Top 6 things to do in Thousand Islands National Park

Thousand Islands National Park, on the St. Lawrence River between Kingston and Brockville in Ontario, is one of Canada’s smallest national parks and one of its oldest, set aside in 1904. It protects some 20 islands and a few mainland properties in the Thousand Islands, where a ridge of ancient granite called the Frontenac Arch crosses the river, linking the Canadian Shield to the Adirondack Mountains. Its rocky, pine-topped islands, sheltered bays and southern forests are home to rare species such as the pitch pine and the gray ratsnake, Canada’s largest snake. Most of the park is reached by boat, canoe or kayak. These are the six outings we would put first. The order starts with what the park is known for, then goes by what an outing gives back for the time and effort it takes. Distances are approximate; times are our estimates and do not include stops.

The St. Lawrence is a busy waterway, with fast currents, boat wakes and large ships in the shipping channel: paddlers should stay close to shore and well clear of the channel, cross open water quickly, and wear a life jacket. The wind can raise rough water in minutes. There is no drinking water on the islands, so bring all you need. Poison ivy is common on the islands and trails.

1. Paddle among the islands

The best way to see the park is from a kayak or canoe, threading between granite islands topped with pine and oak, past rocky shores, quiet bays and the old summer cottages of the river, with ospreys, herons and cormorants overhead. Sheltered routes among the islands near Mallorytown Landing and Gananoque make good day trips, and outfitters in the area rent boats and run guided tours.

• Allow: half a day to a day
• Start: Mallorytown Landing, or the outfitters in Gananoque and Rockport
• When: June to September; mornings are calmer
• Suits: everyone who can paddle; beginners with a guide

2. Camp on an island

The park’s island campsites, reached only by boat, are among the most unusual in Canada: a tent pad or an oTENTik, a roofed tent-cabin, on a small granite island in the river, with a dock, a picnic table and the sound of the water all night. McDonald and Gordon islands have oTENTiks, and others, such as Camelot and Mulcaster, have campsites. Book ahead, and bring your own drinking water.

• Allow: a night or two
• Start: by your own boat or canoe, or a water taxi from the nearby marinas
• When: late spring to early fall
• Suits: anyone with a way to reach the islands and some camping gear

3. Climb to the Landon Bay lookout

On the mainland near Gananoque, Landon Bay has the park’s largest network of trails, through oak and pine forest over granite ridges. The Lookout Trail climbs to a rocky viewpoint high above the river, with a view over dozens of islands stretching away into the distance. It is the best view of the Thousand Islands you can reach on foot.

• Allow: 1 to 2 hours
• Start: Landon Bay, on the 1000 Islands Parkway east of Gananoque
• When: May to October
• Suits: most walkers

4. Walk the trails at Jones Creek

Between Highway 401 and the 1000 Islands Parkway, the park’s Jones Creek property has a network of trails through mixed forest, over granite outcrops and around wetlands and beaver ponds, where turtles, herons and many songbirds live. It is the quietest part of the park on foot, and a good place for a longer walk.

• Allow: 1 to 3 hours
• Start: Jones Creek trailhead, off the 1000 Islands Parkway
• When: May to October
• Suits: most walkers

5. Visit Mallorytown Landing

The park’s mainland centre, on the 1000 Islands Parkway, has a visitor centre with exhibits on the river and its wildlife, a picnic area and short trails. Its most remarkable exhibit is the wreck of a gunboat from the War of 1812 era, raised from the river and displayed in its own building. It is the best place to start a visit to the park.

• Allow: 1 to 2 hours
• Start: Mallorytown Landing, on the 1000 Islands Parkway
• When: late spring to early fall
• Suits: everyone

6. Look for turtles, ratsnakes and ospreys

The Thousand Islands lie where northern and southern forests meet, and they shelter a rich mix of wildlife, including several kinds of turtles that bask on logs and rocks in the bays, the harmless gray ratsnake, and ospreys nesting on the navigation markers in the river. Watch quietly from the shore or a kayak, and never disturb nests or handle the animals.

• Allow: as long as you like
• Start: the park’s trails and shorelines, or a kayak on the river
• When: May to September
• Suits: everyone

Before you go

This list covers what stays the same from year to year. Closures, campsite reservations and the opening dates of the mainland sites change, and Parks Canada posts them on its own site. The link is on our Thousand Islands National Park guide, with the map and how to get there.