Trip Rating
Description:
Lion’s Head is a beautiful small town on the Saugeen Peninsula.In the summertime the main street is bustling with tourists, hikers and kayakers. There are lots of cute shops, cafes and activities to look through while you are there. The area is also perfectly set up for sea kayaking. Lion’s Head harbour is a nicely sheltered area to setup and launch from, even it if windy, it provides a large protected area to paddle in.
Launch Spot Options:
Parking in town is at the best of times, difficult. I have attached a map of the parking situation, the most up to date version can be found here.
Option 1: The Beach
If you want the convenience of launching from your parking spot, the beach is a good option. However, depending on where you park, it can be really expensive. If you have mobility issues, this is definitely your best bet. The park has very clean and heated washrooms with running water and you can get snacks and drinks at the shop up the road.
Cost: $15 – $30 for the day
Option 2: The Marina
This option is not advertised anywhere. If you go to the marina office and pay them $5 for a kayak launch, it includes use of the specialized dock as well as day parking. If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. It can be insanely busy on weekends and it fills up very fast. Be sure to arrive early!
Cost: $5 to use the kayak launch
Trip Length:
Launching from either spot allows you to have the same trip options. Most of the time I launch there I handrail Lion’s Head provincial Park to McKay’s Harbour, round the headland and explore Barrow’s Bay and then return home. If you go the other head, you can paddle to White Smokey Head Bluff.
If you take a bit of time to explore the harbour, you can see some pretty amazing shipwrecks on a clear day. The most exciting on being a pretty decent sized tugboat in about 15 feet of water just off the C-docks. Here is some more really interesting information about that.
When you decide to leave the harbour, you are instantly met with one of the most stunning views of the Niagara Escarpment that you could ever hope for. The water turns turquoise and the towering cliffs dominate the landscape.
As you work your way up the coast, the views are incredible, I often find myself looking straight up until I get a neckache. One of the most interesting formation that you encounter is a small sea cave. It is great for getting pictures in but also big enough to be dangerous, so be careful.
I spent way too long inside taking pictures. It always seems to be cooler inside than outside in the sun too.
The scenery continues on and is absolutely beautiful the entire length of the point. Once you get to the end you can continue on and paddle past McKay’s Harbour to Barrow’s Bay. If you were anywhere else it would be a beautiful paddle but it is just not quite as dramatic as the first stretch. It is definitely worth exploring though, depending on how much time you have.
The area is also known for thick fog to come through without much warning. It has happened to us a few times. Be careful 🙂
For another trip report on the area, please visit: Paddle Adventurer – Lion’s Head
Apres Options:
My personal favourites for food after a paddle in Lion’s Head are Bear Tracks for pizza and butter tarts or The Taste Kitchen.
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This trip would require a minimum of level 2 or higher skills depending on the conditions.
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