Rondeau Provincial Park
| Rondeau Provincial Park | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the park | |
Location of the park in Southern Ontario | |
| Location | Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada |
| Nearest city | Chatham, Ontario |
| Coordinates | 42°17′N 81°52′W / 42.283°N 81.867°W |
| Area | 32.54 km2 (12.56 sq mi) |
| Established | 1894 |
| Visitors | 210,839 (in 2022) |
| Governing body | Ontario Parks |
| Website | https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/rondeau |
Rondeau Provincial Park is the second oldest provincial park in Ontario, Canada, having been established with an order in council on 8 September 1894. The park is located in Southwestern Ontario, on an 8 km long crescentic sand spit extending into Lake Erie. Rondeau is home to the largest area of Carolinian forest in Canada, a long sand beach, a large marsh, approximately half of Rondeau Bay, campgrounds and a cottage community. The name of the park comes from the French words "ronde eau" or "round water" which describes the shape of the harbour sheltered by the peninsula.
The park is an important stopover for birds during migration and has been identified as a Canadian Important Bird Area. Its Carolinian woods also provide nesting habitat for the prothonotary warbler and many other rare or endangered species. The park is a popular recreation area. The presence of private cottages in the park has been controversial, as have been efforts to control white-tailed deer populations.