Best Ontario Parks Camping: Hidden Gems You Shouldn’t Miss

I’ll admit it: I used to be a bit of a camping snob. If it didn’t come with a plug-in, a pool, or some sort of gourmet s’mores bar, I wasn’t interested. But after visiting a few of Ontario’s provincial parks on a solo RV adventure, I’ve officially been converted. These parks do more than just hold their own. The best Ontario parks for camping are what other campgrounds aspire to be. So if you’re craving real nature, room to breathe, and a chance to properly unplug, read on.

From quiet beaches and canoe rentals to massive campsites with actual privacy (shocking, I know), this list includes a few parks I’ve personally camped at and loved, plus a handful of curated picks worth putting on your radar. Whether you’re in it for the fall colours, stargazing, waterfront mornings, or just some peace and quiet, here’s where to pitch your tent or park your trailer this year.

Ontario Parks not only sit on some of the most scenic and beautiful real estate in the province, they give private RV parks a run for their money, figuratively and literally. The most popular Ontario Provincial Parks are The Pinery, Sandbanks, Killbear, Bon Echo, and Algonquin, and while they should absolutely be on your list, there are OVER ONE HUNDRED other parks that deserve your attention.

Before You Book: What You Need to Know About Ontario Parks Camping

Best Ontario Parks for Camping: Personally Visited and Loved

These are the parks I’ve actually pulled into with my own trailer and can vouch for firsthand.

Charleston Lake Provincial Park: Best Ontario Parks Camping on the Canadian Shield

Charleston Lake was hands-down my favourite stop on a weekend exploring with Ontario Parks. Nestled in the Canadian Shield, this park is surrounded by ancient bedrock and a mix of towering pines, maples, firs, and oaks. Translation: it’s stunning. Keep your camera handy. You’ll want to capture every inch of it.

This is one of the best Ontario parks for camping if you like calm lakes, clear water, and activities that don’t involve a screen. Rent a canoe or kayak right on-site, paddle into the quiet, and enjoy a rare kind of stillness. The beach is great for swimming, and the campsites are roomy enough to spread out and genuinely soak in your surroundings.

Murphy’s Point: Peace, Stars, and Serene Trails

I loved Murphy’s Point because it’s a little piece of “serenity now” for city folk like me. Located under two hours from my home in Ottawa, it’s a perfect and affordable weekend escape. My girls also loved it, because the lake and beach were gorgeous, and hello, IG shots.  Remember to take a minute to look up at the night sky and marvel at the stars that aren’t competing with city lights. 

If your interests lean more toward nature and a lot less toward technology, Murphy’s Point delivers on that too. The Sylvan Trail is a 2.5 km hiking loop through the southernmost extension of the Canadian Shield. The park is also home to the Eastern Gray Ratsnake, and if you can look at them with love in your eyes instead of shrieking like I do, a Park Naturalist can tell you a lot more about them. The Silver Queen Mine, a former mica mine that closed in 1920, can be explored with a guide. It’s a sneaky way to sneak a little learning in on the kids.

Presqu’ile Provincial Park: Room to Roam on Lake Ontario

Located on an expansive stretch of beach on Lake Ontario, Presqu’ile is the perfect place to lose and find yourself for a week. The beach is ideal for playing in the water or wandering aimlessly searching for skipping stones. You’ll also find the second oldest operating lighthouse in Ontario here, so take a few minutes to check it out.

I loved how huge the sites were at Presqu’ile for RVs. Our site in the camping loop called The Pines was easy to get in and out of and gave us loads of space to stretch out. I’ve genuinely never seen sites this large at a private RV park. If you’re travelling with a bigger rig, this one is worth knowing about.

Underrated Ontario Provincial Parks to Add to Your Camping Bucket List

These parks haven’t made it onto my personal camping itinerary yet, but they’re well worth knowing about. Each one has something genuinely distinct to offer, and they tend to be far less crowded than the marquee names.

Balsam Lake Provincial Park: Kawartha Lakes Camping at Its Best

Located in the Kawartha Lakes area, Balsam Lake Provincial Park had me at the view alone. Aside from taking in the lake and the trails within the park, this part of Ontario is a great area to explore by car on a day trip. The surrounding region has antique shops, farm stands, and small towns worth wandering through.

