Up in the Algonquin Highlands for a week of chasing bucks, stars, tranquility, and sitting in a tree all day freezing my buns off. 10/10 would recommend!

Many Ontario Parks campgrounds shut after Thanksgiving, however, there are still options:

**Winter car camping:** Algonquin (Mew Lake), Arrowhead, Killbear, MacGregor Point, Pinery, Quetico, Silent Lake, Sleeping Giant

**Yurts:** Algonquin (Mew Lake), Killarney, MacGregor Point, Pinery, Silent Lake, Windy Lake

**Rustic cabins:** most of the above, plus Arrowhead, Quetico and Sleeping Giant

**Winter backcountry:** Algonquin, Frontenac, Killarney, Kawartha Highlands, Quetico, Sleeping Giant, Wabakimi, Woodland Caribou

A few tips:

- Killarney's frontcountry tent campground was closed last winter, but its yurts and cabins were open. Check before you plan around it.

- With the 5-month booking window, New Year's and Family Day weekend (Feb 13–15) are already bookable, and the yurts go first.

- Pinery and MacGregor Point are about 3 hours from Toronto and have the most roofed units in the south.

Disclosure: I'm building Campaid (campaid.ca), a free trip planner. It checks yurt, cabin and oTENTik availability alongside regular sites and tells you whether a campground is closed for the season or just full. Happy to check a specific park and dates in the comments.

Hey everyone! 😊
I’m heading to Brent Campground this weekend and I’d love to hear from anyone who has camped there before!
I’ve been doing some research, but I’d love to hear firsthand experiences from people who know the area!

Hello everyone,

I am university student completing a project on Designing a vehicle for outdoor activities (camping, kayaking, skiing, etc.) as well as for moving.

The vehicle would be part of a car-sharing service to make it convenient and cheaper for the customers.

If you could please take 10 minutes of your time to fill the following survey, it would support our project.

Link to survey:- https://forms.gle/MWecfSgBZSMpGjrF6

Thank you very much

I am looking to camp on Lake Erie with some friends for a few nights but want to bring my laser pico with me. It is a small boat - 11.5 feet and can fit in the back of my truck without needing a trailer. However, it is a pain to drag long distances so somewhere with beach access parking during the day would be better. Any advice/suggestions are appreciated!

Hi, I just did my first camp last weekend and it was amazing. I have a question though.

When you stay somewhere multiple days and leave a tent in place, do you bother securing it somehow? I know I like to think that all campers are nice people, but I'd hate to come back to my tent after a day trip to find stuff missing. Obviously I'll take anything valuable with me, just wondering what the norm is? I'll probably be mainly in provincial parks.

Hello folks, just looking for some suggestions while we are starting to plan our trip towards Lake Superior next summer.

We are traveling from Ottawa and we'll be sticking to provincial parks for the duration of the trip. If our furthest park west is going to be Lake Superior (not confirmed, just a thought) does it make sense to also do Pancake Bay? Or are they too similar?

The other parks on the short list while traveling back and forth are: Grundy, Rainbow Falls and Chutes.

Any info/suggestions are welcome. If it helps at all, we like to swim, paddle and hike.

My wife and I bought a tent trailer about a month ago but we had a few tenting trips booked already for the summer so we haven't had the chance to take it out this year.

Are there any decent campgrounds open past Thanksgiving? Looking at a more private spot rather than like a KOA or something... Electricity would be nice but not necessary, we just want to take the camper out at least once this year!

Preferably within 2-3 hours of London area

On a backcountry trip to Massasauga, due to a miscommunication in our group chat, we didn’t bring enough fuel. 🤦

Vowing never to make this mistake again, my wife and I developed a group packing app where you can assign gear, see who’s bringing what, and organize group chats by item.

Northern Ontario Business recently did a story on it, which was pretty cool given that the idea came from our own camping trips here in Ontario.

It officially launches today if anyone wants to check it out:

https://packplexity.com

Article:

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/industry-news/technology/who-packed-the-propane-sudbury-developer-has-an-app-for-that-12752372

Hope this helps other campers from making similar mistakes. Would love to hear what some of your biggest packing mishaps were. Happy packing! ✌🏻

Looking for some fellow bushcrafters who like to do day trips. I'm in the KW area

Edit: Leave no trace style, no builds.

I checked live car-camping availability at 51 Ontario Parks for Saturday and Sunday night (Oct 10–11) this afternoon. Short version: it isn't sold out. Saturday is the tight night.

- **1,470 sites** are open for both nights on a single booking. There are 1,509 sites open Saturday and 2,715 Sunday.

- **40 of 51 parks** still have at least one site for the whole weekend.

