# Camping



## kweenshaker (Mar 11, 2006)

This is completely off topic, but some of you appear to be naturalists of some sort, so I thought I'd ask some advice.

My friend from the UK is coming over this summer and I want to take him camping. I'd like to go somewhere completely different from anything found in England to really blow him away. I was thinking maybe Algonquin or somewhere along the Bruce Trail, but I'm not too familiar with either. I've been a cottager all my life, so I have little experience camping (unless you count camping in a sea of tents in the rain during various European music festivals!) I'd prefer at least a semi-private camp site (though I know these are hard to come by) and there must be toilets and showers on the grounds. The most important thing is nature. I'm a hiker, so I'd like to go somewhere that has long rather remote trails that are also dog-friendly. Preferably no more than 4-5 hours from Toronto. 

Anyone have any ideas of where we could go? I'm looking to go in early August, so I'm thinking I'll have to book something asap, if it's not too late already!


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## Shattered (Feb 13, 2008)

Algonquin is a good choice, the good thing about camping in ontario is that most of the places have great nature attractions.

Check out these two sites;

Ontario Camping

Ontario Parks

Both are great for camping locations. This year me and the wife are looking at camping in Port Dover for a week or so.

Best advice I can give you is; Before you reserve, get a map of the campground. THat way you can reserve a secluded spot and not camp in the sea of tents


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## kweenshaker (Mar 11, 2006)

that's a great idea, thanks 
I'll take a look at those sites, but I also want some opinions from people who have been there.

I too think algonquin sounds like a good choice...as long as i'm not eaten by a bear...that would probably not be fun


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## XbrandonX (Nov 22, 2007)

Bon Echo provincial park is amazing.

Also the Ontario Parks and Rec website is fantastic you can pick out your site, they're all rated. You can pick and reserve your exact site months in advance for all the parks in Ontario.

I love Bon Echo because of the huge hiking trails and gorgeous bluffs and water. Its east of TO

Also the pinery out by Grand Bend is another great Ontario Parks place that has nice beaches and great trails...

PresQuille has a gorgeous beach and programs for kids and is great for family camping..

We were just up near Algonquin this weekend BLACKFLIES ARE COMPLETELY F'N INSANE RIGHT NOW 

(scratch,swear,scratch,swear,scratch,swear,swear,swear,swear)


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

http://www.camis.com/OP/camping/maps.asp?loc=74

that link is to the online booking portal for ontario campsites.

last year was my first time camping (i'm 21) cottaged all my like... i went with my girlfriend camping (she's always camped) and I loved it. we went to arrowhead (huntsville area), and it was awesome. I wish we had brought our bikes, but we didn't have anymore room or a trunk rack...this year we may take my dads landrover to fit our gear and bikes 

we aren't going to arrowhead this year though, we're going to bonnechere (SE) region on the map, just bottom right (SE) of algonquin... should be a tone of fun! we're going june 16-20 ....

IMHO arrowhead was great, but we went mid august so there were quite a few ppl around as expected..... our site (326 last year) was great, privacy was good, (you get a privacy rating on the campsites when you click on it)

hopefully bonnechere is good too


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## gunnerx (Mar 20, 2008)

I highly recommend Algonquin for all the reasons you have given. They have several campsites with great isolation, good ameneties and tons of trails. If you are able to go during the week away from holiday weekends, do so. You will have much more choice in camping spots.

I highly recommend Pog Lake as there's no motor boats allowed in the area. Just make sure the site you are choosing allows dogs. Canisbay Lake is also a great area. These two have great seclusion. There are tons of trails available in the area and you are free to bring along your pet. Our little Shih Tzu had a blast!!


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## kweenshaker (Mar 11, 2006)

ooh now i don't know what to do! lol 
I looked at the bon echo site - looks beautiful (and a pro about that is that it is only about an hour or so from my cottage!)

I'll have to look up the others.

I was looking at Pog lake before...seems pretty decent --- just to be clear, I can still reserve a site suitable for trailers even if I'll just have tents, right?

hmm...after looking, ALL of the sites are already booked for the week we're planning on going (at Pog lake). Damn!!


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## gunnerx (Mar 20, 2008)

Yes you book the sites that are meant for trailers too. We have done so before. You can actually choose the other sites in Algonquin. The most popular is probably Two Rivers.

I've been to Bon Echo and it's a great place but my favourite is still Algonquin. My friends and I did the entire hike around Bon Echo and it was ok. One thing I loved about the trails at Algonquin is that there's tons of selection with what you want to do. My fave is near Two Rivers that brings you to a peak where you can see the area from up high. It's quite an astounding view.

Another place that I highly recommend is Cyprus Lake in the Bruce Peninsula. The cliffs of the Georgian Bay are quite a sight to see. http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/on/bruce/natcul/natcul1_E.asp The only downside is that there's no showers in the camp grounds. They have businesses in the area that provide coin operated showers.

