Ontario is home to an incredible landscape of pristine lakes, rivers and forests, made easily accessible by the provincial and national parks located throughout the province. Families often enjoy the front campsites, many of which are located on popular lakes with beaches. Those wishing to hike and canoe will find a series of trails and waterways through spectacular scenery, some within a short drive of southern Ontario’s main cities. Backcountry enthusiasts seeking remote wilderness adventures may want to venture a little further afield to the areas north and west of Lake Superior in Northwestern Ontario. For park reservations and details about current events in the parks, visit Ontario Provincial Parks or Canada’s National Parks websites.
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1 Algonquin Provincial Park
Just three hours north of Toronto, Algonquin Provincial Park offers easy access to Ontario’s amazing wilderness. Home to black bears, wolves, elk and deer, the lakes and forests provide great opportunities for outdoor adventures. Camping is huge here in the summer, especially with families, and campsites in Algonquin book well in advance. Most of these are strategically positioned around lakes.
Hiking and canoeing are the best ways to explore the park. Hiking trails in Algonquin offer unique opportunities to spot wildlife, reach high ridges for forest and lake views, and see waterfalls, streams, swamp dwellings and ponds, and old-growth trees. The many lakes and waterways are connected by well-maintained portages and supported by backcountry campsites, making this one of Southern Ontario’s premier parks for canoeing and kayaking. More than 1,600 kilometers of rivers and lakes have been marked out for paddlers.
The park is a favorite in the fall, when tourists see the colorful display of red, orange, and yellow leaves. Another popular activity in the park is the Thursday night wolf howl, held only in the month of August, where you can call wolves and listen to them howl.
TheAlgonquin Art Center, located at km 20 near the main campsites in the park, is a must for visitors interested in the nature and Canadian art. The center is housed in a beautifully restored stone building. There is also a visitor center with the latest information about the trails and campsites.
If you’re looking for accommodations near the park, a good place to base yourself is in Huntsville. For a resort experience, try the luxurious lakeside Deerhurst Resort or the more mid-range Hidden Valley Resort. Both are on the eastern edge of Huntsville and provide easy access to the park.
2 Killarney Provincial Park
One of Ontario’s true gems, Killarney Provincial Park, is worth the effort to get here. Killarney’s landscape lies along the shores of the Georgian Bay and includes countless small lakes. It is unique among Ontario parks. Its signature feature is the La Cloche Mountains. Made of white quartzite, the mountains are a shocking white color. Equally impressive and in contrast to the green trees, cobalt blue water and white mountains, are the beautiful, pink granite cliffs that form the banks on some of the lakes. Some of the sights here have been immortalized in paintings by members of The Group of Seven, Canada’s most famous artists. One member in particular, A.Y. Jackson, was instrumental in convincing the government to establish the park.
Hiking trails in and around Killarney Provincial Park are spectacular and varied. Short walks lead to the shores of Georgian Bay, others to the white peaks of the La Cloche Mountains or to dramatic viewpoints. You can even take a short boat shuttle and walk around an island. Wildlife abounds here, with many opportunities to see bears, foxes, deer, moose and beavers. This is especially true for morning walks or when camping in the park.
Killarney Provincial Park is located just outside the quaint little community of Killarney, about a 4.5-hour drive from Toronto, or an hour’s drive from Sudbury. For the absolute best experience, stay at the Killarney Mountain Lodge. This rustic lodge has been undergoing upgrades for several years and is now a mix of chic and traditional, and the rooms have different prices depending on your budget and taste. They also have a seasonal pool and all-inclusive packages.
3 Bruce Peninsula National Park en Fathom Five National Marine Park
Just outside Tobermory, on the shores and waters of Georgian Bay, are the Bruce Peninsula National Park and the Fathom Five National Marine Park. Bruce Peninsula National Park, with dramatic cliffs, bays and beaches, is the main draw for most visitors. Hiking, hiking, camping, swimming and playing in the water are the most popular things to do. The park is also home to very rare orchids and all kinds of wildlife, especially amphibians.
