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, Ontario Parks staff want to ensure that more Ontarians can enjoy campground campsites at some of the more popular parks during their busy summer season.
To help connect more campers with campground sites at their favourite parks, Ontario Parks is reducing the maximum length of stay at select parks between July 1 and the Saturday of the Labour Day long weekend.
Why they are making the change
Ontario Parks 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 the park campgrounds.
With this change, they are giving more people the opportunity to go camping. Reducing the maximum length of stay at some of the parks will help provide more people with the chance to camp and experience Ontario Parks.
Here’s what’s changing
At select parks, they are 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?
Ontario Parks does 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:
- Algonquin Provincial Park
- Bon Echo Provincial Park
- Killbear Provincial Park
- Sandbanks Provincial Park
- Pinery Provincial Park
Maximum 14-night stay:
- Arrowhead Provincial Park
- Awenda Provincial Park
- Balsam Lake Provincial Park
- Bass Lake Provincial Park
- Blue Lake Provincial Park
- Bonnechere Provincial Park
- Charleston Lake Provincial Park
- Chutes Provincial Park
- Craigleith Provincial Park
- Darlington Provincial Park
- Driftwood Provincial Park
- Earl Rowe Provincial Park
- Emily Provincial Park
- Esker Lakes Provincial Park
- Fairbank Provincial Park
- Finlayson Point Provincial Park
- Fitzroy Provincial Park
- Fushimi Lake Provincial Park
- Grundy Lake Provincial Park
- Halfway Lake Provincial Park
- Inverhuron Provincial Park
- Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park
- Kap-Kig-Iwan Provincial Park
- Kettle Lakes Provincial Park
- Killarney Provincial Park
- Lake St. Peter Provincial Park
- Lake Superior Provincial Park
- Long Point Provincial Park
- MacGregor Point Provincial Park
- Mara Provincial Park
- Marten River Provincial Park
- McRae Point Provincial Park
- Mikisew Provincial Park
- Mississagi Provincial Park
- Murphys Point Provincial Park
- Nagagamisis Provincial Park
- Neys Provincial Park
- Oastler Lake Provincial Park
- Pancake Bay Provincial Park
- Point Farms Provincial Park
- Port Burwell Provincial Park
- Presqu’ile Provincial Park
- Quetico Provincial Park
- Rainbow Falls Provincial Park
- Rene Brunelle Provincial Park
- Restoule Provincial Park
- Rideau River Provincial Park
- Rock Point Provincial Park
- Rondeau Provincial Park
- Rushing River Provincial Park
- Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park
- Sauble Falls Provincial Park
- Selkirk Provincial Park
- Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
- Sibbald Point Provincial Park
- Silent Lake Provincial Park
- Silver Lake Provincial Park
- Six Mile Lake Provincial Park
- Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
- Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park
- Turkey Point Provincial Park
- Wheatley Provincial Park
- Windy Lake Provincial Park
Maximum 23-night stay:
- Aaron Provincial Park
- Arrow Lake Provincial Park
- Bronte Creek Provincial Park
- Caliper Lake Provincial Park
- Ferris Provincial Park
- Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park
- MacLeod Provincial Park
- Missinaibi Provincial Park
- Ojibway Provincial Park
- Pakwash Provincial Park
- Sandbar Lake Provincial Park
- Silver Falls Provincial Park
- Sioux Narrows Provincial Park
- Voyageur Provincial Park
- Wakami Lake Provincial Park
- White Lake Provincial Park
