Algonquin Provincial Park is a fantastic destination in Ontario. Here's your ULTIMATE guide to the many campgrounds & attractions in Algonquin Park!
Much like the park itself, I could see that information being a bit intimidating, at this point!
So, for those looking to visit for the first time, I figured it best to try and distill the essence of Algonquin Provincial Park into a single post - A mega post!
Before I get to all the info you’ll need to plan a visit, some fun trivia!
Algonquin isn’t only the oldest Provincial Park in Oniario, it’s the first Provincial Park in the entire country! At 7,635 square kilometres, it’s the third largest provincial park, second only to Polar Bear and Wabakimi.
Given that it’s only something like 3 hours northeast of Toronto, it’s DEFINITELY more accessible as a day trip, than those other two!
IMHO, Algonquin is one of the best places to spend some time enjoying a natural setting.
The park is open year round, with a wildly different vibe from season to season.
Starting in early June - and throughout the summer months - the park is the perfect place to bring a family to enjoy simmer vacation.
Fall brings a flood of people to enjoy the changing colours of the leaves, both along the highway, and off on the trails.
In our opinion, though, the best time to visit is during the winter months - fewer people, quiet, very peaceful... and there are PINE MARTENS!
Anyway, this post will focus on the main Highway 60 corridor, as that’s where all of our experience with Algonquin Provincial Park is.
Eventually, we’ll update this post with info for the other sections, as we get around to spending time in those areas.
Anyway, LOTS to talk about, so let’s get to it!
The Basics:
Campground Name: Algonquin Provincial Park
Address: Ontario 60, Ontario K0J 2M0
Website: Algonquin Provincial Park
Price Ontario Provincial Parks uses a pricing matrix across all their parks. See 2025 Camping Fees for more details.
Reservations: Ontario Parks Reservations
Park Classification: Natural Environment
Season: Year-Round, though various campgrounds and trails are only open seasonally.
Logistics
Algonquin Provincial Park is an absolute beast of a park, so it’s good to have a bit of an idea of what you’ll be dealing with, when planning your trip.
Here’s some good information for you:
Registration and Check In
Due to the popularity of the park, we HIGHLY recommend booking your site early, as far in advance of your trip as possible. For summer sites, it gets a little... Hunger Games.
You’ll want to be up, logged in, and ready to hit the button on your choice of site at 7 am, 5 months before your trip.
Anyway, as always, registering online is super straightforward and easy, if your site is available.
There are two different permits available, depending on your plans.
If you’re going to be overnighting in one of the Algonquin campgrounds - or in the back country - you’ll be booking a camping permit.
If you’re only spending the day in the park, what you’ll need is a day use permit*.
As a note: If you’re just driving through the park and not stopping, you do not need a permit. Scenic drives through are free, just don’t plan on even pulling over to the side of the road.
If you don’t preregister - or are hoping to score an on-the-spot booking - you can check in at either the east gate or west gate park office, located right on Highway 60, just inside the park boundaries.
Both gates have a large parking lot, with easy access for any kind of RV or trailer.
Sometimes you can check in at a park office / gate for the campground you’re staying in, but most of the smaller ones seem to be unattended even in the summer, and the larger ones seem to ONLY be staffed in the summer.
Probably best to just check in at either the east or west gate, on your way in... rather than risk having to turn around and go back to it when the campground office is closed.
* If you have a current day use or camping permit from another park, that can function as a day use permit at Algonquin. If you don’t have a printed permit, you can check in at one of the offices at a park boundary.
That is to say, if you’re staying at Arrowhead Provincial Park or Silent Lake and feel like spending the afternoon at Algonquin, your camping pass will function as a Day Use in Algonquin.
Maps and Signage
Algonquin Provincial Park is about 55 km across - along Highway 60 - and all of the campgrounds and attraction locations are referenced by the km, reading from the west side of the park.
Park Map
The campground map is giant newspaper format , with an overall map for the main corridor, as well as maps for each of the campgrounds.
It can be pretty unwieldy to use when getting around, but it has a TON of good information. Also, as a note: Most of it doesn’t apply during the winter months.
