I camped for the first time at Cyprus Lake in 1987 when it was still part of an Ontario provincial park. This small, shallow, warm lake lies on top of the escarpment, a 10 minute hike from the cliff face over Georgian Bay.
Around the time the escarpment was designated a Biosphere Reserve, Cyprus Lake became incorporated into Bruce Peninsula National Park. This, combined with Fathom Five National Marine Park, occupies a large portion of the mainland tip of the peninsula near Tobermory, the surrounding waters of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and their islands.
The adventure begins
On the first night we arrived last August we had just pitched tent and I had barely tucked the girls into their sleeping bags when we heard rustles in the undergrowth near our campsite. Shining a flashlight into the woods, Marian and Brenna discovered two juvenile snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in summer pelage, not an arm's length from their tent window. Within a few minutes we discovered the mother, somewhat shier, waiting not far away.As well as a great place to observe wildlife, the two national parks in the this area offer numerous outdoor experiences:
- Camping or day visits to Flowerpot Island.
- Numerous caves to explore along the face of the escarpment.
- Excellent opportunities for underwater diving.
- Glass-bottom boat tours of shiprecks, historic lighthouses, underwater features of the escarpment, and the flowerpots.
- Extensive self-guided hiking trails.
- Swimming in refreshing waters of Georgian Bay, or the warmer water of Cyprus Lake.
- Wide beaches and dunes on the western side of the peninsula at Singing Sands and Dorcas Bay.
- Fishing.
- Canoeing and kayaking.
The thrill of a lifetime
Our first experience of the Bruce Peninsula as a family was so rewarding, and my daughters revealed such adaptability to the camping experience, that we stayed four nights. This year we are planning six.Probably the highlight of our time there last year was the glass-bottom boat tour. The sun was warm, the wind and swells were high, and the clean water of Georgian Bay sprayed my daughters happy faces. It was a moment in our lives I will never forget, and that I have commemorated in my poem, Ontario stone.
Parks Canada superficial
What I find unforgivable about the website for Bruce Peninsula National Park is it gives practically no mention of one of the area's most vital habitats. In fact, a keyword search of Parks Canada turns up not a single reference to alvars. It seems a shame that government
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