I’m not sure if everyone in the Monroe area realizes it, but the county lies within two hours of two very nice national parks.  The first is Cleveland’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  The second is in Ontario - Point Pelee National Park.

There aren’t any mountains at Point Pelee, but there is something wondrous about the place.  Point Pelee is a long sandspit that arches down from the Canadian mainland into Lake Erie.  On each side of the sandspit, a visitor will find glorious beaches.  They are great places to picnic or watch a sunset.

The center portions of the sandspit contain forests and a variety of marshes.  Visitors can explore a historical buildings area and a very extensive nature center.

The location of the park makes it a central location for the observation of birds and butterflies.  Both tend to concentrate in great numbers at the point while waiting for good weather to cross the lake.

Trails in the park are not terribly extensive, but they can make a good hike.  I usually like to spot a car at the tip of the park and shuttle back to the Marsh Boardwalk trailhead.  Then, I like to hike to the tip by joining a variety of park trail systems.  This results in a six to seven mile hike that passes through a variety of habitats.  There is even a spot where you’ll see prickly-pear cactus.

The trail systems tend to follow the western portions of the tip.  It is possible to add additional hiking length by walking north along the east side shoreline.  The problem with this is that the marshes block any possibility of creating a loop.  So, you will have to retrace your route back.  I have hiked this beach before.  It is nice, but a bit monotonous.

Point Pelee is an ever-changing place.  In the summer, the tip will grow or decrease depending on wave action.  In the winter, the ice will sometimes build into great mounds or ice caves.  Several visits over time help to capture the whims of this dynamic park.

As with any visit to Canada, it is necessary to bring a birth certificate.  In the near future, a visit to this park will require a passport.  This will be a disastrous requirement for the economies of Michigan and Ontario, but a passport is a small price to pay for regular visits to Point Pelee and other SW Ontario natural areas.

Park Maps:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/on/pelee/visit/visit2_e.asp

Park Website:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/on/pelee/index_E.asp

I posted these older hike reports on the Great Lakes Hikes Yahoo Group:

http://extremesouthmichigan.blogspot.com/2007/06/point-pelee-national-park.html

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