Thousand Islands National Park, established in 1904, was previously called St. Lawrence Islands National Park. It is a Canadian National Park located on the 1000 Islands Parkway in the Thousand Islands Region of the Saint Lawrence River. The islands were once the tops of ancient mountains that have been worn down over time. This area, known as the Frontenac Arch, connects the Canadian Shield from Algonquin Park in Ontario to the Adirondack Mountains in New York.

The park includes 21 islands, many smaller islets, two mainland properties, and a visitor center at Mallorytown, Ontario. It is one of Canada’s smallest national parks, covering an area of 24.4 square kilometers (9.4 square miles).

Most of the park can only be reached by boat. Trail systems are available on the mainland along the 1000 Islands Parkway at Mallorytown Landing, Jones Creek, and Landon Bay. Picnic, camping, and oTENTik facilities are located on several islands and at Mallorytown Landing. Mallorytown Landing is a day-use area with large parking, a boat ramp, several oTENTiks, picnic gazebos, playgrounds, animal exhibits, traveling exhibits, and interpreters.

The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, where the park is located, is recognized as the most biodiverse region in Canada.

History

The first people to live in the park area were hunting and fishing groups who arrived after the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago. Many items, such as tools and pottery, have been found in the park. One example is a 2,500-year-old pot discovered by a diver in 1979. Some drawings made by early people are still visible on cliffs near the water.

By the early 1700s, the Iroquois people built large summer camps along the river to fish in the area. Around this time, French explorers, fur traders, and missionaries traveled along the St. Lawrence River to find opportunities in the new world. After the American Revolution in the late 1700s, European settlers began moving into the area, and the Iroquois fishing camps were no longer used. Some Iroquois returned to fish, but by the 1860s, fish populations had greatly decreased.

During the War of 1812, British and American warships visited the area that is now part of the National Park. A British gunboat sank nearby, and its preserved shipwreck was recovered in 1967. It is now displayed in the park. Martello towers were built in the area to protect the British from American attacks. Cedar Island, a small island visible from downtown Kingston, Ontario, is home to a Martello tower called Cathcart Tower.

The park was created in 1904, making it the first Canadian national park east of the Rocky Mountains. It was originally named St. Lawrence Islands National Park but was renamed Thousand Islands National Park in 2013 to better reflect the area’s natural features.

In 1997, the park was recognized as one of the national parks with the highest levels of ecological impairment. Since 2019, the park has hosted experimental theatre performances on Cedar Island as part of The Kick & Push Festival.

Fauna

Animals that live in this national park include coyotes, deer, porcupines, beavers, foxes, skunks, raccoons, turkey vultures, rabbits, squirrels, chickadees, and weasels.