Bonnechere Provincial Park: Ottawa Valley Best Ontario Parks Camping 

Located in the Ottawa Valley, Bonnechere Provincial Park is one of those places that keeps coming up when you ask seasoned Ontario campers where to go. The park sits on the Bonnechere River and features a sandy beach that’s ideal for swimming. It’s well-suited for families and for anyone who wants a quieter, less commercial experience than the bigger parks tend to offer.

The surrounding area of Renfrew County is worth exploring beyond the park. Bonnechere Caves, a short drive away, offers an unusual geological experience that kids and adults both find genuinely interesting.

Driftwood Provincial Park: Fall Camping in Ontario’s Laurentians

Close to Ottawa and located in the Laurentians, Driftwood Provincial Park is the kind of place that earns its reputation quietly. The park sits along the Ottawa River and offers panoramic views that are particularly spectacular in fall. If you’re looking for the best Ontario parks camping experience during leaf season, this one belongs on your shortlist.

The hiking trails here deliver the kind of views that make you stop mid-step. The park is also well-suited for fishing and paddling, with good water access throughout.

Lake St. Peter Provincial Park: A Quieter Alternative to Algonquin

Close to Algonquin Provincial Park, Lake St. Peter is a smart choice if Algonquin is booked solid (which it usually is). It has a lake for fishing, canoeing, and swimming, and the Hastings Heritage Trail runs only 2 km away, making it a good base for exploring the area by bike.

This is a smaller, quieter park that rewards campers who don’t need a lot of amenities. If your idea of a good camping trip involves a lake, a paddle, and not talking to many other people, Lake St. Peter delivers.

Marten River Provincial Park: Best Ontario Parks Camping in Northern Ontario

Most Ontarians don’t get far out of their cities, let alone deep into the Canadian wilderness, and that’s a genuine shame. Northern Ontario is one of the most beautiful places on earth for rugged, natural beauty, and Marten River is a strong entry point into that world. Located above North Bay, this provincial park sits in the kind of landscape that makes you remember why you needed to unplug in the first place.

The park has a beach, good fishing, and a logging museum that documents the history of the region’s lumber industry. It’s also one of the more affordable options on this list, partly because it’s far enough from major centres that demand stays lower.

Restoule Provincial Park: Bluffs, Lakes, and Serious Hiking

Restoule Provincial Park sits on Stormy Lake in the Nipissing District, and the scenery earns the name. The park is known for its rugged terrain, with bluffs overlooking the lake that offer some of the best views you’ll find at any Ontario provincial park. It’s a hiker’s park, genuinely, and the trails here are more challenging and more rewarding than most.

The park also has good canoe tripping routes for those who want to go further. It’s quieter than the more famous parks and has the kind of dramatic landscape that tends to produce lifelong fans.

Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park: History and Water in the Mattawa Valley

Imagining what life was like for Canada’s first explorers is easy at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park. The park sits on a fur trade route in the Mattawa Valley and offers an immersive Voyageur canoe experience that you genuinely can’t find many other places. Rent a canoe here or bring your own, and spend some time thinking about what it meant to paddle these routes before GPS, coffee shops, or decent rain gear.

The park has good swimming, a beach, and hiking trails that move through some striking river valley scenery. It’s also a solid base for exploring Mattawa, a small town with an interesting history tied to the fur trade era.

Ready to Book Your Best Ontario Parks Camping Trip?

Want to avoid the summer rush? Start planning early. Most Ontario Parks open booking windows five months out from your arrival date, and the best sites at the most popular parks go within minutes of that window opening. If you’ve never camped at an Ontario provincial park before, start with one of the parks on the personally visited section of this list. Charleston Lake and Murphy’s Point in particular are excellent entry points that won’t disappoint.

And if you’ve been putting off going, take this as your sign. I’ve been writing about Ontario Parks for years and I still have parks on my list I haven’t made it to. Learn from my mistakes. Book the site. Go.

 

Updated March 7, 2026 to include new information.