When you’ve got ever tried to e-book a campsite at Algonquin, Sandbanks, Bon Echo, Killbear, or Pinery, you already know the battle! In accordance with the Ontario Parks web site, over 50% of campsite reservations made by the top of March are made at simply these 5 parks. That may make discovering a campsite, particularly on the final minute, really feel practically unattainable.
However I’ve excellent news! The province is stuffed with stunning, hidden gem Ontario Parks places that supply beautiful surroundings, peaceable travels, and unbelievable tenting alternatives (with out the crowds). Over the previous few years, my husband and I’ve road-tripped to an extended checklist of provincial parks with our pack of adventure-loving pets, and we will confidently say there are various AMAZING choices exterior of that high 5 checklist!
Whether or not you’re planning a weekend tenting getaway or simply want an escape from the town, listed here are 10 lesser-known Ontario Parks which are 100% well worth the drive from Toronto.
Lake St. Peter Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 3.5 Hours
Simply north of Bancroft, Lake St. Peter Provincial Park is an ideal instance of why it is best to take a look at a number of the lesser-known Ontario Parks in your space. This park could also be small, however what it lacks in dimension, it makes up for in its peaceable attraction. If you happen to’re on the lookout for quieter, much less widespread options to Algonquin, this could undoubtedly be in your checklist.
The park is located on a transparent, calm lake with loads of waterfront campsites to select from (together with some with electrical entry). The lake is ideal for paddling and swimming. We even had the unbelievable alternative of witnessing a loon in her nest by the facet of the lake whereas kayaking throughout our keep. The park’s two sandy seashores had been surprisingly quiet even on the most popular days. Whereas there isn’t a devoted canine seaside, our pups had been capable of take a dip on the boat launch space to chill off.
There are two trails positioned inside the park boundaries, the Lookout Path (2.5 km) and the Cabin Path (4 km). These are thought-about strenuous trails and aren’t the most suitable choice for a newbie hiker, however should you’re up for the problem, the lookouts are beautiful.
For these whose excellent weekend getaways begin with a seek for the perfect Ontario provincial parks for a peaceable paddle and escape to nature, Lake St Peter is a stable selection.
Silent Lake Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 3 Hours
Because the title suggests, Silent Lake Provincial Park is a superb possibility for many who want peaceable Ontario Parks for tenting and mountaineering. Simply south of Bancroft, this park is a superb selection for many who are curious about calm paddling, together with first-time paddlers. Why? No motorboats are allowed on the lake, holding it calm and straightforward to handle for any talent stage.
One of many park’s main highlights is the Lakeshore Climbing Path, a surprising 15 km loop across the park, providing stunning waterfront lookouts, beaver meadows, and hardwood forests. We visited the park over the Thanksgiving weekend, and my pup, Lucifer, joined me for the hike. Not solely had been the views unbelievable, however they had been made much more magical by the autumn colors. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a memorable fall hike, I can’t suggest it sufficient!
For individuals who want a barely shorter or much less difficult hike, there are two different trails to select from: Lakehead Loop path (1.5 km) and Bonnie’s Pond Path (3 km). Whereas they’re significantly shorter, don’t let that discourage you. They nonetheless provide some unbelievable views of the park and the lake it’s named after.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for a winter getaway, Silent Lake can be an ideal possibility. When the snow falls, the park is reworked right into a cross-country skier’s paradise, with 4 trails starting from novice to tough, totaling 34 km. Tenting, snowshoeing, and ice fishing are additionally obtainable.
Awenda Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 2.5 Hours
Simply north of Penetanguishene on Georgian Bay, Awenda Provincial Park is a superb vacation spot for anybody trying to find provincial parks near Toronto. The park is a well-liked family-friendly getaway with personal campsites, a number of seashores (together with a pet-friendly seaside), and usually scheduled youngsters’s applications to study concerning the park and its native wildlife.
We visited this park throughout a heatwave and had been extraordinarily grateful for the pet seaside! Positioned between 1st Seaside and a couple ofnd Seaside, the Pet Seaside is a superb place to take a dip and funky off whereas having fun with the views of Georgian Bay. No pet? No drawback! With 4 camper seashores to select from, there may be loads of beachfront area. It’s a fantastic different to the extra widespread places with their crowded seashores!
