Where to Camp in Ontario...

Where to Camp In Ontario

Provincial Park Campgrounds Ontario is home to over 330 provincial parks, covering 9 million hectares. All this space means loads of camping opportunities within provincial park grounds. The Ontario Parks 'Park Locator' lets you search for a specific park or locate parks in a given area, and also has a 'locate parks by services' option that allows you to search specifically for parks with camping facilities (among numerous other criteria). Once you have selected a park, you can check the camping fees and reservation policies online. Yurts and cabin camping are available in some parks at a higher cost. All reservations incur a non-refundable fee.
Provincial Park Backwoods Camping
Ontario has over 6,500 backcountry sites only accessible by foot or paddling, spread through 21 different parks. Most include a pit privy and fire ring. A full list of parks offering backcountry camping is available online. Backcountry camping is also possible at some non-operating parks - you can get more information from the park office via the contact number listed on the individual park page. Use of backcountry sites incurs a backcountry camping fee.
Crown Land Camping
Ontario provides many opportunities for crown land camping outside of provincial parks. In general, residents of Canada may camp free of charge on crown land for up to 21 days at any one site, unless posted otherwise. No facilities are provided on crown land, and ecological sustainability is of utmost importance. At these sites campers must practice ‘leave no trace' camping as well as safe backcountry cooking and food storage.
The majority of Ontario's crown land is located in the north of the province. The Ontario Backroads Mapbook is a good resource for locating crown land campsites, and further information can always be found through contacting your closest Ministry of Natural Resources office.