Happy Autumn Equinox!
Fall is the perfect season for a quick weekend getaway, and we’ve got some great campsites available all across the province.
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, Sept. 22):
Southeastern Ontario
Silent Lake Provincial Park
Silent Lake is the perfect fall getaway spot, boasting great hiking and biking trails, and brilliant fall colours. Whether you are an ardent hiker, a nature lover, or just out for a family stroll, you’ll find a trail at Silent Lake that suits you.
Silent Lake is 2.5 hours from Toronto and 3 hours from Ottawa.
Bon Echo Provincial Park
Yes — there’s an exploration tent still available, complete with mattresses, table and chairs, and barbeque!
Launch your canoe (or rent one at the lagoon) and paddle Mazinaw Lake. Head over to Mazinaw Rock to view one of Canada’s largest visible collections of Indigenous pictographs. Stop by the Visitors Centre, or book a trip on the Mugwump Ferry of Wanderer Tour Boat!
Bon Echo is 2 hours from Ottawa, and 3 hours from Toronto.
Southwestern Ontario
Bronte Creek Provincial Park
You’re invited to Bronte Creek’s second annual Harvest Festival! Experience harvest season as it might have been over 100 years ago at Bronte Creek’s historic Spruce Lane Farm.
Bronte Creek is on the border of Oakville and Burlington, less than an hour from downtown Toronto.
Inverhuron Provincial Park
Prized for its sandy beach, dunes and glorious sunsets, this diverse park also includes a wetland and a young hardwood forest. Located on the shores of Lake Huron, Inverhuron is steeped in history.
Inverhuron is 3 hours from Toronto, and 2 hours from London.
Near North
Arrowhead Provincial Park
Walk down to the waterfalls or rent a mountain bike and try one of Arrowhead’s designated trails. Hikers like the 7 km Beaver Meadow Trail which winds its way past the Porcupine Bluffs and has lovely fall vistas. Arrowhead’s lakes are fun to paddle (canoe/kayak rentals available).
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.
Bonnechere Provincial Park
One of the Ottawa Valley’s hidden gems, your family will fall in love with Bonnechere.
Explore the quiet Bonnechere River, a great spot for introducing little ones to paddling. The park rents kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards, which can be picked up right at the boat launch.
Bonnechere is 2 hours from Ottawa, and 3 hours from Kingston.
Killbear Provincial Park
There are still sites at Killbear? No way!
We can’t believe it either. Killbear is one of our most visited parks with its kilometres of rugged, rocky shoreline, numerous sand beaches and beautiful views of windswept pines on rocky islands. And is it ever gorgeous in the fall!
Killbear is 3 hours from Toronto.
Northern Ontario
Now that we’re into autumn, many of our northern parks have moved to a “first come, first served” campsite system. Sites like the three featured below are available to the first campers who show up to claim them — and there are LOTS of top-quality choices available.
Just check for yellow-marked campsites on the maps, and keep your eyes open for prime sites like:
Wakami Lake Provincial Park
Waterfront site alert!!!
One of Ontario Parks’ undiscovered fishing hotspots! This waterfront campsite is nestled on the shoreline of Wakami Lake. Discover strange plants like the pitcher plant and sundew on the park’s hiking trails, or rent a kayak and explore by water.
Wakami Lake is 4 hours from Sault Ste Marie, and 5 hours from Sudbury.
Pancake Bay Provincial Park
Waterfront site alert!!!
Pancake Bay boasts more than 3 km of beautiful sand beach and Caribbean blue waters. Enjoy a panoramic view of Lake Superior from the Edmund Fitzgerald Lookout hiking trail. The park is located along the historic paddling route of the Voyageurs, and is only a short drive from many regional attractions.
Pancake Bay is 1 hour from Sault Ste Marie.
Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
Waterfront site alert!!!
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!).