MacGregor Point Provincial Park - Mass Bird Migration at Sunset Point
MacGregor Provincial Park 1593 Bruce Road 33, RR#1 Port Elgin, ON N0H 2C5, Canada
Hidden lookout at Tower Trail to watch waterfowl
MacGregor Point Provincial Park offers a tranquil retreat on the shores of Lake Huron. As the snow melts, we explore the landscape that buds beneath it, and though wet, eases us optimistically into the spring.
Trip Report:
Other than booking and downloading a map of the trails, I did virtually zero planning for activities during this trip except I had the foresight to bring trail runners. I knew one thing we could count on was hiking and that Lake Huron view. We decided which trails to do on the day of.
| Type | Roofed | |
| Toronto Drive | ||
| Duration | ||
| Campground | Birch Boulevard | |
| Site | 50 | |
| Season | Spring (April 2023) |
Day 1:
Site #50: We were lucky our yurt was decked out (literally) but also figuratively with a fireplace which really added to the cozy ambiance and performed reliable. At this later winter time of year, we didn’t need to keep it on full heat. The yurts in general are placed fairly closed together so I found the window coverings had to be up for privacy at atleast one side. Otherwise spacious!
Yurt Reservations: (here)
Park Maps: hiking trails
Yurt #50 with a sheltered picnic area
Yurt interior with an electric fireplace
Old Shore Road Trail by Lake Huron
In April, the days are longer so after chucking our stuff into the yurt, we headed down Old Shore Road for a hike to see the lake views. It was a balmy day so being out here felt like a premonition of further spring days. This is a relaxing, calm walk with compacted sand.
Heading back in for the evening, we spent time plotting possible routes for a second Frontenac backpacking trip (read about our first one here).
Old Shore Road trail faces Lake Huron
Boardwalk at Old Shore Road trail at MacGregor Point
Interior of the yurt with Frontenac planning route map
Day 2:
Morning Trail RunNING at Deer Run Trail
After a heavy sleep, I was looking forward to warming up my body with a 5km jog this morning. The signage at Deer Run trail is a bit confusing since the route crosses over the campgrounds so load up a clear map or be prepared to double back sometimes. There were puddles! One area was so wet we had to make a detour but that’s the fun of outdoor running! I loved it.
Old Ridge Trail
After a meal, our afternoon was spent hiking. And hiking! The trails at MacGregor Point are quite short and not difficult so we were really able to pack them in. We essentially hiked the entire park, and that was doable wihin a day! Old Ridge is a pleasant walk - we even got to bust out our pocket trail guide for a mysterious foot print we encountered.
Melted snow make for large spring puddles
Old Ridge trail early spring view
Coltsfoot, similar to dandelions but smaller, bloom in early spring
Using our Pocket Guide to help identify footprints
Tower Trail to Observation Tower
We were looking forward to this spot the most since we read it was a *birding hotspot but we didn’t spot too much on our particular walk except for a few cranky mallards and your usually array of waterfowl. The observation area does give a beautiful panoramic views of the wetlands so it’s worth checking out for that reason alone.The view from the lookout at Tower Trail
View of the wetlands from the observation tower at MacGregor Point Park
Unintentional Birding at Sunset Point
This was the highlight of the trip! It seemed like the birding experience we didn’t encounter at Tower Trail manifested here because we witnessed what felt like a never-ending stream of Canadian Geese on their journey back home. Ironically I hadn’t brought my binoculars because I was only expecting to paint.
Mass spring migration of Canadian Geese at Sunset Point, MacGregor Point Park
Canadian Geese typically begin their northward spring migration across Lake Huron and other parts of North America in late February to early March and we were lucky to have caught them in action. They looked like upside-down ants sliding across the sky and they continued marching the entire time we stayed. The geese would land in the lake in large droves (to gossip, I assumed).
Sunset at the rock shore of Lake Huron
Plein air painting of the geese migration
Canadian Geese are really ordinary for Torontonians but we’d never in our lives seen them in such large numbers. I attached a video here (sound on) but you really had to be there to fully experience it.
Day 3: Home
All we had were quick protein bars and instant coffee for breakfast before we packed up and headed off back to the city.
Final Thoughts
Out of all the parks we tried out so far that year (3 total), MacGregor Point was what I was anticipating to be the most lowkey of the bunch, especially because we were going after the snow had melted. Early spring tends to be quiet and wet so we weren’t expecting much. But the trip ended up much better than I’d hoped and it was thanks to that grand Canadian Geese migratory display. We were at the right place at the right time and that’s the takeaway from these little getaways. You really have to put yourself into these places to see what unique experiences unfold for you.
For our camping gear list, click here.
Read another roofed trip at an oTentik at Point Pelee, a cabin at Arrowhead or more.
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A birder’s paradise, we dropped in during spring migration. Bring your binoculars!