Backcountry
Backcountry Reservations and Interior Permits
Parks with reservations in advance
Types of Bookings
- Lake zone/area - Lake zone/area bookings require campers to book a lake zone/ area. Specific sites are not allocated. As such, specific sites are first-come-first-serve in the lake zone or area campers have booked.
- Specific Campsite - With Specific campsite bookings, campers make a reservation for a specific site.
- Entry quota - With Entry quota booking, campers need to pick up a backcountry permit from one of the many ranger stations surrounding the park. A certain number of permits are permitted at each access point.
| Park | Skill Level | Access Type | Booking Type | Reservation Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algonquin | All skill levels | Drive to | Lake Zone/Area | Reservation Service |
| Bon Echo | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
| Charleston Lake | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
| Esker Lakes | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Call Park - 705-568-7677 (summer) 705-272-7107 (winter) |
| Frontenac | Intermediate | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
| Fushimi Lake | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
| Grundy Lake | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
| Halfway Lake | Specific Campsite | Call Park - 705-965-2702 | ||
| Kawartha Highlands | All skill levels | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
| Killarney | All skill levels | Drive to | Lake Zone/Area | Reservation Service |
| Murphys Point | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
| Neys | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Call Park - Spring/Summer (807) 229-1624 Fall/Winter (807) 825-3403 |
| Quetico | Intermediate | Drive to/ Paddle-In | Entry Quota | Reservation Service |
| Restoule | Beginner | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Call Park - 705-729-2010 |
| The Massasauga | All skill levels | Drive to | Specific Campsite | Reservation Service |
Parks without reservations in advance
Types of Bookings
- First-come-first-served - First-come-first-serve sites don’t require any booking. Register upon arrival at the park or purchase your permit online. If campers arrive at a site that is full, they will have to continue their journey to an available site.
Ontario Parks Interior Registration System
Did you know that there is now an alternate way to obtain your Interior permits online, prior to arriving at some parks? The Interior Registration system allows you to obtain your Interior camping permits up to two weeks in advance of your arrival date for the parks with an online permits option in the table below. Please note: this is not a reservation and does not guarantee you a specific site when you arrive.
- This is an alternate (online) way to obtain your Interior permit and is NOT a reservation.
- Interior permits can still be obtained in person as in past years. Please contact the park you plan to visit for more details on permitting locations.
- All Interior registrations are final. No changes or refunds are allowed through the online permitting system.
| Park | Skill Level | Access Type | Booking Type | Reservation Method | Online Permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biscotasi Lake | Intermediate | Drive to/ Rail | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| French River | Intermediate | Drive to | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |
| Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater | Advanced | Fly-in/ Paddle-in/ Forest Access Road | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |
| Lake Superior | All skill levels | Drive to/ Rail | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| Makobe-Grays River | Advanced | Paddle-in/ Fly-in | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |
| Missinaibi | Advanced | Fly-in/ Paddle-in/ Forest Access Road | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| Mississagi | Beginner | Drive to | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| Obabika River | Intermediate | Paddle-in/ Fly-in | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |
| Sleeping Giant | Advanced | Drive to | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| Solace | Intermediate | Paddle-in/ Fly-in | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |
| Spanish River | Intermediate | Drive to/ Rail | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| Sturgeon River | Advanced | Fly-in/ Paddle-in/ Forest Access Road | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |
| Tidewater | Intermediate | Paddle-in/ Fly-in | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| Wabakimi | Advanced | Fly-in/ Paddle-in/ Forest Access Road/ Rail | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |
| Wakami Lake | Beginner | Drive to | First-come-first-serve | n/a | n/a |
| Woodland Caribou | Advanced | Paddle-in/ Drive to/ Fly-in | First-come-first-serve | n/a | Online Permits |