For individuals who take pleasure in mountaineering, there are seven trails starting from 1 km to 13 km in size, together with a barrier-free path. We took our canines on the Nipissing Path, a well-groomed 1 km return path with a 155-step staircase taking you up onto the bluff.
Whether or not it’s your first time tenting in Ontario provincial parks otherwise you’re trying to find a brand new park to discover, Awenda is nicely well worth the journey!
Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 3.5 Hours
I couldn’t create an inventory of hidden gem Ontario Parks with out highlighting this stunning and peaceable location. Sharbot Lake Provincial Park is a smaller park, but it surely solely took one go to for me to fall fully in love. Positioned within the Frontenac Highlands, this park is surrounded by two lakes: Sharbot Lake and Black Lake. Not solely are there loads of waterfront campsites, but it surely’s additionally a super getaway for many who take pleasure in water-related actions, akin to seaside days, fishing, and paddling.
The park options two sandy seashores, positioned on Black Lake, and a chosen canine seaside on Sharbot Lake. Whereas we did make a journey to the canine seaside with our pups at one level (simply to test it out), we had been capable of swim proper off our campsite after following a path right down to the water.
Throughout our time on the park, we rented a canoe and explored Black Lake with each canines and our cat (sure, a canoeing cat). Not solely was it a calming, stunning paddle, however we additionally witnessed a loon and its child out on the water, swimming.
Sharbot Lake gives two trails for many who take pleasure in mountaineering. The Discovery Path is a 1.2 km loop with some stunning views. It is a bit more rugged at factors, and the rocks on the path can change into fairly slippery after a rain (ask us how we all know), so acceptable mountaineering footwear is required. If you happen to want a shorter hike, the 0.5 km Ridgeview Path can be obtainable.
That is the right possibility for many who love quiet Ontario Parks with stunning views.
Restoule Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 4 Hours
Whether or not you’re on the lookout for a country backcountry getaway or a comfortable automobile tenting weekend, Restoule Provincial Park is likely to be your excellent vacation spot. This can be a little farther from Toronto, but it surely’s nicely well worth the drive for its unbelievable views, quiet lakes, glorious paddling, and delightful mountaineering trails. Regardless of having a lot to supply, it’s one of many hidden gems in Ontario for nature lovers.
Once we camped right here with our canines, I used to be struck by simply how peaceable it was, even throughout peak season. The automobile tenting campsites are shaded with quite a lot of choices for campers of every kind, together with electrical, non-electrical, barrier-free, and waterfront websites. It’s even one of many spots for seasonal Ontario Provincial Parks tenting, should you’d want discovering that excellent go-to spot to name your personal.
If you happen to want a extra personal or adventurous expertise, there are secluded walk-in campsites obtainable. Their easy-access paddle-in websites are the right alternative for these curious about attempting backcountry tenting for the primary time. On the similar time, longer paddle routes lengthen out into the French River for extra skilled backcountry lovers.
For mountaineering lovers, the park’s standout path is the Fireplace Tower Path (4.1 km). This reasonably difficult hike leads as much as a surprising lookout, providing panoramic views of Stormy Lake and the encompassing forest. You would simply plan an entire weekend on the paths, with 5 extra trails within the park, starting from 860 m to 4.8 km.
There are three sandy seashores for many who wish to take a dip. For pet-friendly vacationers, a pet-friendly seaside is offered close to the boat launch. Nonetheless, the actual gem was the fenced leash-free pet space which featured its personal devoted seaside. Our pups liked operating and taking part in on this spot for hours on finish.
Restoule is a perfect getaway if you would like a extra remote-feeling journey at one of many much less crowded Ontario Parks.
Level Farms Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 3 Hours
Positioned on the shores of Lake Huron, simply north of Goderich, Level Farms Provincial Park is a must-see vacation spot for many who want to stay to the Southern Ontario provincial parks. This park is one among our go-to spots for a relaxed tenting expertise.
Right here, you’ll be able to select from a mixture of shady and open websites throughout two campgrounds, one among which (Huron) is radio-free. We discovered many personal choices, particularly in Huron Campground. There are additionally six group campsites should you’re planning a getaway with a bigger group of household or associates, with the power to accommodate from 9 to 45 folks.
