Lake Saint Peter Provincial Park is located east of Highway 127, along Lake St. Peter. It is situated in the small town of McClure, and is 40 kilometres north of Bancroft, and close to Maynooth. The park is in the municipality of Hastings County, Ontario.
With its beautiful sandy beaches, great lakes, and vast fishing opportunities, Lake Saint Peter Provincial Park is a spectacular place to visit. The park is spacious, comfortable, and sheltered by the beautiful greenery of the mixed forest. Its proximity to Algonquin Provincial Park and Silent Lake Provincial Park also add value to its location.
Lake Saint Peter Provincial Park has 65 campsites to choose from, both large and small. The park boundary is comprised of five parts. The comfort station is located inside the campground, with amenities including showers, vault toilets, and laundry facilities. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the park.
Camping
Some of the 65 campsites are hydro-sites, and no campsites are served with electricity. The water filling and dump station are located across the park office. Comfort station is in the middle of the campground and is close to all campsites. The campsites offer many facilities such as picnic tables, parking, comfort station, garbage disposal, boat launch, small beach area, and a beach volleyball net. Drinking water is also provided. All campsites except for one can be reserved through the Ontario Parks reservation system.
The campsites are flat and have standard picnic tables and fire-pits.
Hiking
Lake Saint Peter Provincial Park has 4.5 kilometres of marked hiking trails that are located north of Lake St. Peter Road, with the entrance across from the park office. The trails are fairly rugged, with two connected loops. There are upland and lowland habitats, and trees including mature hardwood and young poplar forest. The trails take you past the small kettle lake.
Lookout Trail (1.5 hours) is a 2.5 kilometre strenuous trail that crosses rugged terrain, and the kettle lake. It takes you across a path leading to a spectacular view over the beautiful lake.
Cabin Trail (2 hours) is 4 kilometres long and strenuous. It is named after an abandoned log cabin, and branches off the Lookout Trail.
Hastings Heritage Trail is located 2 kilometres from the park, and is open all-year round to hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, skiers, and recreational vehicle operators.
There are no cycling trails, however local forest access and municipal roads can be used for cycling. Hastings Heritage Trail is also open to cyclists.
Treasure hunt maps are available for children that lead them to hermit’s cabin and other locations.
Fishing
Fishing can be done at Lake St. Peter, with fish like bass and lake trout available. For best fishing results, you can try fishing by boat or canoe. Boats can be launched from the eastern side of the lake. Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats are available for rental. The lake is a great fishing location due to its clear, sparkling water. Fish species you can find here include rainbow trout, lake trout, kokanee, smallmouth bass, white sucker, and rock bass.
Other Activities
Lake Saint Peter Provincial Park offers many activities for you to enjoy. With its two sandy beaches, the park offers great swimming opportunities. Both beaches are marked with buoy lines. The larger beach is busier and offers great space for swimming, located centrally. For a quieter place, you can visit the smaller beach. Motorboats are permitted, and the boat launch is located at the eastern end.
Visitors can go hunting, as long as Ontario Hunting Regulations are met.
Lake Saint Peter Provincial Park is a beautiful and remote place, offering quiet and peace. Its closeness to Ottawa Park and Algonquin make it a desirable location to visit. Wildlife viewing opportunities are available, as the park has bird species including warblers, thrushes, chickadees, woodpeckers, and Great Blue Herons.
Contributing Authors: Sharmeen Abedi
