Parks in southeastern Ontario are favourites for many, offering a variety of landscapes, bodies of water, and fun activities.
But they can be very busy, especially on weekends with campers and day-trippers alike.
Had a hard time snagging a weekend site at your favourite park? Consider a midweek camping trip!
Avoid the weekend crowds and book a relaxing trip to one of these gems:
Murphys Point Provincial Park
1.25 hours from Kingston or Ottawa
Murphys Point is known for its beautiful natural environment on Big Rideau Lake, excellent fishing, wildlife viewing, and Discovery programming.
With two beaches, hiking trails, and rentals available, there’s activities to suit all campers.
Experience a variety of Discovery programming for the whole family to enjoy!
Evening programs, children’s programs, and guided Silver Queen Mine hikes run throughout the summer season.
Hogg Bay Campground is great for trailers, with a selection of electrical pull-through campsites, and conveniently located close to the main beach and playground. Hogg Bay also offers electric and non-electric sites ideal for tent campers.
Hardwood Campground offers non-electrical campsites suitable for smaller trailers and tent camping, with good privacy and spacious sites. Fallows Campground offers non-electrical campsites in a mature forest setting.
Ferris Provincial Park
1.5 hours from Kingston and just over 2 hours from Toronto
Home to the Ranney Gorge suspension bridge, Ferris offers gorgeous panoramic river views, great hiking trails, and is close to nearby town amenities.
See the best views from the River Gorge Trail, a 3.5 km loop that takes you along the river’s edge and over the bridge — a must-see while camping at the park!
Ferris has two campgrounds: Valleyview and Bedrock.
Valleyview Loop is set atop a forested drumlin, with some campsites providing a view across the Trent River Valley.
The Bedrock Loop has a number of electrical campsites, and is just a short walk to the playground and day-use picnic areas.
Both campgrounds offer sites that can accommodate large trailers.
Ferris makes an excellent basecamp for exploring Northumberland county and for taking day trips to nearby Presqu’ile Provincial Park.
Silver Lake Provincial Park
Just over 1 hour north of Kingston and just over 1 hour south of Ottawa
If you can’t get enough of the water when you’re camping, look no further than Silver Lake!
Known for its canopy of mature mixed hardwoods, this park is nestled on the picturesque clear waters of Silver Lake, between Sharbot Lake and Perth along Highway 7.
The park has two sand beaches, a boat launch, and offers canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard rentals for endless opportunities to explore and enjoy the water.
New and experienced anglers enjoy the great fishing opportunities where you may catch trout, pike, and bass.
Be sure to also enjoy a walk along the Marsh Trail (0.5 km), where a boardwalk takes you across the marsh into upland forest.
Silver Lake’s campground has three camping loops: Wesley, which offers pull-through electrical sites, as well as Dawson and Algonquin that offer tent campsites, many of which overlook the water.
Rideau River Provincial Park
40 minutes from Ottawa and 1.5 hours from Kingston
Rideau River is known for its large campsites, lush green vegetation, and well-maintained beaches overlooking the historic Rideau Waterway.
Just 40 minutes from downtown Ottawa, it’s a great destination to explore all that the nation’s capital has to offer!
Visitors love to fish, paddle, and boat along the Rideau River.
Canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard rentals are available. PFDs are available to borrow through our PFD Lending Program.
For those wishing to drop a line, borrow tackle free of charge with Tackleshare!
Visit a drop-in Discovery Program, and hike the Shoreline Trail to observe wildlife and explore the park.
With nearly 200 campsites located in mature forest, you will find plenty of peace, quiet, and summertime fun by booking your midweek visit to Rideau River.