The park options three trails, together with two simpler choices for an informal stroll together with your pets: the Previous Farms Path (4 km) and the Beneath the Bluff Path (0.5 km). The Previous Farms Path was a favorite of my senior canines, permitting them to get out and luxuriate in a hike with out pushing them too far. The Ravine Path (1 km) isn’t too lengthy, however the rugged terrain is barely more difficult.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for a possibility to chill off on a sizzling day, Level Farms has a fantastic lengthy seaside space. This features a human-only seaside close to the Colborne campground and a big canine seaside space by the Huron campground.
For a peaceable and stress-free getaway, I extremely suggest testing this park.
Lengthy Level Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 2.5 Hours
One other stunning park in Ontario, Lengthy Level Provincial Park is located on a slim, sandy peninsula that extends into Lake Erie, making it an unbelievable seaside vacation spot.
With over 1.5km of lengthy, sandy seaside, together with two designated canine seaside areas, there may be loads of area for everybody to benefit from the heat waters of Lake Erie with out feeling such as you’re crammed in too shut (even when there are extra folks there on the height summer time days). The shallow waters shortly made this a favorite swimming spot for our pup Lucifer (pictured) throughout our final journey.
The park itself is break up into two separate campground areas, the Previous Park, the place you’ll discover Cottonwood Campground, and the New Park, which incorporates Firefly Campground, Monarch’s Relaxation Campground, and Turtle Dunes Campground. Many campsites even provide direct entry to the seaside. We stayed in Cottonwood throughout our go to. The campsites had been all sand, which was a really totally different tenting expertise than what we often discover when visiting different Ontario Provincial Parks.
There are not any mountaineering trails at this park. Nonetheless, there are various locations to discover close by should you’re seeking to hit the paths, together with the Massive Creek Nationwide Wildlife Space, which is a brief 10-minute drive away. Right here, you’ll have the ability to see a whole lot of native wildlife within the space’s marshes and wetlands, together with frogs, turtles, and over 200 species of birds.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for a beachy different to widespread parks like Sandbanks, contemplate planning a visit to Lengthy Level Provincial Park.
Grundy Lake Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 3.5 Hours
Grundy Lake Provincial Park is actually one of the vital unbelievable hidden gem Ontario Parks within the Canadian Defend. Discovered simply south of Sudbury, this park combines pink granite rocks, pine timber, and deep blue lakes in a surprising, rugged, and peaceable vacation spot for nature lovers.
That is one among my favorite parks to discover by canoe or kayak. There are a number of lakes, all linked, making it a great place for day paddles and even beginner-friendly canoe tenting. There are six sandy seashores unfold all through the park, plus two canine seashores, making this an ideal possibility for a sizzling summer time day. There are additionally many easy rock areas alongside the shoreline for sunbathing or taking a dive into the cool water.
Nonetheless, my favorite time of 12 months to go to Grundy Lake is throughout the fall. The attractive surroundings all through this park is made much more magical with the transition into the daring fall colors.
The park options 4 mountaineering trails, ranging in problem from straightforward to tough, that means there are alternatives to go well with hikers of all talent ranges. If I needed to choose a favorite, it will be the Swan Lake Path (1.5 km loop). Rated “reasonable to tough” on the Ontario Provincial Parks web site, the path does have some rugged rocky ridges that will be difficult for newer hikers. That stated, the beautiful lookouts make it nicely well worth the effort.
If you happen to’re trying to find a peaceable and nature-focused park the place you’ll be able to actually disconnect from the world and benefit from the unbelievable magnificence held by the Northern Ontario provincial parks, Grundy Lake is a superb selection.
MacGregor Level Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 3 Hours
Simply south of Port Elgin on the Lake Huron shoreline, MacGregor Level Provincial Park is well one among my favorite go-to parks. In truth, we make some extent of visiting this level no less than as soon as yearly. Whereas many Southern Ontario provincial parks entice massive crowds (like Pinery), MacGregor Level tends to remain a lot quieter, making it an ideal possibility for many who wish to chill out and luxuriate in an escape to nature.
The park options 5 mountaineering trails, three of which additionally enable bicycles, and a devoted biking path, the Deer Run Bike Path (3.7 km). The paths vary in size from 0.8 km to 4 km. Most trails are rated as “straightforward” in problem, with the one exception being the Lake Ridge Path (4 km, reasonable). A few of our favorite experiences on the path embody the view from the commentary path on the Tower Path and the logging historical past of the world shared on storyboards alongside the Lake Ridge Path.
