georgia’s coast that have been designated as pet beaches, where dogs are allowed to play as long as they are on a leash.
Located about an hour and a half north of Napanee, this state park is known for Mazinaw Rock, which juts 100 meters above Mazinaw Lake and features more than 260 traditional carvings. Visitors can take an interpretive boat ride across the lake to the rock. The park also features his 1.4km off-leash exercise trail for dogs and a pet-friendly beach on lower Lake Mazinau.
In addition to offering hiking trails that offer views from the highest points in town, Charleston Lake is also a popular spot for wildlife viewing, boating, fishing, and swimming. The park is perched on rocky lake and forest features overlooking the southern Canadian Shield. The park has a designated wildlife beach along Shady Ridge Beach.
Cherry Beach at Toronto’s Clark Beach Park is located on the north shore of the Outer Harbour, south of Cherry Street. The park has seven bike paths, two picnic areas, and an off-leash dog area at the west end of the beach.
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Located on Lake Ontario, Fifty Point is an 80-acre park perfect for swimming, birding, boating, picnicking, and fishing. Enjoy lakeside views from the boardwalk and shaded areas. Fifty Point has a dog-friendly beach where you can let your pet swim off-leash. However, they must be kept on a leash when they come out of the water.
A state park located between Timmins and Chapleau. It features ancient glacial hiking trails and soft sandy beaches. The shallow waters and nearby playground are especially attractive for families with young children. The park also has a pet beach area for swimming and exercise near a fish cleaning facility.
Kettle Lakes State Park has a lot to offer. Late summer blueberry picking in the Jack Pine boreal forest. 22 Kettle Springs Lakes formed by glaciers. Interpretation programs for families. He has 22 miles of attractive bike trails. Four-legged travelers can enjoy Green Lake’s designated pet-friendly areas, including an area where dogs can swim in the lake.
If you’re looking for an Ontario park with an off-leash dog beach, this is one of his top picks. Killarney Park has a dog beach next to the group camping area where pets can roam and play freely. The destination is also popular for its 6 km of walking and cycling trails, excellent sailing and windsurfing conditions, and beaches with a mix of rocky coasts and sandy beaches.
Bass Lake: A Pet Friendly, Yosemite Area Lure
Located on the northwest shore of Lake Erie, Long Point is Ontario’s fourth oldest provincial park and contains one of the richest bird and water migrations and habitats in North America. The New Park section of the park includes an off-leash dog beach and gym. However, if your dog is anywhere else in the park, it must be kept on a leash.
Located on Eagle Lake, this park is a great place for friends and family to gather, including your four-legged friends. Mixo has three deep sandy beaches and offers volleyball, basketball, disc golf, and horseback riding. Adjacent to the day use area is an animal training area with an exercise track and swimming area.
Located on the River Boyne, the park is close to both Parry Bay and Georgian Bay, with waterside campsites offering stunning views of Loch Oastler. Enjoy boating and fishing for pike, bass, and trout. The park also has a grassy exercise area with a sandy beach where dogs can swim off-leash.
Ranked as one of the “World’s 10 Best” by National Geographic, this beautiful area has 16 miles of sandy beaches on the shores of Lake Huron, as well as 10 hiking, biking, and skiing trails. Dog Beach is located along the day trail in Picnic Area 1, but dogs must be leashed, even on the beach.
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Port Burwell is located on the north shore of Lake Erie and is considered a bird paradise. A family-friendly hotel with large, spacious rooms and a children’s play area. The park also has a dog beach and pet exercise area on the east side of day parking lot No. 1. However, pets must be kept on a leash while playing.
Located in Atikokan, Canada’s canoeing capital, Quetico is home to an area known for its wilderness, including more than 2,000 lakes, sparkling waterfalls, large rock cliffs, and pine and spruce forests. Quetico’s Dawson Trail Campground also has a dog gym, dog beach, and off-leash he trail at Pickerel Point.
Mountain biking, walking, and paddling abound in Restaur, a park located between Lake Stormy and Lake Restaur. The pet exercise area is located at Bell’s Point Boat Launch and includes a small beach area where your dog can swim in the refreshing waters of Lake Restoule.
Located in an Ontario Provincial Park, Rock Point is near Niagara Falls and has three beaches. The rest of the coast consists of limestone ledges covered with exposed fossils of ancient coral reefs. Some beaches are pet-friendly. There is no pet gym, but dogs are allowed in the day use area on the west side of the beach.
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Within Rondeau Park, you can enjoy Lake Erie’s many sandy beaches and coastal wetlands with native Carolina forest, as well as canoeing, biking, fishing, and hiking. This park is also a great place for bird watching. Dogs are allowed in the designated beach area outside Beach Access 11, but they must be kept on a leash.
Sandbanks State Park is home to great trails, lots of interesting flora and fauna, and not one but two animal-friendly beaches. The first is at Outlet Beach (where the Outlet River flows into Lake Ontario) and the second is at Sandbanks Beach. These areas are open to dogs, but dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.
Sibbald Point, about an hour northeast of Toronto, is home to Lake Simcoe’s large sandy beaches, hiking trails, and boat launches. There are two pet-friendly beaches within the park.
Easily accessible from Cambridge, Burlington, Hamilton, and Guelph, Valens Lake Reserve features man-made springs and is the perfect location for a day trip or week-long visit.
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Dogs are not allowed on the main beach, which is reserved for human guests, but they can swim at the pet beach next to the play area.
This state park is home to the world’s longest freshwater beach, as well as extensive natural areas that protect shorebird and wildlife habitat. Wasaga Beach was Canada’s first provincial park to receive Blue Flag designation for its environmental stewardship. East of Beach 3, between 22
This state park in the Sudbury area is one of the best parks to walk your dog. With 1.5 kilometers of beach, the animal recreation area includes a large private beach where dogs can swim and run off-leash. There is also a place where you can have a picnic and relax while taking care of your pet.
While it’s good to know where you can camp with your dog, it’s also good to know which spots are not recommended for you or your travel companions. His four parks in Algonquin Park (Athlone, Canis Bay, Mew Lake and Pog Lake) have designated areas where pets are not allowed. It is also adjacent to Balsam Lake, Pinery, Awenda, and Voyager campgrounds.
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You can find many helpful resources in Ontario’s provincial parks that provide detailed information about laws and regulations related to dogs. But in the end, you will find many interesting and perfect places for you.
