Flowerpot Island

Flower pot island is a very different and unique and scenic experience. The island is well maintained, but only constraint is the time. You can stay there for 3 hours max ( camping is a different journey) Hike around the flower pot and move forward towards a cave and then museum , return to dock

Its one of the most beautiful places in Tobermory. And it's a must see destination. The beaches are of rustic rock and there are multiple unique rock formations across the cost of this small island. It have a lush vegetation and a nice walking path through the woods .would recommend hiking shoes or with good grip shoes. Have to take water , food /snacks Washrooms are available but is not much clean . The boat ride towards the island is a nice experience and the island is accessible only via boat .

We rode the Blue Heron Cruise to Flowerpot island and the cruise gives you a beautiful view of the beautiful waters of the island and the rock formation. Took a quick dip in the waters, not that long because most of the stones are slippery and mossy. The cave was beautiful. Too bad the lighthouse was close when we went.

Beautiful spot for hiking and a picnic. Picturesque beaches with a rustic rocky shore. There are beautiful rock formations throughout the island, and the water is aqua colored and clear to the bottom. We saw a lot of wildlife and many beautiful snakes. The island is only accessible by boat and has washrooms available for hikers. I was here for three hours and was able to walk to the lighthouse and back, stopping to enjoy the scenery. I recommend the bruce anchor cruise boat, which takes you to the island, and then on the way back, they show you the shipwrecks. Bring good hiking shoes, water, and snacks as there is no food or drinks to purchase on the island.

Flowerpot Island is very beautiful and unique. The rocks are slippery, so you have to be careful walking. We saw a lot of snakes on the trails, so watch where you step. The small museum was interesting but I wish there was more to see and learn about the history. If you are coming, bring lots of food, water, sunscreen, and swimsuits because there are no shops on the island. It’s hard to find a good, safe spot to swim because of the rocks, so plan for that. The views of the flowerpot rock formations are amazing and great for photos. The trails are a bit rough but worth it for the scenery. Overall, a nice place to visit if you are prepared.

We visited Flowerpot Island during the beautiful autumn season, and it was a wonderful experience. We reached the island by taking a cruise ship, and the journey itself was memorable — along the way, we got to see shipwreck sites through the clear waters, which added an extra touch of adventure to the trip. Once on the island, there was a small hiking trail available. The hike had a gentle incline and took us through some beautiful natural scenery. It was peaceful, refreshing, and offered some really nice views of the surrounding waters and the famous flowerpot rock formations. Overall, it was a great experience — the combination of the cruise, the hike, and the beautiful nature around made it a visit to remember!

A must-see destination from Tobermory. Take the cruise with the drop-off on the island, it will provides you an access to a splendid little hike. Don't forget to bring your own piknik!

Nice boat ride (Bruce harbour tours) to the island and a beautiful loop hike (about 3km). Some challenging sections but worth it. Wear good hiking shoes as about ⅓ of the trail is quite uneven with very rocky sections.

Flowerpot Island is a ferry ride away from Tobermory. Upon docking at Beachy Cove, there's a map of the island, the hiking trails available, and what the highlights of the island are. We took the Loop Trail more or less along the shoreline to see the small and large flowerpots. This is the Easy Trail. There are picnic tables along the trail. The next stop was up a few flights of stairs to see the cave. Then onwards to the light station and lightkeeper's cottages. Unfortunately, we went during shoulder season (not during summer), and the cottages were closed for the season. There are many Muskoka chairs there to sit on and take in the beautiful scenery. Instead of backtracking along the same trail, we decided to continue the Loop Trail through the interior portion of the island. This is considered the Difficult Trail. It's described as rugged on the Parks Canada website (https://parks.canada.ca/amnc-nmca/on/fathomfive/activ/flowerpot) and there were definitely lots of huge rocks directly in the trail path and steeper sections with lots of stairs. Just before getting back to Beachy Cove, there's a Moderate Trail (Marl Trail). There are six campsites available on the island, and they have tent platforms. The campsites are spaced decently apart, so there is privacy from one another.

Takes a bit of planning ahead to catch a ferry ride here, but once you arrive, exploring this island is pretty self-explanatory. Most people take the Loop Trail hugging the coastline to and from the Lightstation. If you walk with purpose, you'll be able to go out and back within an hour. There's also plenty of places along the coast to rest and admire the rock pillars and the water.