Fathom Five National Marine Park, offshore of Tobermory, is the site of more than a dozen shipwrecks. Known for its exceptionally clear waters, the park is a hotspot for divers and underwater photography. Another unusual attraction in the area is the Flowerpot, a huge rock pillar in the shape of a vase, located on Flowerpot Island. Glass-bottom boat tours sail over the remains of sunken ships and drop visitors on Flowerpot Island, where you can walk along the shores and around the island. Tours depart from Tobermory, a picturesque fishing village with half-timbered houses on the north side of the Bruce Peninsula.
Due to the seasonal nature of tourism in the area, many of the businesses here are only open during the summer months. The town has several good motels with reasonable prices, some of which close during the low season. It is advisable to book in advance during the summer months. Adventure the Bruce Inn is a good option, with updated rooms, a hot tub and beautiful grounds.
4 Bon Echo Provincial Park
Bon Echo Provincial Park is a popular family park with a large campsite, a sandy beach and beautiful surroundings. The main campsite at Mazinaw Lake overlooks the 100-foot cliffs ofMazinaw Rock, the park’s main attraction. Kayaking and canoeing, especially along the base of the rock face, with some 260 native pictographs, are very popular activities. You can also take a tour boat from the campground and walk up a long flight of stairs and a trail to the top of Mazinaw Rock for sweeping views of the entire area. The tour boat also continues to other sights, including the indigenous icons. On rainy days, some of the highlights of the boat trip are the waterfalls cascading over the enormous rock face. Accommodation options in the area, outside the campsite, are very limited.
5 Quetico Provincial Park
In the remote northwestern part of Ontario, about 160 kilometers west of Thunder Bay, is Quetico Provincial Park. This is the place to come if you are looking for an incredible paddling experience. Quetico’s pristine lakes and forests offer a much different experience than Southern Ontario’s parks, with vast, open wilderness that sees far fewer visitors. Wildlife is plentiful, fishing is excellent, and the backcountry experience here is truly backcountry.
This area extends over more than 4,500 square kilometers and is largely only accessible by boat, float plane or canoe. A highway runs through part of the park providing access to a campground, but this is only a small part of Quetico. The park is part of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Superior National Forest in Minnesota.
Many outdoor adventure groups from both Canada and the United States come to the park for multi-day paddling expeditions. If you are unfamiliar with this area, it is best to tackle this type of trip with the help of a local supplier and find out what options are available. Some outfitters will even fly you to a remote lake from where you can paddle. Most outfitters are located in or near the city of Atikokan. If you are an experienced canoeist, you may want to consider a 5-day fully equipped canoeing package. If you want to be local and just canoe, you can rent a canoe and equipment and get advice on suggested routes.
6 Point Pelee National Park
Point Pelee National Park is located on the southernmost point of the Canadian mainland and forms an almost triangular peninsula overlooking Lake Erie. The latitude here is the same as Rome and Northern California. Long stretches of beach along the coast, but the park is best known as a resting place on the flight path of many migratory birds. It has been declared a ‘Wetland of International Significance’ by UNESCO. As a result, it is extremely popular with bird watchers, who can stroll the extensive boardwalks through wetlands, stroll along the beaches or even kayak through the wetlands. The most popular time to visit the park is during the spring and fall migration period. Point Pelee is also known for the large number of Monarch butterflies that move through the area each fall.
The nearest town to the park is Leamington, where you can find a reasonable selection of hotels. The Best Western Plus Leamington Hotel & Conference Center is just five minutes from the park and is a good choice, with an indoor swimming pool.
7 Lake Superior Provincial Park
Along a lonely stretch of the TransCanada Highway (Highway 17), on the north shore of Lake Superior, lies the rugged wilderness of Lake Superior Provincial Park. Beautiful soft-sand beaches line Lake Superior, and smaller inland lakes sit at the base of pine-covered hills and steep rock walls, where you can often take a dip in the water in summer. This park is located far from any major cities and towns and is surrounded by vast wilderness that stretches seemingly endlessly to the north and east.
