Ontario Provincial Parks - Page 11

B and B · 01-16-2020, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Lyon

One thing you can count on in Ontario is blackflies until at least July 1st. That's why we typically don't camp in June.
If we do, it's usually close to home and the blackflies aren't present.
Once you get to cottage country they out for sure.

I camp at the following in June with No Blackflles

Inverhuron
Roundeau
Pinery
Grundy Lake

Dave Lyon · 01-16-2020, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B and B

I camp at the following in June with No Blackflles

Inverhuron
Roundeau
Pinery
Grundy Lake

I'm surprised the Grundy has no bugs then being further north.

Dave Lyon · 01-16-2020, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

Dave, we've booked a site in the West Lake Campground at Sandbanks for the May long weekend. The West Lake Campground is very new and its wide open with a few young trees, so the bugs aren't a problem. All the sites are drive through. On the Victoria Day weekend there is an alcohol ban so if that's a show stopper for anyone, you would just need to avoid the 2-week period of the ban. I'm sure no one will be bothered if you're quiet and stay on your site but you just need to be aware.

It sounds like most PPs in cottage country will be swarming with bugs in May and June although as I said we've had good luck at Awenda on the south shore of Georgian Bay. Its in a forest of very tall, old growth deciduous trees with the leaf canopy way up high. We're leaning towards the Ottawa area in June now and maybe think about Killbear or Arrowhead in the Fall when its easier to book a site through the week.

That's interesting. We've not been to Sandbanks for 4 years. I'll have to check it out one of these times.

We've booked Lake St. Peter for May long weekend. It'll be a crap shoot....either warm and the blackflies will be out or cold and no blackflies.

itat · 01-20-2020, 01:02 PM

Does anyone use an inverter generator at Ontario Provincial Parks?

The parks' rules page only says, "The use of a generator is permitted provided that campers respect the “No Excessive Noise” rule." That seems to be pretty subjective. I know some would complain for any generator use. I've never camped on a non-electric site anywhere and honestly I've never heard a generator in any of the provincial parks we've stayed at, but I'm curious if there might be more site availability if I include non-electric sites in my searches and invest in an inverter generator.

Pipeman · 01-20-2020, 02:04 PM

We go to the Pinery and the site we get is kind of secluded. I use 2 Honda 2000s gennys in parallel. I also have solar. I use the gennys in the morning after 8 AM and maybe at supper time so the wife can use the microwave and or toaster, hairdryer and curler. They may run for an hour or so. The solar keeps up with the parasitic drain on the batteries. Usually go up there for a week or so around the May-24 holiday. Can't really say we have a lot of black flies or mosquitoes. Not going up this year as we are heading out to the Rockies in June for a couple of months.

kenandterry · 01-20-2020, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

Does anyone use an inverter generator at Ontario Provincial Parks?

The parks' rules page only says, "The use of a generator is permitted provided that campers respect the “No Excessive Noise” rule." That seems to be pretty subjective. I know some would complain for any generator use. I've never camped on a non-electric site anywhere and honestly I've never heard a generator in any of the provincial parks we've stayed at, but I'm curious if there might be more site availability if I include non-electric sites in my searches and invest in an inverter generator.

The size of your 5th wheel now is considered “glamping” not camping, so you’re probably too large to fit in the more primitive sites without electricity. Just sayin’.

itat · 01-21-2020, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenandterry

The size of your 5th wheel now is considered “glamping” not camping, so you’re probably too large to fit in the more primitive sites without electricity. Just sayin’.

LOL. You may be right! But I keep watching all those YouTube videos and it seems so peaceful. We don’t have many places for boondocking up here like they do in the Southwest.

Pipeman · 01-22-2020, 06:35 AM

We have a 35 ft 5th wheel and the site we get for dry camping is big enough for the 5er. When we first got that site we said 35 ft because the Pinery said that site was big enough for a 35 ft trailer. The last couple of years they say only up to 32 feet. So our 5er went on a diet and became 32 feet long. It still fits into the site without a problem. We tell people that it's only comfortable for 2.

itat · 06-13-2022, 02:33 PM

Thought I would bump this thread about Ontario Provincial Parks. This week we are staying at Arrowhead for the first time. Plenty of sites here for larger rigs and they’ve added some nice cabins. We are in a pull through site that has 50A service and a water tap just for this site but the tap isn’t threaded so you can’t connect a hose to it. Good privacy and fairly level. The park has trails that you can bicycle on - we’ll maintained dirt paths. They keep the trees along the main road trimmed up high for those of us pulling fifth wheels. Either the lake water level is higher than normal or the beaches are not deep but they are wide and nice sand. My only con so far is that the dirt sections of the main roads have a lot of nasty pot holes. I’ll be commenting at the park office that they really need to bring in some fresh gravel and a grader before the high traffic season starts at the end of June.

cboss · 06-13-2022, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

and a water tap just for this site but the tap isn’t threaded so you can’t connect a hose to it.