One of the must-go places when visiting Tobermory (not sure why you're visiting Tobermory otherwise?) Anyways, it's a fairly short ride on the ferry to this location from Tobermory depending on which ferry you choose to take. There's really only two companies - blue heron and Bruce anchor. Once on the island, you can pretty much explore the whole place in half a day if you do the full loop (beachside wall and mountain side). If just going on the beachside walk, can probably explore everything in 2 - 3 hours. Make sure to visit the two flower pot stone (big and small) formations that are created by erosion from the sea. You can get pretty much get beside each one. Bring a bathing suit and enjoy the super clean and cool waters. Just beware that the rocks underneath drop off like steps so you might be in for a surprise if you're not careful with your selfies. Also, the rocks are slippery due to the moss. There's a museum at the other side of the island but I didn't find that as interesting because they just printed off sheets and sheets of information in tiny text and pasted it all over the walls and doors. Cool to see the old structure but can't be bothered to read all the history to be honest. Wish they would summarize all that info. There is a gift shop at the museum if you want to buy some snacks or souvenirs. There are washrooms at the initial landing point and at the museum (other side of the loop), so make sure to go before you start the hike. They're both outhouses but fairly new so feels cleaner. Don't miss the 'stone throne' - fairly early on in the beachside walk - makes for a cool photo. The cave is also pretty interesting and doesn't take too long to get to. There's also a lighthouse at the end but not too exciting. Since you're in the island, may as well trek there and complete everything to do. We didn't do the mountain side hike but heard it's great for hikers but not particularly scenic from other travelers. Thus, we did the beachside both ways. I suggest going early if you can. The washrooms will be cleaner, the trails and scenic lookouts/photo areas less cluttered and you'll beat the heat. If you're coming as a family, it's a very easy beachside walk so everyone can handle it. Remember that everything you take with you, you need to take back off the island so please take all trash back with you to keep the island clean.

This island popped up in my feed on Instagram. Shoutout to BlogTO for always keeping me up to date with amazing places to travel to in Ontario. Saw the Instagram posts of the amazing clear water and beautiful scenery and I was sold. Tobermory is quite the trek from my neck of the woods at 3.5 hours of driving but let me tell you, it was totally worth it. We booked Blue Heron cruises online which is the boat that takes you to flowerpot island and returns you back to Tobermory. I will be writing another review on the cruise line as it was an amazing experience. Flowerpot Island is a gem in itself!! Be prepared! Wear you most comfortable running shoes, pack sunscreen and lots of water! You will be climbing, walking and facing fears! This place is no joke, my knee caps were shot by the end of the day. Watch out for the water snakes too, there's lots of them!! Especially near the rock areas where you sit. Be on guard. They are also in the water too.. The only downside of this place is the water. It looks so inviting but my god it's freezing!!! Even on a day where the weather is 40 degrees celsius. That really sucked.. I really wanted to swim but just putting my feet in I was getting cramps as the water is that cold. The trail is well appointed. No need to worry about getting lost. There are employees scattered around the island for help with anything too which was nice. Can I mention how friendly everyone is?!? So friendly! I couldn't imagine coming here on weekend. Just take a day off through the week. You don't want to explore when it's crowded. You will get better captures that way too. Trust me, book it now. You will not regret it! I cannot way to come back!!

Absolutely beautiful! Amazing experience worth the price. The travel to island is interesting because you get to go over 2 sunken ship! You spend 2 hours on the island so make sure you bring beverages and snacks to hold you over (no alcohol). I wish we would have packed a backpack but we weren't sure what to expect. Lots of walking, wear comfortable shoes, bring a jacket incase it starts to get cooler by the water. There is also a cave (lots of stairs to get to it). Dogs are allowed on the island. I highly recommend doing this.

Definitely a must-see place in Tobermory! I would recommend RSVPing with the boat company in advance on their website because tickets tend to sell fast in July and August. Flowerpot Island is absolutely beautiful, the water is clear and not too cold, it was possible for us to swim a little (although the rocks were a little dangerous). There is a little hike before getting to the beach and the museum, but it is fairly easy (15-20 minutes), bring hiking shoes! The flowerpots are a beautiful sight to see, and the history behind them is very interesting. I would also recommend packing snacks and lunch, there are no restaurants or snack joints whatsoever! It is also pretty breathtaking to see the shipwrecks at the bottom of Georgian Bay.

We took the hot ride without a stop on the island. But the view alone... if we had not had young kids with us we'd have definitely go on the drop-off tour to adventure ourselves there.