**Within reach of the GTA, open both nights:**

- Presqu'ile: 121

- Mikisew: 94

- Ferris: 84

- Grundy Lake: 57

- Emily: 48

- Six Mile Lake: 45

- Bass Lake: 37

- Earl Rowe: 31

- Craigleith: 27

- Darlington: 16

**Further out with lots of room:** Voyageur 181, Rideau River 87, Silver Lake 84, Fitzroy 73, Sharbot Lake 71, Sandbanks 64.

**Basically gone on Saturday:**

- Sibbald Point, Awenda, Arrowhead, Turkey Point, Wheatley and Bronte Creek: 0 open Saturday

- Pinery: 5

- Balsam Lake: 4

- Killbear: 2

- Silent Lake: 3

If you just want Sunday night, Sibbald Point has 29 sites, Awenda 17 and Wheatley 44.

This was a snapshot around 3 pm Friday, and cancellations keep popping up. If your park shows full, check again Saturday morning.

Disclosure: I'm building Campaid (campaid.ca), a free tool that runs these per-night checks across Ontario Parks, Parks Canada and Sépaq. Happy to look up a specific park in the comments.

Earlier this week. Sucker lake. Was a beauty trip!

Hey folks!

I’m 45+ I’ve been craving a little freedom and peace.

The dream: Buy an old, reliable car, turn it into a tiny solo camper, and occasionally escape for a night.
Drive somewhere scenic and safe, sleep comfortably, wake up to a beautiful view, make tea or coffee, enjoy the sunrise, maybe work on my laptop for a couple of hours, and head home. Family’s comfortable at home, and I get some quiet time.

Budget: $5,000 CAD ALL-IN — car, basic conversion, taxes, insurance allowance, everything.
I’ve been ChatGPT-ing this idea to death 😂 Looking at old Toyotas, Hondas, Fords, minivans, even forgotten models. Reliability matters more than looks.

Need your wisdom:
Car: Cheap, reliable automatic SUV, wagon or minivan with enough room to sleep and work?
Setup: Comfortable mattress (my back isn’t 25 anymore!), privacy, storage, coffee essentials.
Warmth: Ontario winters are coming. How do you safely stay warm without running the engine?
Where: Safe, legal overnight spots in Southern Ontario, preferably close to washrooms and civilization.
Internet: Fast, reliable connectivity for occasional remote work.

Bonus: Know an overlooked vehicle or an actual car for sale in Ontario that would fit? Please share the link! Open to unusual ideas.

Shoot the idea down if you want, but please be constructive. I’d rather learn from your experience than make expensive mistakes.

Not looking to become a van-lifer. Just craving a few peaceful mornings, beautiful views, hot tea, and a little freedom without breaking the bank.

An old horse still wants a few good runs. 🐎

Long Point Provincial Park, Oct. 3rd

We had a very disappointing experience at the canoe rental at the Lagoon boat launch in Bon Echo. The staff member running the rentals was extremely rude and aggressive with everyone trying to rent a canoe for the Cliff Top Trail. She was shouting at people as they came to rent, and every group I saw got the same treatment.

When we got to the front, she said two canoes were coming back. We were a group of 6 and needed 3, so we asked to wait for a third and go together. She refused and said we could only take the two returning canoes, and the rest of us would have to go back to the end of the line. Her reasons were "no reservations" and "we're holding up the line." That made no sense for a group trying to stay together.

The way she spoke to customers was unprofessional, and it was clear this wasn't a one-off, as other people were having issues with her too. I hope management looks into this, because the rental experience shouldn't start with being yelled at.

This shouldn't need to be said. When you go camping, please don't destroy the trees. They're living creatures (that have been around for longer than you have). Scarring their bark does serious harm, exposing them to diseases and pests.

Besides, those nails are useless for anything now. That dripping sap is sticky, making a mess of anything you hang, not to mention the damage to your clothing if you happen to brush up against the tree.

Why you thought you needed to lug an axe and nails in your pack escapes me, but that's your business. Just please don't destroy the wildlife.

UPDATE: I see a lot of comments about the nails. I guess I should have posted the second picture first. The points I'm making are:

1) In the backcountry, we try to leave no trace. Of course, in a place like Algonquin, there are already campsites, thunder boxes and picnic tables. But leaving as little trace of your own presence behind is still the objective.

2) Hacking huge gashes into the side of a tree does expose it to disease. It's also completely pointless and ugly (see point 1).

3) Nails are not necessary either. Every function a nail provides can easily be replaced by a piece of cord and the correct knot

4) Those nails are useless. That sap is sticky and will permanently ruin anything that comes into contact with it.

5) As some have pointed out, they're a hazard.

Hi everyone we are looking to camp an hour outside of GTA. Even though we used to camp when we were younger we don't have any camping gear.

Can I get recommendations for camping sites with tents and barbecue rentals?

Thanks

Has anyone been out of petes place and woods bay recently. Any tips appreciated