You need a "Water Bandit".

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Connect...38452695&psc=1

itat · 06-13-2022, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cboss

You need a "Water Bandit".

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Connect...38452695&psc=1

I do have a “Water Bandit” but you have to hold it on the tap’s spout and I believe the valve is spring-loaded to be normally in the closed position. I’ll use the Water Bandit if we need to refill the fresh water tank before the end of our stay.

RV_Lee · 09-27-2022, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

LOL. You may be right! But I keep watching all those YouTube videos and it seems so peaceful. We don’t have many places for boondocking up here like they do in the Southwest.

Actually 80% of Canada is crown land and you are free to camp there for 21 days (then just move to another spot). Use the crown land atlas + google earth and you can often find your own lake! It will be very secluded and likely no cell signal though. They sell crown land books at Canadian tire as well, or use iHunter app.

In Ontario crown land starts around Parry Sound / Mactier area, it goes around Muskoka and then pretty much blankets the rest of northern Ontario. IIRC crown land borders Arrowhead park, people have been known to park there and hike in.

That said I still prefer provincial parks

itat · 09-27-2022, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV_Lee

Actually 80% of Canada is crown land and you are free to camp there for 21 days (then just move to another spot). Use the crown land atlas + google earth and you can often find your own lake! It will be very secluded and likely no cell signal though. They sell crown land books at Canadian tire as well, or use iHunter app.

In Ontario crown land starts around Parry Sound / Mactier area, it goes around Muskoka and then pretty much blankets the rest of northern Ontario. IIRC crown land borders Arrowhead park, people have been known to park there and hike in.

That said I still prefer provincial parks

If you know of any websites or guides that offer maps of car-accessible campsites on Crown Land that’ll fit my glamping 35’ fifth wheel, I’d be interested. Most (not all) Crown Land here in Ontario is going to be 4 hours north of the north shore of Lake Ontario where we live. Without a guarantee of a campsite my DW (and I) aren’t going to be willing to take a chance. That said, something like Boondockers Welcome can probably give us some options and may, in fact, be our best fit since we often use the camper as a motel room on the road exploring different areas. We aren’t into backwoods camping and day long hiking.

RV_Lee · 09-27-2022, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

If you know of any websites or guides that offer maps of car-accessible campsites on Crown Land that’ll fit my glamping 35’ fifth wheel, I’d be interested. Most (not all) Crown Land here in Ontario is going to be 4 hours north of the north shore of Lake Ontario where we live. Without a guarantee of a campsite my DW (and I) aren’t going to be willing to take a chance. That said, something like Boondockers Welcome can probably give us some options and may, in fact, be our best fit since we often use the camper as a motel room on the road exploring different areas. We aren’t into backwoods camping and day long hiking.

Here are some, he often posts the GPS coordinates

https://www.waysoutback.com/free-camping/

You can also use the iOverlander app, it has some listed (when people find good spots they tend not to share them for obvious reasons)

Hence why its best just to use the atlas and find your own

Atlas website
https://www.lioapplications.lrc.gov....A&locale=en-CA

Video tutorial on how to use the crown land atlas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vleAwJbrBCM

Harvest host might work for the type of camping you are into. Lots of those in Ontario.

Traveln2day · 10-15-2022, 09:26 AM

I would recommend Long Point Provincial Park along Lake Erie if you enjoy walking a long sandy beach, bird watching. The town of Long Point in the summer offers some outdoor dining but can be pricey. The campground is well maintained and you can camp either in an open area or within the loops that are located in the sand dunes. Site #7 is an open area site that is well drained if a heavy rain happens. Site #350 is large and private but is backs onto the playground so expect kiddo noise until into the evenings. Use the PP reservation system and setup the alerts for cancellations. Keep in mind only Electric, no water so fill your water tanks as you arrive.
Rockwood Conservation Area just outside Guelph, Ontario is a great little Conservation area that has hiking, a small beach (not my choice as Cdn Geese tended to swim there too), and really nice kyaking. Well maintained facilities and site #14 was our favourite with tall pines and privacy. Site #13 backed onto the pines but you face your neighbours but still a large site. This Conservation Park offers you the chance to explore the areas of Elora, St. Jacobs, Guelph so 2 days of park life and 2-3 days of exploring the area.

