Are you considering visiting Petroglyphs Provincial Park? Well, you have come to the right place.
This park is not what I expected. Unlike other Canadian parks, such as Bon Echo Provincial Park and Lake Superior Provincial Park, where the glyphs are next to lakes, these are located in an amazing building and are much easier to view. Also, there were more petroglyphs here than anywhere else in Canada.
When I arrived at the Park Office, they asked me whether I was there for hiking or to see the petroglyphs. That about sums up this park, as there are basically 2 activities. Yes, you can do both as I did.
Use this helpful guide about the Petroglyphs Provincial Park to learn about visiting the Petroglyphs site, exhibit area, hiking trails, a meromictic lake, and how to make reservations for your own visit.
Getting to Petroglyphs Provincial Park
It is located in North Kawartha, Ontario, north of Peterborough and about 192 km from Toronto (just over a 2-hour drive).
Take Highway 28 north of Peterborough and pass the Burleigh Falls Trent-Severn Waterway locks, and at Woodview, turn right onto County Road 56, also known as Northeys Bay Road.
Drive a winding 11-12 km route to 2249 Northeys Bay Road, and you will find the park on your left. You are not done yet, for it is a long, winding 5-6 km drive through the forest passing the McGinnis Lake Day Use area until you arrive at the main parking lot.
There are 3 parking lots: the main lot, the adjoining overflow lot of the same size, and a lot for Seniors and buses, which is located closer to the Petroglyphs Site. McGinnis Lake has additional parking.
Petroglyphs Provincial Park Hours of Operation
Petroglyphs Provincial Park is open from early May to early October and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays in the spring and fall, with the exception of Holiday Mondays. There are also some evening events in the summer.
Insider Tip: depending on your provider, you may not get cell phone service in the park; I couldn’t.
Learning Place Visitor Centre
A fairly long walk through the woods, passing a pair of vault toilets and then taking the right fork on the wide gravel trail (the left fork is a hiking trailhead), brings you to the Visitor Centre. Upon entering, there are Ontario Parks staff to provide maps and answer questions. There were also washrooms here.
The Park Warden, who was also standing there, requested my license plate number as he was about to head out to check the permits for the cars in the parking lot and mentioned it was quicker if he got my license plate in advance.
Inside the Learning Place Visitor Centre, and to the left, was the Park Shop with souvenirs, snacks, and ice cream, and also where you could purchase permits if you hadn’t in advance.
To the right was a theatre where the film “The Teaching Rocks” is shown to groups. Nicely displayed were several exhibits to discover more about the traditions of the Ojibway (Nishnaabe) people of the region. Exhibits included a tepee, tools, clothing, pictures of petroglyphs with sayings, and other artifacts.
You then follow the turtle (sign) outside the doors for about 300 metres.
The Turtle – Your Messenger in the Park
The turtle is a time-honoured manitou in native mythology for her service in the creation of the world. The turtle was rewarded the position of messenger. You will see turtle signs throughout the park.
Petroglyphs Site
This sacred site is known as “the rocks that teach” or “The Teaching Rocks” and is home to the largest concentration of indigenous rock carvings (or Petroglyphs) in Canada. These sacred petroglyphs have been carved into the stone by the Anishinaabe people over thousands of years.
And what a building it is, located with a very high ceiling and massive glass panels on 7 sides, all surrounded by a forest. Inside is a circular walkway with a viewing platform around a rock face. The rock face is slanted downwards with over 1000 Petroglyphs in clusters and crevices running through.
There is no guided tour, but 3 very knowledgeable Ontario Parks staff explained things when asked in great detail. I learned far more that way from them, which made for an interesting visit.
The teaching rocks consist of marble with carvings made by using the harder granite. Some I thought were arrowheads and were corrected by the Ontario Parks staff as they are a “head of a spirit”. Others included faces, snakes, turtles, canoes, and deer.
A small rock table held native artifacts, including a bowl, a feather, a horn, a turtle carving, cedar branches, and other items. Four signs lined the walkway about turtles, snakes, human fertility, and the thunderhead (guardian of the people),
I learned from Ontario Parks staff that at times, especially in the spring and fall, the crevices fill with water and you can hear a bubbling sound, which staff said was so cool. However, the indigenous people consider these sounds to be those of the Spirits speaking to them.
There are several humidifier monitors to control ventilation.
Evening Tours at Petroglyphs Provincial Park
On selected evenings in the summer, you can experience the Kinoomaage-Waabkong, also known as the “Teaching Rocks”. You can enjoy the carvings and learn about some of their meaning during the one-hour after-dark guided tour.
Call to reserve your spot at (705) 877-2552. You can enter between 7 and 8 p.m., park in the seniors’ parking lot, and must depart by 10 p.m. You should bring a flashlight.