What an amazing place! I'm so glad we came here. It's hard to believe Canada has such beautiful places. Who knew? At first glance however, the flower pots were smaller than I'd imagined but what a sight! We went on a long weekend so it was extra busy. There are only outhouses at the head and end of the trail. So don't drink too much water, unless you don't mind peeing in the outhouses (no taps to wash your hands... no flushing required...thank god for bringing purell...thank god for being able to hold my breath). The tip is to stay on the trail in case you get lost and may come across to many snakes. I saw four and had kept on the trail! The little suckers are not poisonous but some sure crawl quickly. Another tip is to eat a big meal before going to the island as there are no restaurants and snacks can only be purchased at the end of the trail (prices were $$). There are also limited garbage cans. Please pick up after yourselves!!!! It was quite annoying watching a certain family of four (2 adults & 2 young kids) as the parents kept littering on the island! They left a water bottle, juice box, etc. Also kept throwing rocks into the lake and nearly hit some people. Way to set an example for the next generation. #ParentsOfTheYear The hike was amazing. Watch your step on the loose rocks. You can also dip your feet into the lake if you like. The water was freezing...and there were signs saying swimming is prohibited but we saw someone snorkel. Flowerpots were a must see. The lighthouse itself was disappointing but the history and views that you get are amazing. The cave wasn't much either but you get one nice photo out of it. It hardly looked like a cave, but reading the history of the formation made me appreciate them more. Also loved the home once occupied by the light keeper and his family. Some of the trials are not always wheelchair/stroller friendly. Would definitely love to come back again!

I was so excited to come to Flowerpot Island, and I have to say that it was more exciting in my head. Came by on one of the cruises which took about 45 minutes to arrive at the island. The washrooms were the first stop of my visit, and they were quite nice and clean as they were somewhat of a sophisticated outhouse. Once onto the trail, it was quite straightforward to follow and head to all the stops on the island. The flowerpots were darn cool, but was a little disappointed that there were only 2. One larger and one smaller, both are amazing feats of nature. It would have bee way cooler to see a whole bunch side by side though. The cave that you climbed up to was a bit of a let down. It was all from an observation deck, so you couldn't go in and explore it. The trail was pretty nice, and easy to hike through. There was a cool side trail that led you right to the waterside, which was plus. Last area you see is the camping area, where there are a bunch of sites for those planning on staying on the island for the night. There is a dock for those that bring canoes and kayaks, but we just sat there looking out at the water in the sun, and it was nice and relaxing. Overall, the walk through the island only took about 2 hours, so if you are planning on visiting, I would keep this in mind. The companies that ferry you out and back have estimated times that it would take you on the island if you were to go through everything. They quoted 3-4 hours for the full island, but I would imagine that you would be going at an extremely leisurely pace. If you REALLY want to see those flowerpots, I would say go for it and come visit the island. If you can live without, the ferries are quite expensive, so this is a spot you 'can' skip if you wanted to.

Beautiful. Stunning! Its definitely a wonder to take in and see for yourself. On the island itself, there is no running water. So it's kicking it old school with the washrooms. Lol. Be prepared to go pack a bagged lunch, water and hand sanitizer. I also recommend walking with a pack of baby wipes. There is no shame it people. Also ensure your camera or phone is fully charged. Lots to take pictures of. Dress appropriately! It's a nature hike and the terrain is mixed. So ladies no flip flops or sandals. Get those sneakers on! And gents, well the loafers can stay in the car. Sunscreen is a must and a bathing/wet suit if your interested in taking a mini dip in the water. Its worth it! Trusssstttt me!!!

Beautiful and breathtaking views. Lots of place you can find away from the crowd! We took the glass bottom road to the island. 1 hr tour before you get to island but it is a nice ride. We got the 11 am boat and arrived just before noon and our departure boat was booked for 5:45. You can explore the island! Please pick up you garbage! So sad to see bottles and wrappers along the island :( there are three main trails all with an average time dependant on your pacing and speed. Near the light house on the north part of the island. There are lots of places to hang out with not many others around you. This island definitely needs more bathrooms. There is 3 bathrooms on the entire island. I would say 1000 people on the island at any given time... Also more garbage bins. I guess too many garbages would mean more maintenance and more workers but it sucks to see all the garbage in and around the trails! Watch out for wildlife and poison ivy! I almost stepped on a snake! Nonetheless great time! Lots of amazing areas to explore! Great family adventure