cunninham · 10-18-2022, 01:40 PM

Ontario Parks is making changes to the maximum length for campground campsite stays at some of the busier parks. Starting in 2023 for the peak summer operating season, the maximum length of stay will be reduced from 23 nights to seven or 14 nights at select parks. The changes to the campground camping maximum length of stay applies to all stays between July 1 and the Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend. Maximum length of stay rules remain the same for backcountry and roofed accommodations.

kenandterry · 10-18-2022, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cunninham

Ontario Parks is making changes to the maximum length for campground campsite stays at some of the busier parks. Starting in 2023 for the peak summer operating season, the maximum length of stay will be reduced from 23 nights to seven or 14 nights at select parks. The changes to the campground camping maximum length of stay applies to all stays between July 1 and the Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend. Maximum length of stay rules remain the same for backcountry and roofed accommodations.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with the newer shorter intervals.
If it helps make camping available to more people, the better. Ever since COVID, the increase in RV sales has been record breaking, but nobody anywhere, made increases to accommodate the growth by adding sites or building new campgrounds to ease the situation of not being to get a vacancy.

Besides…..what’s the magic number of days of camping in one spot, before the term “seasonal” comes into play. If it’s got wheels……move. You may just find another ideal scenic location.

I’m sure this will not meet with a number of people in the forum, but as the saying goes, YMMV.

itat · 10-18-2022, 04:10 PM

I doubt this will affect us much. For the past several years we’ve only once or twice camped at a Provincial Park in the high season (July 1 to Labour Day). We’ve come to prefer to camp at PPs during the less busy times in the Spring and Fall. We tend to stay at something like a KOA or private campgrounds in the summer and we annually do an extended family camping week or weekend at a campground that has cabins with washrooms for family members who don’t have an RV. We’ve also started to explore the less popular parks although we’ve yet to venture north of North Bay. That will have to wait until my DW retires.

itat · 10-18-2022, 04:15 PM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0tOkF-RokUU

Brandoni · 10-19-2022, 01:33 PM

These are the various lengths of stay at Ontario Provincial Parks. The stay changes are more numerous than the parks keeping the original 23 day stay.

Sadly by moving to another park after the maximum permitted stay you're still keeping the same number of campsites (provincially) available. There must be a reasonable bureaucratic reason behind all this . . .

Bottom line keep enjoying . . .

https://www.ontarioparks.com/parksbl...ength-of-stay/

We’re reducing the maximum length of stay at select parks in 2023

Over the past several years, camping at Ontario Parks has grown steadily from 4.3 million reserved campsite nights in 2014 to over 6.6 million reserved campsite nights in 2021.
With reservations on the rise, we want to ensure that more Ontarians can enjoy campground campsites at some of our more popular parks during our busy summer season.
To help connect more campers with campground sites at their favourite parks, we’re reducing the maximum length of stay at select parks between July 1 and the Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend.

Why we’re making the change

We’ve heard from countless visitors how frustrating it can be to miss out on a summer camping reservation. With reservations in high demand, it can be difficult to get a campsite at some of our park campgrounds.

With this change, we’re giving more people the opportunity to go camping. Reducing the maximum length of stay at some of our parks will help provide more people with the chance to camp and experience Ontario Parks.
Here’s what’s changing

At select parks, we’ll be reducing the maximum length of stay from 23 nights to seven or 14 nights for campground sites during our busiest camping season, starting in 2023.
The reduced maximum length of stay applies to trips between July 1 and the Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend. Outside of these dates, the maximum stay will be 23 nights.

Booking five months in advance? Don’t worry. When you’re reserving your July stay in February, this change will be in effect.
Note: This change will not impact backcountry camping or roofed accommodations.
Find more information about our reservation rules and regulations.
What about people who want to camp for longer?

We understand that this change may be disappointing to those who usually enjoy camping for longer periods of time. We want to give more people the opportunity to camp and make their own memories at our parks.
If you prefer a longer stay, try:

visiting one of the many parks with a maximum stay of 23 nights
road-tripping from park to park
booking an off-season stay when the maximum reverts to 23 nights.

Which parks will have reduced maximums?

The changes will be in effect at these parks:
Maximum 7-night stay:

Maximum 14-night stay:

Maximum 23-night stay:

Posted on October 17, 2022

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