Spring is a great time to score your perfect campsite. Across Ontario, most parks still have a good selection of sites available for the weekend, for tent and RV campers alike!
Scout out your ideal campsite on our Campsite Browsing/Reservation tool (including pictures of most campsites!), or check out these featured campsites (available as of noon, June 9):
Southeastern Ontario
Murphys Point Provincial Park
Located on Big Rideau Lake (part of the historic Rideau Waterway), Murphys Point offers great opportunities for paddlers and boaters. Staying on land? Explore spring wildflowers and archaeological sites on the park’s hiking trails.
On Saturday morning, join a professional birder on a guided hike to spot species like golden-winged and chestnut-sided warblers, yellow-billed cuckoo, scarlet tanager and indigo bunting.
Murphys Point is just over an hour from both Kingston and Ottawa.
Voyageur Provincial Park
Champlain Campground’s sandy beach is less than a five-minute walk from your waterfront campsite on the Ottawa River. The park has many small bays and inlets where visitors can explore and view wildlife by canoe or kayak. Dropping a line in the spring to catch catfish and barbotte (bullhead) is a popular local activity.
Voyageur is just over an hour away from both Ottawa and Montreal.
Southwestern Ontario
Rock Point Provincial Park
Exposed fossils of a coral reef dating back to over 350 million years are embedded in limestone shelf along Rock Point’s beach.
Want to support the environment while on your camping trip? Participate in Saturday’s Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up (great way for students to get community service hours!).
Rock Point is around 2 hours from Toronto, and 1 hour from Niagara Falls.
Wheatley Provincial Park
Campgrounds are situated among a tangle of creeks in a beautifully wooded Carolinian forest setting with a number of creekside sites. The park sits on a major migratory bird route and provides excellent bird-watching opportunities. Boosey Creek and Sugar Creek provide great opportunities for fishing. Kids love to dip their lines and see what they can catch (borrow equipment free from the TackleShare program).
Wheatley is 1 hour from Detroit, Windsor and London.
Central Ontario
Arrowhead Provincial Park
Hikers will love the spring songbirds and wildflowers, while mountain bike enthusiasts will enjoy Arrowhead’s two bike trails. For anglers: Mayflower Lake is stocked with rainbow trout, while Arrowhead Lake is good for small-mouth bass.
Bonus: did you know your camping pass is good for day entry to Algonquin (only 30 minutes away!).
Arrowhead is 2.5 hours from Toronto and Oshawa, and 4 hours from Ottawa.
Algonquin Provincial Park
How about a waterfront campsite at Algonquin?
Discover the essence of Algonquin by foot, bike or canoe, taking in its vast interior of maple hills, rocky ridges, and thousands of lakes. Don’t forget to visit Algonquin’s exceptional Visitor Centre, Logging Museum and Art Centre.
Algonquin is 3.5 hours from Toronto, and 3 hours from Ottawa.
Northeastern Ontario
Windy Lake Provincial Park
Including electric heating for cooler spring nights, each yurt also comes with bunkbeds (sleeping for 6), table and chairs, lighting, and an electrical outlet. Cook dinner on your firepit or propane barbeque.
A popular boating and fishing destination, Windy Lake also offers canoe rentals (including paddles, lifejackets and safety equipment). The park’s sandy beaches include a large buoyed swimming area for kids to splash and play.
Windy Lake is 45 minutes from Sudbury.
Wakami Lake Provincial Park
One of Ontario Parks’ undiscovered fishing hotspots! This waterfront campsite is nestled in the shoreline of Wakami Lake, minutes from the boat launch. Discover strange plants like the pitcher plant and sundew on Wakami Lake’s hiking trails, or rent a kayak and explore the park by water.
Wakami Lake is 4 hours from Sault Ste Marie, and 5 hours from Sudbury.
Northwestern Ontario
Blue Lake Provincial Park
Renowned for its crystal clear waters and long sandy beach, Blue Lake is an outstanding destination for all types of water activities
Enjoy additional comfort in a trailer-equipped campsite. Trailer includes dinette, couch slide, screened-in add-a-room, cook stove, fridge, air conditioner, heater, shower and two sinks with potable water.
Blue Lake is 3.5 hours from Winnipeg, and 4.5 hours from Thunder Bay.
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
You’ll want to stay all week when you see the waterfront sites available along the Lake Superior shoreline! Shake out the cobwebs with a hike along the Casque Isle Trail, or view the cascading waters as they plunge over the rock ledges of Rainbow Falls on their way to Lake Superior.
Rainbow Falls is 2.5 hours from Thunder Bay, and 5 hours from Sault Ste Marie (just follow the Lake Superior shoreline!).