People come here in the summer to camp along the beaches, kayak or canoe, hike, visit native icons and enjoy the peace and quiet. The park has several campsites, most of which are focused around the beaches along Lake Superior. Landmarks in the park include the Agawa Rock icons that line a huge rock wall along the lake. A short walking path leads to the water’s edge at the base of the cliff, but visitors can only walk along the shoreline to see the pictographs on calm days when there are no waves. Another great stop isOld Women’s Bay. You can pull off the highway here to stretch your legs on a huge stretch of beach and look out at an impressive cliff wall across the bay.
If you’re not looking for camping in the park, your best bet is nearby Wawa, on the north side of the park, where you’ll find a selection of hotels and some restaurants. Hotels tend to be expensive here during the summer months, but the Mystic Isle Motel is a good budget option.
8 Killbear Provincial Park
On a stretch of land overlooking Georgian Bay not far from the town of Parry Sound, Killbear Provincial Park is a fun, family-oriented park with beaches and beautiful rocky shores typical of the Canadian Shield. The park has seven campsites and most people come here specifically for camping. Kids can play in the shallow water while adults lounge on the beach, and older kids can take advantage of the four miles of trails for walking or biking. Photographers will find great inspiration in the rocky outcrops, windswept pines and tranquil sunsets.
9 French River Province Park
French River Provincial Park covers an area along the French River up to Georgian Bay. This area is almost entirely hinterland and is mainly accessible by boat or canoe. Campsites spread along the river and on the islands in Georgian Bay. This scenic river, a 70-mile (112 km) long waterway between Lake Nipissing and Georgian Bay, is about an hour’s drive south of Sudbury, or three hours north of Toronto. There is an impressive visitor center on Highway 69 overlooking part of the river and a nearby pedestrian bridge over the river.
Historically, the French ‘voyageurs’ and missionaries, Samuel de Champlain among them, constructed these waters as early as 1620. Today the river is very popular with canoeists, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts. There are numerous fishing and recreational resorts along the river. Some of them are only accessible by boats or seaplanes and offer complete packages for fishing, kayaking or canoeing.
10 Georgian Bay Islands National Park
The beautiful islands of Georgian Bay are part of the Canadian Shield and were formed by the last ice age. This paradise of some 30,000 small islands has long been a magnet for boaters, outdoor enthusiasts and artists such as Tom Thomson and the ‘Group of Seven’. In 1929, approximately 59 islands of the archipelago were designated as a national park. Still virtually unspoiled, they can only be visited by boat. The park’s DayTripper boat takes visitors to Beausoleil Island. The journey takes just 15 minutes each way. On the island you can swim, walk, cycle or simply enjoy a day at the beach. Boats depart fromHoney Harbor and run from Victoria Day (late May) to Thanksgiving (mid-October).
11 Petroglyphs Provincial Park
Northeast of Peterborough, Petroglyphs Provincial Park has more native petroglyphs than anywhere else in Canada with approximately 900 that are between 500 and 1,000 years old. The rocks with the carvings are covered with a glass enclosure to protect them from the elements. They are all concentrated in this one small area, making them extremely easy to see. Visitors can tour this building as well as the visitors center, which is full of information about the drawings.
Practical tips
- Reservations for campsites in many of the provincial parks are accepted up to five months in advance. The best locations, especially during the summer months, are fully booked early. Some parks, such as French River, do not accept reservations and campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a fee for booking in advance.
- The most sought-after campground sites, usually waterfront sites or those with a view, are considered premium sites and are more expensive than regular campsites. The least popular are classified as low and are the least expensive sites.
- Yurts are available for rent in some parks. These are tent-like camping structures with a round wooden base and fully equipped with bunk beds and barbecues. There are generally very few of these per park and they must be booked well in advance.
- Non-camping visitors can pay a daily fee or purchase a seasonal permit for unlimited day use. Some of the most popular parks also have canoe rentals on site.
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