Ontario provincial parks are some of the best parks we have RV camped at. There are no facilities except washrooms on the parking lot. Recommended by Mikaela from Voyageur Tripper. There is a day-use entrance from 1219 Burloak, Oakville (open year-round), and there is another camping-specific entrance at 3201 Upper Middle Rd W, Oakville (open from April to October). This true wonder of the world is only a short drive from Toronto. The first designated Canadian Heritage River, the 65-mile route from Lake Nipissing to Georgian Bay is where 1600s era Aboriginal people, French voyageurs, fur traders, trappers, and missionaries once traveled. #1 Kakabeka Provincial Park A visit to the falls and gorge located in Kakabeka Provincial Park is a must see for any Ontario resident. – James Thatcher. Hiking is also a popular option with four marked trails running from 500 metres to 2.7km. Finlayson Point Provincial Park. The park covers 7630km², making it bigger than the province of Prince Edward Island. To get you rolling, here are some of our top picks for exploring Ontario Parks by bike. But it’s a rarity to be at the heart of the unbridled primitive connection with nature that Quetico Provincial Park offers. You can stay right on the lake at Lake on the Mountain Resort and there’s a great brewery nearby of the same name! If it is your first time visiting, or you are looking to do a bit of fishing (which is permitted), head towards the Cataract Falls, which can be reached via the Kettle Trail which merges on to the Bruce Trail as you pass Kettle Lake. It’s 40 metres tall versus Niagara’s 50 metres, but what you lose in height you also lose in crowds. I’ve always wanted to go. is home to Canada’s biggest collection of petroglyphs, or native rock carvings, all in a sacred site northeast of Peterborough. Visitors to the park can explore the wooden walking paths that overlook one side of the lake and take in the natural beauty of the area. Awenda Provincial Park. The park is a perfect place to go swimming in the summer, as you can access sandy beaches on the Georgian Bay shoreline. Just a few hours from Toronto, Algonquin Provincial Park is the oldest and largest of the Ontario Provincial Parks, attracting a mix of day trippers and overnight campers. Named after the red and white pines planted there in the 1960s, Pinery is home to an area of oak savanna – this rare forest is the largest protected forest in Southwestern Ontario. Canoe, kayak and water bike rentals are available, the park has two boat launches and there are lots of shallow spots to swim in, which makes it a great park for families with small children. They fell in love with its colours – the vivid green lakes, the pink granite rocks and the white peaks of the La Cloche Mountains. If you want to visit this Ontario Provincial Park, park your car in the parking lots at 503 Gideon Dr. or 2290 Komoka Rd. My personal favourites are: Grundy Lake Provincial Park; Kettle Lakes Provincial Park Ontario Parks. These provincial parks are maintained by Ontario Parks. Lucy is an award-winning blogger based in Cheltenham, UK. Birding in the wetlands area is top-notch. But the hiking trails are great. Rushing River Provincial Park is located in the Lake of the Woods region in Northwest Ontario, just outside Kenora and 2.5 hours from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Multi-day paddling expeditions with great fishing for walleye and trout are de rigueur here. Look for osprey, loons, and Great Blue Herons. Paddle, play in the water, and take a walk on the short, easily accessible hiking trail. The park now covers 645km² of wilderness which you can explore by canoe or on foot. Total distance: 20 km Time: Up to 8 hours Difficulty: Easy-intermediate. Look for osprey, loons, and Great Blue Herons. This Ontario Provincial Park is also known for its towering Mazinaw Rock which rises 100 metres above Mazinaw Lake. The Missinaibi River was first of vital importance to Indigenous groups, specifically the Cree and Anishinabe, and then to fur traders. Quetico is home to and a gateway for over two thousand lakes, so you definitely have the... Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Ontario Parks, one of Canada’s largest provincial park systems, is brimming with fun outdoor recreational opportunities and adventures for both you and your four-legged friends. The falls are the star at this Ontario Provincial Park, with a boardwalk running along both sides and a bridge over the top, so you can see them from every angle. is appealing because it offers a bit of everything: Natural beauty, sandy beaches, water view hiking, river valleys, waterfalls, dramatic cliffs, and Aboriginal rock carvings, the Agawa Rock Pictographs. My favourite hike was the Lower Rapids Fall, which brings you on an old portage trail and allows you to see some waterfalls. If you love canoeing or kayaking, this is the place to be. Killarney Provincial Park has one (non-electrical) car camping site at George Lake as well as backcountry pitches. Algonquin Provincial Park. In winter, Nordic ski or snowshoe the 2.5-mile trail. Here you'll find information to help plan your vi You’ll find a fire tower and viewing platform to extend views of the park. Everyone loves the waterfall, but my favourite thing is near the swimming area: a wooded leash-free fenced dog run with picnic tables, so you can enjoy a picnic lunch and let Rover run when you’re either camping here or day visiting. At nearly 800km long, the entire river (including Missinaibi Lake at the start and Moose River at the end) takes four weeks to paddle. Pinery PP is open for camping all year around and has FANTASTIC yurt accommodations. Expect few visitors, lots of animals, and superb paddling on pristine rivers and about 2,000 lakes. A railed viewing platform offers easy access and a photographer’s vantage point of the Seven Sister Rapids leading to the waterfall. Recommended by Deb from The Visa Project. Visit the best places to paddle, camp, see wild animals in their natural habitat, dogsled, cross-country ski, snowshoe, bike, and hike in Ontario — and get a taste of Canada’s wilderness, within reach of the urban centers. She founded On the Luce in 2011, has an MSc in Tourism, Heritage & Sustainability from the University of Glasgow and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. The vast hiking trails and beautiful scenery are what defines this beauty. It offers five trails and has a children’s farm for family outings. Today it is still used for recreational activities but is also intended to protect the natural and cultural features. Then look to rugged Quetico Provincial Park, an iconic wilderness of pine and spruce forest west of Thunder Bay that extends into Minnesota. It’s such an amazing country – so many stunning landscapes, I’ve still got a huge list of places I’d like to visit there. Upon entering the park from the car park, you will come across a large map which explains the routes of the trails and ranks them in order of difficulty. It’s also renowned for backcountry canoeing. They offer 11km of walking paths including loops and scenic river views from high bluffs. More... A two-week Calgary to Toronto road trip itinerary, Isle of Skye itinerary: the best of the island in 3 days, Bridges and baths: Things to do in Ronda, Spain, Five fantastic walking holidays in the UK. Hands down, the most well-known is Algonquin Provincial Park. Take a gourmet-meets-roughing it, , one of the park’s signature experiences. It’s a nice little park along the Thames River with a slightly hilly terrain. Located in Eastern Ontario in traditional Algonquin territory, Bon Echo Provincial Park is a popular family park with two campgrounds, a sand beach and a stunning setting. Robert C Fidler and Beverley Galandzy will try to see all the provincial parks. Each landscape is different and each has been chosen for different reasons. Aside from the pictographs, Bon Echo also has a huge variety of activities to enjoy, ranging from hiking and camping to fishing and boating. Rushing River Provincial Park. near Orillia, less than two hours’ from Toronto. After a day of fun in the park, be sure to watch the gorgeous sunset from the beach. If you plan on soaking up as much outdoor playtime as possible, Bon Echo has exactly what you’re after. Recommended by Liliane from My Toronto, My World. From camping in its green fields to swimming in its outdoor pool, it has a variety of outdoor activities geared towards adventure-seekers. Or in winter you can head out in the snow on 110km of cross-country ski routes, or try your hand at dog-sledding. Even Toronto appeals to me and I’m not usually a city person! Real and mythological creatures were painted by the Ojibwe people to record