On our third day at Bon Echo we decided to pack a lunch, park at the north parking lot and take a walking tour of Bon Echo. We could have easily walked to that area from our campsite but I needed my video equipment and we didn’t want to carry our lunch around with us.
The park was very easy to walk around with its paths and roads from one place to the other. The first thing we had to figure out was that the map wasn’t even remotely to scale, so we were often surprised how quickly we arrived to an area. Whether walking or biking, you can easily get from one place to another in this park, not including the more remote area on the west side of the highway.
We started our walk by checking out the walk-in sites. The path to the sites was well maintained, somewhat narrow, but the scenery was gorgeous. These sites are very private and highly sought after.
From there we checked out the north boat launch and the North Beach. The North Beach seemed sandy on land but probably had more small rocks once you were in the water than the main beach does. We didn’t swim at this beach because it wasn’t pet-friendly.
Sitting at the Narrows after lunch, we watched several people climbing while we shared some snacks with Chloe. We were told that you needed a permit or permission to climb the Mazinaw Rock, so plan ahead if you’re hoping to do that. Check out the Alpine Club of Canada, I believe they have a special relationship with the park. Climbers are required to use only specified routes due to environmental concerns. There is a peregrine falcon nesting program and some 900-year-old cedars growing on the cliffs. Some of the cool-sounding climbs at the park are the Atomic Marshmellow, Squirrel 5.0, Tumbling Dice, Crazy Paving and The Last Shall Be First!
In the evening we made some quick, but delicious Basil Parmesan Orzo (look for the video on our YouTube Channel). After dinner, we went for a swim and then relaxed.
The next day we continued our walking tour of the park and visited the Amphitheatre, the Narrows, the Lagoon, Main Beach, the Pet Exercise Area and Beach and finally the South Beach. We took some pictures, but the videos of the park will probably be more informative if you’re wanting to check it out before you go there for yourself.
