Bass Lake Provincial Park

Located no more than a few minutes from the area where Westridge and Highway 12 converge is the Bass Lake Provincial Park. There are two entrances to the park - the main entrance to the campground area is a short distance along Bass Lake Sideroad, while the entrance to the beach area is located on Line 15 N of Oro Medonte (turn off Highway 12 and head past the cottages and residences until you see the entrance to the park).

The entrance at the beach has a smallish parking area, but holds a sufficient number of cars for "day-trippers". There is a daily entrance fee, and this can be paid at the auto teller located in the parking area, or by walking up to the "back end" of the park and paying the park staff in the booth.

There is a well marked swimming area and a smooth sand beach, surrounded by shaded areas containing picnic tables, water spouts and pathways to the rest of the park areas. Because this park (and the Bass Lake area in general) is almost always populated by people, some of the resident birds have become quite used to the human visitors. In the beach swimming areas you may find yourself swimming next to a mama duck with her duckings. In general, anyone bringing children to this beach should first teach their children not to try to touch any wild animals or birds, including ducks that seem tame. Nor should one throw rocks or stones at them (which we've seen many times), and children should not feed bread, crackers or other human food to the ducks or ducklings. This is not appropriate food for them. If you think ahead, spend a little time researching what it suitable for ducks and birds, and bring some along for your kids to feed the ducks without harming them.

The camping areas are numbered, and consist mostly of rough-hewn camp spots with water outlets. There are permanent bbq pit areas, as well as picnic shelters, washroom facilities, and small boat rentals throughout out the park. At the far end of the camping areas are more parking spots, these are paved areas and there is a paved boat launch and docks in this area as well.

Leading from the paved parking areas you'll find a boardwalk that heads into a wetlands marsh - a nature trail where one can walk suspended just above the marshy ground. Here there are small marsh animals and birds, wildflowers and water plants. Be sure to wear some inspect repellent if you plan on walking through here.

To get information for reservations or directions, you can access the Bass Lake Provincial Park page on the Ontario Parks Website.

The soft glow at the end of the day, just after the sun dips below the horizon - Bass Lake, Orillia, Ont. (Oro-Medonte Twp, just outside of Orillia) Taken from Bass Lake Provincial Park.

Orillia and Oro-Medonte Township - just outside of Orillia lies Bass Lake Provincial Park. This photo shows the beach and adjacent park area at early evening on a Thanksgiving weekend. The sun, low in the sky, warms the beach and autumn colours. Bass Lake Provincial park has two entrances, one is here at the beach area, and the other at the opposite side of the park where the camping area is. This second entrance lies a short distance from the Langman Wildlife Sanctuary on Bass Lake Sideroad.

 

Early October at Bass Lake Provincial Park near Orillia - this is the area adjacent to the beach seen in the photo above. To the right you can see a couple of cars, so there are still visitors to the park, even this late in the season.

One of the many pathways at Bass Lake Provincial park that wander lazily through the forested areas. This one leads from of the back parking areas all the way to the beach area.

 

Boat Launch available at one of the parking areas at Bass Lake Provincial Park (above and below). Unless there are many boats in the park, there is sufficient space to park a boat trailer here as well.

 

One of the picnic pavilions available at Bass Lake Provincial Park Orillia - covered with a tin roof and surround by stone "half-walls" these offer protection from both the hot sun, or the rain.

A watery woodpile of fallen trees and driftwood logs at the edge of Bass Lake in a sheltered corner where the fog collects over the waters. This one was taken from Bass Lake Provincial Park.



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