close

Fathom Five National Park Camping

notifications Text me when there's a cancellation at Fathom Five National Park
Fathom Five National Park - daveynin
Photo: daveynin
Fathom Five National Park - mutovkin
Photo: mutovkin
Fathom Five National Park - lgoub
Photo: lgoub
Fathom Five National Park - WabbitWanderer
Photo: WabbitWanderer
Fathom Five National Park - WabbitWanderer
Photo: WabbitWanderer

Campgrounds

Campgrounds in Fathom Five National Park

Flowerpot Island

Fathom Five National Park

Overview

A brief introduction to Fathom Five National Park

Fathom Five National Marine Park is a National Marine Conservation Area in the Georgian Bay part of Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada, that seeks to protect and display shipwrecks and lighthouses, and conserve freshwater ecosystems. Parks Canada has management plans for the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, with a multi-action plan for species that are at risk, including endemic species, the Monarch butterfly, the eastern ribbonsnake, and the eastern whip-poor-will. The aquatic ecosystems in the park are also of particular interest. Many fish, shellfish, amphibians, and eels are an attraction for naturalists in the park. Much of this wildlife is accessible to scuba divers and snorkellers in the park. The many shipwrecks make the park a popular scuba diving destination, and glass bottom boat tours leave Tobermory regularly, allowing tourists to see the shipwrecks without having to get wet. Additionally, there are three main popular hiking trails found within Fathom Five National Marine Park that provides visitors with views of old growth forests and the Georgian Bay. The Saugeen Ojibway Peoples have inhabited the Bruce Peninsula and the area that is now Fathom Five National Marine Park for thousands of years. This land provided for their communities and their people with the plethora of wildlife and plant life. They provide the local knowledge about Lake Huron and its ecological value to the reserve, park, and their overall livelihood. Parks Canada and Saugeen Ojibway People's collaboration is said to yield a benefit to both parties with regard to overall ecosystem knowledge.
Many visitors camp at nearby Bruce Peninsula National Park and use the park as a base to explore Fathom Five and the surrounding area during the day.
Fathom Five also contains numerous islands, notably Flowerpot Island, which has rough camping facilities, marked trails, and its namesake flowerpots, outlying stacks of escarpment cliff that stand a short distance from the island, most with vegetation (including trees) still growing on them.
The park was established on 20 July 1987 using the area of the Fathom Five Provincial Park and the western portion of the Georgian Bay Islands National Park. The park represented a pioneering departure for the national park system, which had centred on land-based conservation until then. Its designation as a National Marine Park foresaw the creation of others, though nomenclature for such units would morph into National Marine Conservation Areas, leaving Fathom Five as the only National Marine Park. Despite its unique name, it is categorized as an NMCA and is deemed the first one in the country.

Read more about Fathom Five National Park at Wikipedia

ARE Fathom Five National Park campsites SOLD OUT?

We can help! Many campsite reservations are cancelled daily. Just tell us when you’d like to camp at Fathom Five National Park, and how long you want to camp for. We’ll text you when a suitable spot opens up!

Scan for cancellations

Contact Fathom Five National Park

Spotted an error?

Whoops! Sometimes we make mistakes. Want to help improve the Fathom Five National Park listing? Please suggest a correction.

Reviews

Camper reviews for Fathom Five National Park

Post a review for Fathom Five National Park

Be the first to post a review of Fathom Five National Park!

How was your visit to Fathom Five National Park? Share your review of Fathom Five National Park and help fellow nature-lovers make an informed decision.

Post a review
Please be nice. Around here, we try to be helpful, inclusive, and constructive.

Map

View a map of Fathom Five National Park

UNABLE TO RESERVE A CAMPSITE?

Get notified when a sold-out campground has availability

Tell us when, where, and how long you want to camp for. We’ll notify you (via SMS) when a suitable spot opens up at that campground—so you can nab that sold-out campsite reservation!

Create a scan