Habitats

Inside the Big Sandy Bay area visitors will find three distinct habitats: wetlands, woodlands, and the dune system. A hiking trail leads you through portions of all three areas.

Wetlands

You will encounter wetland on either side of Button Bush Trail as soon as you enter the management area. Look for dogwood, sweet gale and buttonbush shrubs, royal ferns, beaver lodges, turtles, frogs, and many species of birds. This area is teaming with life most of the year.

Woodlands

The second half of the trail goes through a small sugar maple, American-beech, and red-oak grove. If you look carefully, you may glimpse a white-oak tree that is almost five metres in circumference. It is not unusual to see white-tailed deer along the trail. They share space with beaver, muskrat, raccoon, mink, red fox, eastern cottontail rabbit, snapping turtle, and porcupine. Birds nesting here include the rose-breasted grosbeak and redheaded woodpecker.

Dunes & shoreline

Once you have crossed over the dune at the end of the trail you will be greeted by an expansive natural vista. Two limestone peninsulas that jut out into Lake Ontario flank the beach/sand-dune complex, to the south, and part of the management area, Bear Point, used as a pasture for close to a century; to the northwest, Long Point, aptly named as it continues under water far out into Lake Ontario creating a boating hazard. Long Point and other areas to the west are privately owned. Please respect this private property and remain south of the trail exit.