Group Tours
Guided tours are available for public groups and school groups throughout the operating season. The tour includes watching the film “The Teaching Rocks.”
No Photographs at the Petroglyphs site
To respect the indigenous culture, no photographs are permitted at the Petroglyphs site, and there are plenty of signs stating that.
While I was talking with an Ontario Parks staff member, she asked to be excused for a second. She had seen someone taking a photo and walking out. She caught up to them outside the doors and had them delete the photo. The rule regarding no photographs is strictly enforced.
However, you are permitted to take photographs throughout the rest of the park, and I took many along the hiking trails.
Rules about Dogs
As this is a sacred place, the indigenous community has requested that dogs not be present at the Petroglyphs site. There are benches available on the way to the site, 100 metres away, where visitors with dogs can wait.
Dogs are permitted throughout the rest of the park as long as they are leashed, and I saw several on the hiking trails.
History of the Petroglyphs site
The site was discovered in 1954 by a prospector, and the rock face was covered at the time. The pavilion was built in the early 1980s, some 30 years later. They have discovered artifacts here that are 6,000 years old.
Originally, some of the Petroglyphs were coloured with wax to make them stand out more; however, this practice was later discontinued at the request of the First Nations people, so only a small number were completed.
In 1981, because of its heritage value, it was also designated Peterborough Petroglyphs National Historic Site of Canada. It is one of over 1,000 National Historic Sites in Canada, with 171 administered by Parks Canada, although this one is not one of them.
Hiking Trails at Petroglyphs Provincial Park
Hiking in Petroglyphs Provincial Park is relatively easy, but you will have to take care, as there are some rocks, roots, and small hills. I understand there are beavers, otters, and white-tailed deer in the park, but I only spotted squirrels & chipmunks.
As I mentioned, the 3 hiking trails are rated moderate by Ontario Parks, but I found they are more on the easy side. They all go through forests and marshes and have sections of boardwalks. The trails are all connected. I used AllTrails for trail planning.
There are some picnic tables at the trailhead for the Nanabush & Marsh Trails and by the Learning Place.
Nanabush Trail (5.5 km) – also known as the Red Trail and Minnow Lake Trail. This is the most popular trail and was certainly very busy on the weekday I was there.
Follow the red blazes and, as with many trails in the area, expect rocks and roots with a few short, sharp rises (8% estimated grade). There are 3 boardwalks; the first one in particular is in need of repair, as part of it was collapsing into a stream, but it is still passable.
This is an out-and-back trail, and during my July walk, there were a few bugs around, but it wasn’t too bad. Also, there was an occasional muddy section.
Everyone seemed to stop when arriving at the very scenic Minnow Lake for a snack, lunch, or to just enjoy the view sitting on the rocks high up over the water.
Marsh Trail (7 km) – With blue blazes, this loop is combined with the Red Trail at the start before branching out. Note that some of the older signs state to follow the yellow blazes, but the trail uses blue blazes.
West Day Use Trail (5 km) – a loop trail with orange blazes connecting with the Marsh Trail for a short section. There are two boardwalk sections over streams.
McGinnis Lake Day Use Area
At McGinnis Lake, there are picnic tables and washrooms on both the east and west sides. The east side also has a picnic shelter.
The blue/green McGinnis Lake is one of only a handful of meromictic (layers of water that don’t intermix) lakes in Canada. Note that in order to protect the ecosystem, swimming is prohibited at McGinnis Lake.
Petroglyphs Provincial Park Reservations
Reserve at Ontario Parks under day use. You can obtain your permit up to 5 days in advance. As I did, you can also check online in advance. Permits are also available from the park office once you arrive.
What to Bring if Hiking
FAQs: Visiting Petroglyphs Provincial Park
What is the best time to visit Petroglyphs Provincial Park?
The park is open from early May to October. The best time to visit is weekdays from late July to September. If hiking, it can be buggy in the late spring and early summer.
How long does it take to visit Petroglyphs Provincial Park?
It takes about one hour to visit the Learning Centre & Petroglyphs site. The time to hike the trails varies, with the most popular, the Nanabush Trail to Minnow Lake, taking just over one hour.
Is Petroglyphs Provincial Park dog-friendly?
Dogs are not permitted at the Petroglyphs Site. However, you can bring dogs if leashed on the hiking trails in the park.
Wrap-Up: Petroglyphs Provincial Park
Be sure to check out my posts on Lake Superior Provincial Park Petroglyphs and nearby hiking in Algonquin Provincial Park and other Ontario Provincial Parks near Toronto. Crawford Lake Conservation Area also has hiking trails plus First Nations longhouses and exhibits.
Many visitors return simply to tackle the various hiking trails in the park.
If interested in indigenous culture, Petroglyphs Provincial Park is certainly worth a visit. Many people stop while on a Kawarthas Road Trip, while others (including groups) make it a point to visit.
