Canada’s Southernmost Mainland Park Is Shut for Twelve Days, on Purpose

Point Pelee National Park in southwestern Ontario is closed to all visitors from November 12 through November 23, 2026, and will reopen on November 24. The park, a narrow spit of sand, marsh and forest reaching into Lake Erie, is the southernmost point of mainland Canada and one of the country’s best-known birding destinations. Anyone planning a late-autumn walk there will need to wait until the closure ends.

The shutdown is planned. Parks Canada closes the park each year for an annual deer cull, carried out together with Caldwell First Nation. The two have worked jointly on the program since 2015, and the deer that are harvested are processed for use by Caldwell First Nation. The aim of the management program is to protect the park’s fragile Carolinian forest and savannah habitats, which are sensitive to heavy browsing.

The closure covers the whole park, including the trails, the marsh boardwalk and the shuttle to the tip, so there is no partial access during the two weeks. Point Pelee’s busiest seasons are spring and late summer, when migrating birds and monarch butterflies funnel down the peninsula, so mid-November is typically quiet in any case. Still, the timing catches some late-season visitors and photographers by surprise each year.

Visitors heading to the Leamington and Kingsville area during the closure have other options nearby, including the Lake Erie shoreline, local wineries and the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary outside Kingsville. Parks Canada posts updates on the park’s page, and travelers can call the park office at 519-322-2365 to confirm the reopening before setting out on November 24.

Sources: Kingsville Times, Parks Canada