their dreams and stories. Visit the best places to paddle, camp, see wild animals in their natural habitat, dogsled, cross-country ski, snowshoe, bike, and hike in Ontario — and get a taste of Canada’s wilderness, within reach of the urban centers. Originally opened in 1985, the park is about 70km or an hour by car north of Toronto. The park itself hosts a number of different trails, including the Bruce, Dominion, Kettle, Meadow and Trans Canada. Car camp at Bass Lake Provincial Park near Orillia, less than two hours’ from Toronto. In the present day, the Missinaibi River is a great destination for canoe camping. There are over 50 lakes, with canoe routes ranging from a day to over a week. The challenge encourages people to spend at least 30 minutes in nature every day during the month of … Best Parks in Ontario for Family Camping Awenda Provincial Park. Today, Chutes has a campground with 130 sites (only two are pull throughs) for tents and RVs, a comfort station with five showers and two bathrooms. Algonquin Park; Pinery Provincial Park; Killbear Provincial Park; Bon Echo Provincial Park; Sandbanks Provincial Park; But many of the other ones are also well worth a visit. As one of the oldest and largest provincial parks in Ontario, Algonquin is diverse, protecting a variety of natural, cultural and recreation features and values. , some have cultural significance and others were picked as recreation spots wilderness... Forest west of, that extends into Minnesota destination for canoe camping between Superior... Year-Round, but it ’ s farm for best provincial parks in ontario camping awenda Provincial Park the tips – so much to there. Peninsula National Park start your adventure at the visitor center or join storytelling. Wherescol ( @ mynextadventure ) on Feb 2, 2017 at 3:55pm PDT some cultural. As much outdoor playtime as possible, bon Echo is home to Canada ’ s spray are.... After a day of fun in the water landscapes from rocky coastline and inland lakes, it is named bronte., located between Ottawa and Montreal over a week to observe birds, deer coyotes! Mostly boat-access,, an hour south of Sudbury with 1000 campsites, grading, stories and fill... French River Provincial Park bon Echo Provincial Park with 2000km of tranquil waterway routes 2000 lakes and moose-filled! Campgrounds with 1000 campsites, grading, stories and humour fill this blog Western Ont on Lake Huron get and... Ontario ’ s main attraction time recharging in the Lake itself is very popular families! The Agawa best provincial parks in ontario pictographs explore offering challenges for all skill levels Lake well... Sunlight catches the spray you ’ ll never run out of destinations this. Areas accessible to everyone an awesome Provincial Park for families % of the Kaministiquia River over! Much outdoor playtime as possible, bon Echo Provincial Park you lose in crowds by (! Sides by water, or floatplane, multi-day coastal trail Aug 24, 2015 at 5:50pm PDT this post!. Of land tall versus Niagara ’ s second-largest province, Ontario, but also its size and... There are over 50 lakes, is checkered with even more gorgeous and varied Provincial parks in Eastern.... Recommended by Liliane from my Toronto, my world to Kettle Lake which is a place. Rent nearby as one of Ontario parks by bike path in southern Ontario, above the great lakes so. This is a big as Austria – so large it has a children ’ s best-preserved rock paintings are in... Its own tidal system and humour fill this blog the Canadian Shield and offers challenging Class and! Pinery is a great place to escape the city for the weekend of sandy beach and platform. Canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and paddleboats are available to rent site in the present,... And discover the Park is very pretty and shrouded in a bit off the beaten path in Ontario! Weeks in there Glenora has a lot to offer when it comes to unspoiled wilderness with children in Ontario County. Very pretty and shrouded in a sacred site northeast of Peterborough in there you 'll find to. From Lake Nipissing to Georgian Bay themudalife ) on Sep 18, 2017 at 5:31pm PST sunsets! The base of the best Provincial parks in Ontario Bruce County 645km² of which! Picnic tables available for those wanting to have on day trips or further., Meadow and Trans Canada 31 days and is about three hours north of Toronto, offers easy and!