Craigleith Provincial Park
Just north of The Blue Mountains and tucked in between Highway 26 and Georgian Bay this small park is capable of leaving a big impression. For us, Craigleith Provincial Park will always be a special place as it is the first park Molly went camping. The memories of her creating crop circles in the reeds at the dog beach and splashing the water on the shale will last a lifetime.
Craigleith Provincial Park is fairly limited in what it has available to its visitors. There is the dog beach, a soccer field, a children’s play area and that’s about it. There is a small day use area at the east end of the park that has a couple of fire pits and picnic tables. For the hikers there is the Georgian Trail that passes by the campground connecting Meaford and Collingwood and there is also the Bruce Trail, but there is nothing specific to the park itself.
One of the best things Craigleith Provincial Park has to offer is its sunsets. When the sun sets over the west end of the park all of the little puddles along the shale beach light up and because they’re so still it’s like having hundreds of little mirrors all over. We were in awe of the sight and watched the sun go down every night. The shale beach covers about 80-90% of the shoreline in the park and the rest which is muddy and rocky is reserved for pets.
A downside to the park is that the highway can be a bit noisy, even at the water. If you have troubles falling asleep with noise in the background you may need to bring earplugs. If you’re looking to go swimming then you’ll have to make the 30 minute drive over to Wasaga Beach Provincial Park as the shale shores of Craigleith would be difficult to navigate. The good news is your permit from the park will get you into Wasaga for free!
If you’re looking for a great adventure then this park might not be for you, but if you’re looking for a simple getaway or a stopover on a longer trip, this park won’t disappoint!
[nggallery id=2]Additional Resources:
http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/crai.html
