Visit & Tour 2008 - (Page 45) Tourism Services & St. Thomas Times-Journal, February 2008 • www.elgintourist.com Come and See the Beauty in Elgin County PORT BURWELL PROVINCIAL PARK 519-874-4691 Located in southwestern Ontario, west of the Village of Port Burwell, Port Burwell Provincial Park offers natural environments including woodlands and beach savannas. It features a 2,000-metre beach and an impressive dune system. The water is shallow and warm and the sandy beach is vegetation and rock free. Port Burwell is one of the best locations along the Lake Erie shoreline to witness the amazing spectacle of both spring and fall bird migration. Perhaps the most thrilling aspect is the fall migration of hawks, vultures and eagles. You can also see monarch butterflies, blue jays and dragonflies on their spectacular migrations. More than 85 species of migratory birds have been spotted here in the spring. Lake Erie presents a barrier to these seasonal movements so the flow of migrants concentrates at and moves along the shoreline west to where the lake narrows and is easier to cross. A wide variety of flora also thrives in Port Burwell Provincial Park . Small sections of mature beech, maple and oak forests grow in the shelter of the bluffs .The flat, wet areas below the bluffs support a complex community for both plants and wildlife. There are 232 private campsites throughout the woods, 123 with electricity. There are also two group camping sites that provide a more rustic experience for groups of 25 to 100 people. Boat launching and docking facilities are located near the park. Angling is excellent in this part of Lake Erie but a boat is recommended.There are fishing opportunities along Big Otter Creek as it enters the lake. Nature trails, country roads and nearby quaint villages make for excellent day tripping opportunities. Port Burwell Provincial Park is open from the second Friday in May to Thanksgiving. PORT BRUCE PROVINCIAL PARK 519-874-4691 Port Bruce Provincial Park is open for day-use only and is located right in the Village of Port Bruce on Lake Erie.The nearest provincial campgrounds are at Port Burwell Provincial Park located 20 km. east. Facilities include a nice sandy beach, flush toilets, picnicking and an outdoor restaurant on site. Park operating dates are from the 2nd Friday in May to Thanksgiving Weekend. JOHN E. PEARCE PROVINCIAL PARK 519-874-4691 The park is located in the Carolinian region.The only area in Canada where flora and fauna, more common to the central United States, grow and thrive. A sense of serenity and dignity pervades the centuries old hardwood forest with its array of colourful wild flowers and a place in Ontario’s history. The park is in the heart of what was the Talbot Settlement. A drive through this areas is like "a trip back in time". Bluffs rising 33 metres above the lake provide a magnificent view along the Lake Erie shore. John E. Pearce is a day-use park only, providing a serene location for leisurely nature walks or picnics. Visit the Backus-Page "living museum" or hike the trails located in the north section of the park. Stop at the nearby St. Peter’s Anglican Church, build in 1827 and its cemetery where Colonel Talbot is buried. Park operating dates are from the first Friday in June to Thanksgiving. AYLMER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA 519-773-9241 Located northeast of the town of Aylmer, this WMA is popular with hikers and Bird Watchers and is one of the best spots in North America to view migrating shorebirds and Tundra swans. Three blinds are available for hunting ducks and geese Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between half an hour before sunrise and noon during the open season. FINGAL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA 519-773-9241 Located west of the hamlet of Fingal on County Road #16, there are over 2 kilometres of hiking trails winding through this property. The hunting of small game is permitted free of charge on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during the open season. CALTON SWAMP WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA 519-773-9241 Located southeast of Aylmer near the hamlet of Calton, the WMA has two kilometres of hiking trails and six hunting blinds where migratory game bird hunting is permitted Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between half an hour before sunrise and noon during the open season After Nov 1st, small game hunting is permitted throughout the property. SPRINGWATER CONSERVATION AREA 519-773-9037 Located off regional road #5 in Aylmer, the area offers many exciting activities throughout the year. There is a hundred metres of sandy beach, 14-acre pond, a fish dock, playgrounds and concession stands. From May to October, there are open picnic areas with firewood and elgin county parks 45 barbecues. The forest at Springwater is one hundred and fifty hectares of mature Carolinian Canada Forest. There is eight kilometres of trails in the forest with wheelchair accessibility. Seasonal camping sites are open from May to October. HAWK CLIFF Hawk Cliff Wildlife agreement is located at the end of Elgin Road 22 on the Lake Erie shoreline. The inability of most birds to cross large bodies of water results in the mass flights that result over Hawk Cliff. Some migration actually begins at Hawk Cliff. This wildlife area has been recognized by naturalists as being one of the best locations in North America to observe the annual autumn migration of raptors (birds of prey).The bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and rough-legged hawk are some of the birds visitors can view from Hawk Cliff. For more information contact Al Hurst at 519-633-4235 or visit the website at http://www. ezlink.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm • Sandy beach for swimming and canoeing • Excellent fishing, hiking & picnic area • Book your summer vacations close to home in a natural relaxing setting • Camping open from May 16 to October 6, 2008 For information contact, CATFISH CREEK CONSERVATION AUTHORITY 8079 Springwater Rd., RR#5, Aylmer, ON N5H 2R4 Phone: 519-773-9037 Website: www.catfishcreek.ca South of Hwy #3 at Orwell between St. Thomas & Aylmer http://www.elgintourist.com http://www.ezlink.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm http://www.ezlink.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm http://www.ezlink.ca/~thebrowns/HawkCliff/index.htm http://www.catfishcreek.ca http://www.catfishcreek.ca
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