When the St. Lawrence Seaway was built in the 1950s, entire riverside communities were flooded and now lie beneath the water. Engineers connected the remaining high ground with causeways, creating a unique route across eleven islands that blends breathtaking waterfront views with a remarkable piece of Ontario history.
Driving the Long Sault Parkway route is a destination in itself, with water stretching along both sides for much of the journey and wide paved shoulders that make it just as popular with cyclists as drivers. But the real experience comes from stopping along the way.
Mille Roches Beach, when open, offers a gently sloping, east-facing shoreline with calm, shallow water that’s ideal for swimming. Woodlands Beach is another popular stop along the parkway, and together they’re among several beaches found along the route. If you want to stay longer, McLaren and Woodlands campgrounds offer hundreds of waterfront and forested campsites where evenings are best spent around a campfire beneath a sky full of stars.
Worth Stopping
Cyclists flock to this route for good reason. The parkway connects to the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, including Cornwall’s Riverside Trail, a 40-kilometre paved route that winds through the Upper Canada Bird Sanctuary toward Upper Canada Village, making it possible to cycle from downtown Cornwall into peaceful natural landscapes without sharing the road with traffic.
The area is also a favourite for anglers, with Hoople Creek Basin known for its trophy pickerel. If you’d rather explore from the water, canoe, kayak, and paddleboard rentals are available on Mille Roches Island.
Admission is affordable, with discounted rates for pedestrians and cyclists. The parkway is open seasonally from mid-April through November before closing for the winter. Pack a picnic, bring your bike if you can, and take time to stop at the beaches, parks, and causeways. The real experience comes from exploring the route, not simply driving between Cornwall and Highway 401.
Need To Know
- Location: The Long Sault Parkway is located between Ingleside and Cornwall. It is about halfway between Kingston and Montreal, with access from County Road 2 and just minutes off Highway 401
- Admission: A daily or annual vehicle day-use permit is required if you’re stopping anywhere along the parkway. This includes stopping for beaches, picnics, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, or boat launches. Pedestrians and cyclists receive discounted admission
- Open seasonally: The parkway is typically open from mid-April through November and closes during the winter months
- What you’ll find: The 10-kilometre route spans 11 islands and features picnic areas, cycling routes, nature trails, boat launches, fishing, scuba diving, beaches, and three waterfront campgrounds. But, Mille Roches Campground is temporarily closed for the 2026 season
- Seasonal note: Mille Roches Beach is closed for the 2026 season. Even though infrastructure improvements are underway, the Long Sault Parkway itself remains open
