St. John's 
Many reasons contribute to Butter Pot Provincial Park’s popularity.
Credit: NL Parks
Part of it is the proximity to St. John’s, while part of it is all the natural beauty in the park. The expansive park includes wetlands, rocky hills, and boreal forest to create an epic landscape and beautiful scenery all year round. And the best part about Butter Pot is that it is accessible all year.
During the warmer months, it makes for a perfect escape into nature with several activities to offer, as well as many places for quiet relaxation. These months will also be the peak camping season for the park. But come winter, the park remains open for those looking to escape into the snow. The quiet environment around Butter Pot also attracts wildlife, such as moose, foxes, bats, or chipmunks, to keep your eyes open.
See it all from Butter Pot Hill
The spectacular scenery and wetlands around the provincial park are best viewed from the hike up Butter Pot Hill. This is a full-day hike but will be worth every step as the views are 300m above the park and go around for 360 degrees. Depending on from where you start, either from Pegwood Pond Trail or from Peters Pond Trail, the hike is about 6-8km and takes about 3 hours to complete round-trip.
More Trails in the Park
8 kilometres of gravel trail makes its way through Butter Pot Provincial Park and the campground. It is a simple trail and a great way to see the park on foot or bike. Additionally, hikers can follow the Pegwood Pond and Peters Pond trails from the campground for more incredible views of the park or wildlife viewing opportunities.
The Butter Pot Ponds
Begin an adventure or weekend at Butter Pot Provincial Park with the ponds. The large wetland areas are a huge source of recreation in the park. These include Big Otter, Peters, Pegwood, Trailer, Rocky, and Gull Ponds. During the warmer months, the park operates to sandy beaches with the waters open to swimmers on Big Otter Pond. The beaches have ample space for picnics, too, with amenities like tables, benches, and washrooms.
Canoeing and kayaking are also permitted on these waters, and canoe rentals are also available at the park kiosk. Fishers may take their pick from any of these ponds for a day of angling.
Camping & Stargazing
If given the opportunity to camp at Butter Pot Provincial Park, there will likely be time for all of the above activities, and maybe more than once. The Butter Pot campground is open from May to September each year and gives campers access to amenities like firewood, washrooms, laundry, and showers.
The park is quite far from most light pollution and is far enough away from St. John’s to have an incredibly dark night sky. Campers can enjoy nights of wonderful stargazing from the comfort of their sites and from around the fire.
Winter Adventures at Butter Pot
The park has a great number of cross-country ski trails and snowshoe areas for visitors to enjoy on even the snowiest days. Over the winters, the Avalon Nordic Ski Club maintains and grooms cross-country tracks through the park, where skiers can enjoy the quiet and pristine winter wilderness. As night will come a bit earlier during the winter months, it may also be worth sticking around for stargazing!
Planning your Trip
What: 2,833 hectares of wetlands and forests south of St. John’s. Butter Pot Provincial Park is a geologically significant area with rocks dating back as far as 600m years. Plus, the park is still naturally diverse with boreal forest trees and over 250 species of plants. The park covers a series of ponds and streams within the forested areas with Big Otter Pond central to the park. Big Otter Pond is also the closest park pond to the campground and offers two beaches.
Location and how to get there: 40km southwest of St. John’s on the Trans Canada Highway
Best time to go: camping open May-September, day use open year-round
Cost: Daily Vehicle Pass: Vehicle entry for day use, $10.
Camping: Varies
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