During the operating season driving to either of the McGinnis Lake picnic areas or other designated parking areas and walking sections of the park road can be very productive. McGinnis Lake is a deep, meromictic lake and as such is relatively sterile and very rarely attracts any waterfowl, but the large beaver pond complex 2.8 km north of the park gate can be viewed from the road and can produce several waterfowl and wetland bird species.

During the no-operating season walking the park road from the locked gate at Northey’s Bay Road can be worthwhile. The walk to McGinnis Lake is a roughly 3 km round trip, while round trip to the Visitor’s Centre parking lot is a 6-7 km round trip.

Between mid-May and August biting insects can be bothersome and applying bug repellant and wearing appropriate may be warranted.

In spring and summer during the height of the breeding season the park hosts an impressive variety of bird species characteristic of the northern hardwoods and mixed woods. Specialties include Canada Jay, Black-backed Woodpecker and American Goshawk. Canada Jay was formerly encountered regularly in the vicinity of the Visitor’s Centre and associated parking lots, but has been less reliable in recent years. Black-backed Woodpecker breeds in the park but is encountered more often during the winter months. Blue-headed Vireo, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Winter Wren are all common breeders. Nineteen species of warblers have been found breeding in the park. Pine, Yellow-rumped, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided and Magnolia warblers are all common; uncommon to rare species include Golden-winged and Cape May warblers and Northern Parula.

As expected, the species diversity is far less in fall and early spring and birding can be very slow during the depths of winter. Common Raven, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, both nuthatches, Downy, Hairy and Pileated Woodpecker, Brown Creeper and Golden-crowned Kinglet may be expected on most winter visits. In years with good conifer cone crops both crossbills and Pine Siskin may be common. Formerly, Evening Grosbeak was encountered regularly, but in recent years that is no longer the case. Both eagles winter in the general area of the park, including the adjacent Peterborough Crown Game Preserve, and may occasionally be observed soaring overhead. 

Petroglyphs Provincial Park has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, showcasing the largest known concentration of Pre-Columbian era Indigenous rock carvings in Canada.

Petroglyphs is a day-use only park, open daily (excluding Mondays and Tuesdays in the spring and fall) from 10:00am to 5:00pm (no vehicle access after 4:00pm). It operates from the second Friday in May to the second Monday of October. While the park is officially closed and the entrance gate locked between mid-October and mid-May, it is possible to park at the gate and walk the access roads and trails. In the off-season the park is very popular with hikers, skiers, dog walkers and nature enthusiasts and the limited parking space at the gate is often filled by mid-morning (note that there is no parking on the shoulders of Northey's Bay Rd - CR 56 or adjacent Cheboutequion Drive). The western portion of the park's loop road is plowed in winter, but the eastern portion is not. Note also that while dogs are allowed to be on-leash throughout the park, they are not permitted at the Petroglyphs site.

During the operating season there are pit toilets available at the picnic areas and the Learning Place parking lots.

Petroglyphs Provincial Park has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, showcasing the largest known concentration of Pre-Columbian era Indigenous rock carvings in Canada.

Petroglyphs is a day-use only park, open daily (excluding Mondays and Tuesdays in the spring and fall) from 10:00am to 5:00pm (no vehicle access after 4:00pm). It operates from the second Friday in May to the second Monday of October. While the park is officially closed and the entrance gate locked between mid-October and mid-May, it is possible to park at the gate and walked the access roads and trails. In the off-season the park is very popular with hikers, skiers, dog walkers and nature enthusiasts and the limited parking space is often filled by mid-morning (note that there is no parking on the shoulders of Northey's Bay Rd - CR 56 or adjacent Cheboutequion Drive). The western portion of the park's loop road is plowed in winter, but the eastern portion is not. Note also that while dogs are allowed to be on-leash throughout the park, they are not permitted at the Petroglyphs site.

During the operating season there are pit toilets available at the picnic areas and the Learning Place parking lots.

The Nanabush and West Day Use Trail are both around 5 km in length and require 2-3 hours to complete. The West Day Use (7 km) and Marsh trails are both moderately strenuous in scope with some steep sections, the latter trail requiring 3-5 hours to complete, while the Nanabush Trail is a relatively easy hike.