Overlooking the Marsh Boardwalk, a great place to watch barn swallows, red-winged blackbirds, and various types of turtles. Beavers are often spotted here, too! (All photography by: Greg Noakes)

When Greg and I started dating, he suggested a trip to Point Pelee National Park. I had never heard of the park before that point, and wasn’t much of an outdoor enthusiast yet anyway. The idea of driving out of our city just to look at birds nearly bored me to tears. But as a nature photographer, visiting Point Pelee was a bucket list trip for Greg.

“Sure, sure, eventually,” I thought. I wanted to go because he wanted to go and I was simply just a good sport. I knew it was a several-hour drive away, but figured we could make a day of it. In retrospect, how silly.

In 2025, we visited for the first time, opting to stay a few nights in a motel outside of the park. We would drive in and out of Point Pelee several times a day, leaving only to grab a bite to eat, change our clothes, or recharge our equipment. We were lucky to visit during the Festival of Birds, an annual event that draws visitors from all over the world and takes place during the spring migration.

Three days there wasn’t enough. I’ve always been an animal lover, but at Point Pelee, I became a nature lover. I was enamoured with the abundant red-winged blackbirds, the kaleidoscope of barn swallows weaving around us, and the shifting landscapes that go from sandy to swampy to lush, almost like magic.

Looking down Point Pelee Drive, the road to get in and out of the park.

This year, when we had the opportunity to stay at Camp Henry, we jumped at it. The campsite, located right inside Point Pelee National Park, has 24 oTENTik sites - a structure described as a cross between “an A-frame cabin and a prospector tent on a raised wooden floor,” as per Parks Canada. While we weren’t able to book our visit during the Festival of Birds this time, we managed to secure a 5-day, 4-night stay. To think I once thought we could experience all Point Pelee National Park has to offer in just an afternoon is laughable.

The short path leading up to the oTENTik we called home for the week. The dense trees make it feel extra cozy and private.

The park itself is 8km long, starting from the entrance all the way to the tip, with 8 trails to explore. While the Tip Trail is an absolute must-do for anyone visiting Point Pelee, my favourite is the Marsh Boardwalk followed by the DeLaurier Homestead & Trail. All except one trail - the Centennial Hike and Bike Trail - are rated as easy trails, generally flat and accessible.

A look towards the tip. It was particularly windy this day, but the tip broke the waves coming from the east side. This is about as far as we ventured.

The Marsh Boardwalk is transcendental, especially at sunset. One evening, after a particularly severe rainstorm, we stopped at the boardwalk for the second time that day to see it glowing orange, with an arching rainbow overhead displaying a vivid spectrum of colour. The water sparkled, and the reeds illuminated against the setting sun. Only a few other visitors were there at the time, but the enchantment we all felt was palpable, with passersby murmuring “wow” and “look at that,” to us and each other.

The Marsh Boardwalk the evening after the storm with a double rainbow shimmering above the reeds.

In fact, everyone we interacted with during our trip was kind and easy to talk to, whether it was chatting over dishes at the communal washing station or swapping turtle facts while looking out over the boardwalk.

The oTENTik we called home for the week was perfect, equipped with a fireplace for cooler nights and a fan for warmer afternoons. It even had a dish kit which included everything we needed for our meals. Naturally, we didn’t spend much time inside of it, opting instead to sit in what I referred to as our “yard” on orange Muskoka chairs, taking in all the activity around us.

A view of our oTENTik. We spent most of our time here sitting outside preparing meals, reading, enjoying a fire, or looking up at the warblers.

We had robin mothers on either side of our oTENTik, whom we said hi to as we came and went, and we got to watch a Baltimore oriole weave an impressive nest that withstood multiple storms. One night, we even had a raccoon visitor - of course, the night we barbecued steaks - who we hazed away despite wanting desperately to feed it, domesticate it, and make it a pet (we would never).

Baltimore Orioles weave together hanging nests like this one to keep their eggs safe. We watched this female Baltimore Oriole work on hers for days!

Though I do take photos sometimes, I’m not a photographer, so I opted instead to spend my time on our multiple daily walks observing without a lens. This made Greg and me a great team, actually, as I got quite good at noticing and pointing out unique species before he had a chance to. Such was the case one afternoon when we were walking towards the visitor centre, and I caught a glimpse of bright red in the canopy - a Scarlet Tanager. We’d laugh about it later, but I grabbed Greg’s arm, pointed, and made unintelligible noises in a whisper-yell. Luckily, he knew what I was trying to convey, and pointed his lens up at the striking bird, the two of us standing together on a trail for 45 minutes in complete silence.

The Scarlet Tanager we were enchanted by until he flew out of sight.

I love moments like those. It’s when I feel closest to Greg; when we’re both experiencing something at the same time in our own way. We had lots of moments like that on this trip - enjoying our time alone together. For example, when we saw a flock of Sandhill cranes fly over the marsh, or when we spotted multiple green herons fishing.

Visiting Point Pelee National Park will be an annual tradition for us, and I’m sure we’ll discover something new each time we go. Next year, I’m determined to see the famous American woodcock, known for its courtship flights and unique sound. We were lucky to hear one, but sadly didn’t see any this time around.

It’s strange to reflect on the person I once was, not all that long ago, who dreaded driving out to Point Pelee “just to look at birds,” as it’s become a shared sanctuary for Greg and I. Now, I don’t care how many hours it takes to drive there - I’m already counting down the days until we get to go back.

Editor's note: This article is a personal essay or reflection. It contains editorial perspective and opinion, and readers should distinguish it as such, separate from our factual and investigative reporting.

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Finding Sanctuary at Point Pelee National…