Point Pelee National Park

Point Pelee National Park
Parc national de la Pointe-Pelée
Boardwalk in April
Map showing the location of Point Pelee National Park
Map showing the location of Point Pelee National Park
Location of in Canada
Map showing the location of Point Pelee National Park
Map showing the location of Point Pelee National Park
Location in Southern Ontario
LocationOntario, Canada
Nearest cityLeamington, Ontario
Coordinates41°57′51″N 82°31′4″W / 41.96417°N 82.51778°W / 41.96417; -82.51778
Area15 km2 (5.8 sq mi)
Established29 May 1918
Visitors491,122 (in 2022–23[1])
Governing bodyParks Canada
Map
Official namePoint Pelee
Designated27 May 1987
Reference no.368[2]

Point Pelee National Park (/ˈpiːliː/; French: Parc national de la Pointe-Pelée) is a national park in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada where it extends into Lake Erie. The word pelée is French for 'bald'. Point Pelee consists of a peninsula of land, mainly of marsh and woodland habitats, that tapers to a sharp point as it extends into Lake Erie. Middle Island, also part of Point Pelee National Park, was acquired in 2000 and is just north of the Canada–United States border in Lake Erie.[3] Point Pelee is the southernmost point of mainland Canada,[3] and is located on a foundation of glacial sand, silt and gravel that bites into Lake Erie. This spit of land is slightly more than seven kilometres long by 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) wide at its northern base. Established in 1918, Point Pelee was the first national park in Canada to be established for conservation.[3] It was designated as a Ramsar site on 27 May 1987.[4]

  1. ^ Canada, Parks. "Parks Canada attendance 2022_23 - Parks Canada attendance 2022_23 - Open Government Portal". open.canada.ca. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Point Pelee". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Point Pelee National Park of Canada Management Plan (PDF). Parks Canada. June 2010. ISBN 9781100157566. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Point Pelee National Park, Ontario - Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands" (PDF). Ramsar Sites Information Services. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2013.