I've also been to Killbear twice and loved it both times. Seclution was not as good as Algonquin but the park and area is great. We rented a canoe all weekend and took turns going around with it. Our site was right by the beach and it was ideal. The sunsets were just incredible. This one I would rate right below Algonquin.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Killbear is a great place to camp also check out the french river If you are looking to rough it with nobody around you rent a canoe if you dont have one and check out the key river or the french you wont be dissapointed if you pick the key let me know I have a cottage there as a matter of fact if you like you could canoe into my place and set up your tent though it about 3hrs down the river by canoe Pat


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

I've camped at Bon Echo and Presquile and enjoyed both. Bon Echo also has cool pictographs. Do you _really _need the showers and bathrooms though? If you want to show him a radically different camping than is available in the UK, you will probably want to go further afield.

My wife and I took our daughter to Canisbay last summer for her first 'canoe' camping trip (she was 2 then). It was great because there's easy canoe-in car access, so you could go and find a shower / toilet access with about 15 minutes of canoe paddling if you needed to. And you're close to the Algonquin visitor centre which has an incredible view along with a cafeteria. There's also loads of hiking and the Canoe store is close by for canoe rental.

There was also a drive in / camp access with a nice beach etc. at the south end of the lake. I can't remember dog restrictions.

And Pablo will hate me for saying this, but the lake has excellent fishing. Small mouth bass are abundant and if you can get down there are lake trout to be caught. Yummy!


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## gunnerx (Mar 20, 2008)

I didn't really enjoy Presquile that much. It didn't feel like it was far enough from civilization. We went for a hike and visited the lighthouse and decided to keep going. We entered this "forest" end was quite surprised to see we were at the foot of a street with a row of houses in front of us. And when we went to the beach, it had this unbearable stench to it. It got stronger the closer I got to the water and would have probably thrown up if I kept going. Then at night, the entire campsite became covered with bugs. In the morning the cars were totally coated with tiny bugs as the moisture dried up. It was quite a bad experienced and would not be going back again.

The Algonquin Visitor Centre is a MUST! The displays they have are quite informative and the view at the back is amazing. My friends and I were just resting back there and watched the rain make its way towards us.


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

Wow - that's a shame about Presquile! It has been quite some time since we were last there though. 

Was the stench fishy? Were the bugs caddisflies or shadflies?


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## fishlover93 (Feb 25, 2008)

If its not a bummer for you to travel a long way you could go to tremblent!!! excellent fishing, really good enviorment, really lovely!!!


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## gunnerx (Mar 20, 2008)

Westender said:


> Wow - that's a shame about Presquile! It has been quite some time since we were last there though.
> 
> Was the stench fishy? Were the bugs caddisflies or shadflies?


The stench smelled more like horse manure. It was really strong. As for the bugs, I'm not sure. It was just tons of them, never seen it anywhere else. I have a video of black clouds hovering over the paths.


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## XbrandonX (Nov 22, 2007)

gunnerx said:


> The stench smelled more like horse manure. It was really strong. As for the bugs, I'm not sure. It was just tons of them, never seen it anywhere else. I have a video of black clouds hovering over the paths.


I had a great time at presquille the first time. It was a nice hot weekend so we got to spend a lot of time swimming and lazing at the beach on the sunday before we left... really nice. The Saturday we spent hiking around and looking at the exhibits at the lighthouse etc.. it was a nice casual camping trip.

The second time we went it wasn't as hot out and having done all the exploring the first time there wasn't much to do.. but it was still cool. There was no smell on any of my trips there. Only in the washrooms 

LongPoint is nice too... Awenda is nice..

I can't wait to try Algonquin personally.


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## gunnerx (Mar 20, 2008)

I guess we just went on a bad weekend to Presquile. Everything went quite wrong that weekend. 

Awenda is definitely another great place too. Enjoyed it there quite a bit.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Sibald point is nice for new campers not used to camping, really clean and nice showers/toilets. 

As far as i remeber there used to be some nice trails up there and a butterfly conservatory isnt too far. The town is closeby in case of any spolied food/stolen food as well as a small store near their day visitor section.

I used to go on 7 day portages through algonqiun with my dad...but now a days i get pretty sick so we had to do the normal close to home camping. 

I would highly recommend any camping in algonquin cause there are so many degree's of camping you can do...i do hope you have fun!


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## Janz (Apr 12, 2008)

I often go to Meaford. It is a bit familyish, but you can take your dogs there and even on the beach and swimming. The town is close by (you can walk there if you want) and it's full of little shops that you girls tend to like. It is on Georgian Bay so the water stays a bit cool but that is good on the hottest of days, isn't it?


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