Point Pelee National Park, National park in Essex County, Ontario, Canada
Point Pelee stretches far into Lake Erie as a narrow peninsula that combines marsh, forest, sandy beaches, cedar savanna, and wetlands along its length. Vegetation shifts between dense woodland and open shoreline, while the shallow waters around it provide habitat for waterfowl and amphibians.
The protected area was established in 1918 when Canada designated it as the first park created specifically for conservation. Before that, Indigenous communities used the land for thousands of years until treaties in the 19th century limited their access.
French settlers named it for the bare tip of land jutting into the lake. Today visitors gather in spring and fall to watch migratory birds pass through, with thousands stopping to rest along the shoreline and through the woods.
Several walking trails lead through the different habitats and end at lookout points along the shore. During peak migration in spring and fall, an early morning visit works best when birds are more active.
Middle Island, a small island in Lake Erie, belongs to the park and sits farther south than any part of mainland Canada. It was added only in 2000, pushing the country's true southern limit even lower.
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