Not like many parks in Southern Ontario, MacGregor Level is open year-round. This implies you’ll be able to go to at any time, even for winter tenting. Throughout the winter months, the paths are reworked into cross-country snowboarding, snowshoeing, and ice-skating trails. For these curious about snowmobiling, it’s an possibility, however solely on park roads.
The campsites are personal and shaded, and the park has at all times felt calm and peaceable throughout our visits. In addition they have a number of rustic cabins and yurts for many who want a glamping getaway (an ideal possibility on these colder winter journeys).
For these travelling with pets, the park is a superb selection. There’s a designated dog-friendly portion on the sandy seaside within the day-use space of the park, and a second dog-friendly seaside will be discovered close to the Huron Campground.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for much less crowded Ontario Parks with nice trails and personal campsites, MacGregor Level is a stable selection.
Chutes Provincial Park
Drive Time from Toronto: Roughly 6 Hours
That is the longest drive time of all of the choices included on this checklist, however it’s nicely well worth the drive for a weekend away. Chutes Provincial Park is a kind of locations that really feels tucked away from the hustle and bustle of every day life whereas nonetheless providing the comfort of a close-by city (Massey) for all of your wants.
The park is called after the small waterfall (or chute) on the Aux Sables River that when powered an area logging mill. At present, you’ll be able to view the waterfall from the gorgeous lookouts on the Twin Bridges Path (6 km), or swim proper beneath it at a sandy seaside on the river. The path is one among our favorite peaceable trails to discover with our canines as a result of it’s quiet, shaded, and stuffed with little surprises to make you smile alongside the way in which, like rock ledges, mild rapids, and calm swimming pools.
Whereas canines aren’t allowed on the seaside on the base of the falls, there’s a canine seaside just a bit additional down the river. There’s additionally a fenced train space the place they will run and play off-leash.
The campsites are massive and well-shaded. Whereas they’re typically rather less personal than another parks we’ve beneficial, the truth that Chutes doesn’t draw massive crowds means you’ll be able to nonetheless take pleasure in a slower, quieter nature expertise. We love reserving websites within the Massive Chute Crescent campground, as you’ll be able to hear the sound of the waterfall all night time, a pure white noise machine.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for the charming expertise of the Northern Ontario provincial parks, Chutes is nicely well worth the journey!
Begin Planning Your Subsequent Ontario Tenting Getaway At present!
You don’t need to struggle for a spot at the preferred park within the province to take pleasure in an unforgettable Ontario tenting journey. The parks on this checklist are a number of the most peaceable and scenic locations I’ve visited, and so they’re all inside driving distance of Toronto. Whether or not you’re on the lookout for quiet paddling routes, pet-friendly seashores, or only a break from the busy metropolis, these hidden gem Ontario Parks are the way in which to go.
Many of those websites additionally e-book up extra slowly than the better-known locations. Nonetheless, I nonetheless suggest making your reservations early, particularly for summer time weekend holidays or throughout peak fall colors.
So, load up the automobile, seize your gear, pack the snacks (don’t neglect treats for the pets), and begin planning your subsequent Ontario street journey!
FAQ
When Do Ontario Parks Open for the 12 months?
Most Ontario Parks open for tenting and day use in mid-Might, with many contemplating the Might lengthy weekend the grand opening. They typically keep open till Thanksgiving weekend. Nonetheless, a handful of parks, like MacGregor Level and Silent Lake, provide year-round entry for winter tenting, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and different winter actions. All the time verify the person park web page on the Ontario Parks web site for particular opening and shutting dates.
Which Ontario Parks are Finest for a Peaceable Weekend Journey?
If you happen to’re seeking to keep away from the crowds, parks like Silent Lake, Sharbot Lake, and Chutes are glorious selections. These parks are usually quieter than widespread parks like Algonquin, Sandbanks, or Pinery, however nonetheless provide stunning surroundings, well-maintained trails, and glorious tenting alternatives.
How Do You Make Reservations at Ontario Provincial Parks?
You may e-book campsites on-line via the Ontario Parks Reservation System or by telephone. Ontario Provincial Parks open for reservations 5 months upfront of your arrival date. Fashionable dates/parks replenish shortly, particularly for summer time weekends. If you happen to’re planning a last-minute journey or on the lookout for quieter choices, contemplate reserving at lesser-known parks, akin to those featured on this put up. You may as well verify usually for cancellations in your most well-liked park or go to the Ontario Parks Cancellations Fb group.