Anyway, there are several online maps and such to help you get around:
Highway 60 Corridor Map
Algonquin Interpretive Trail Maps
Algonquin Fall Handout
Algonquin Park Winter Guide
While not online, we were given a handout map of the old Airfield on our late summer trip last year:
Signage
Signage throughout Algonquin is generally pretty decent. Attraction signs along Highway 60 are generally large enough, clear to read, and well placed.
There’s usually one a km or so ahead of what it’s actually pointing you to, as well as one at the entrance to that parking lot / attraction / etc.
Inside the campgrounds can be a bit more hit and miss. Some campgrounds have great signage, others ... not as much.
As I said - that big newspaper map is definitely handy!
Waste & Water Services
There are only two Trailer Sanitation Station setups in ALL of Algonquin park - they’re working on adding a third though.
This is woefully inadequate for the size of the park, and the number of campgrounds / campsites it needs to cover, IMHO, so you definitely want to allow extra time for making use of them before/after your stay.
The main station is located at about km 35, across from the East Beach area. This is a fairly tight loop - 2 lanes, no bypass lane. There are 2 dump platforms, then 2 fill platforms.
Bring a book to read, especially if you’re camping on a long weekend!
The other sanitation station is at the Rock Lake campground, which is another 10 km up the highway from that one, then another 8 or so down a side road. Not terribly convenient!
This sanitation station shares space with the over flow parking, which is a bit of a weird setup.
The Poop Loop is one lane - no bypass - with a single dump on left, then a single fill on right. The fill platform has a threaded hose, but it’s not long enough to reach the driver’s side, so you’ll want to bring a hose.
Both stations are closed during the winter, though the main station seems to stay open until snow gets in the way.
In terms of garbage, there are general garbage and recycling areas in each campground, and most trailheads have some sort of garbage bin.
Connectivity
Algonquin Provincial Park is HUGE, and your cell reception is going to vary wildly throughout.
In general - the larger campgrounds seem to have better reception (we’re on Rogers Wireless), while the smaller ones have sketchier to non-existent connectivity.
Don’t expect to have any connection out on the trails, but you MIGHT have some in places.
Generally speaking, there’s poor reception along Highway 60 itself, with pockets of decent reception.
If you absolutely need a reliable connection for whatever reason, your best bet is the parking lot at the Visitor Centre.
Other than that, be sure to check the “connectivity” section in each of our campground reviews, to see what it’s like in the campground(s) you’re specifically interested in.
(I’ll be linking to each review a bit further down in this post!)
Accessibility
How accessible the park is, is going to vary wildly based on your needs, where you’re staying, and what time of year it is.
First off: The park is generally very NOT wheelchair-friendly in the winter, and generally difficult for any kind of mobility issues... for a variety of reasons. (See our Winter Camping in Algonquin Provincial Park post for full details on winter accessibility issues.
When there’s no snow to contend with, you’re looking at:
Accessible Facilities: East Gate, West Gate, Visitor Centre, Logging Museum, East Beach Pavilion.
Barrier Free Toilets: East Gate, West Gate, Visitor Centre, Logging Museum, East Beach Pavilion.
Wheelchair Accessible Beach: Rock Lake (Mobimat + All-terrain wheelchair to borrow... but no parking)
Wheelchair Accessible Trails: Logging Museum, Spruce Bog Boardwalk,
Campgrounds that have barrier-free comfort stations (barrier free showers and accessible toilets): Canisbay Lake, Kearney Lake, Lake of Two Rivers, Mew Lake, Pog Lake and Rock Lake.
Campgrounds that have barrier-free campsites: Mew Lake, Lake of Two Rivers, Kearney Lake, Pog Lake, and Rock Lake.
Overall, I would say that if you’re mobility impaired, Mew Lake Campground is probably the most accessible campground of the Highway 60 campgrounds.
The roads are generally flat and even - as are most of the campsites - it’s got a barrier-free comfort station with everything you need, it’s centrally located in the park, etc.
It also has easy, accessible access to the Old Railway Trail, which is wide, flat, and well-packed. It’s not MARKED as being wheelchair accessible, but it definitely seems to be.
Pets
In general, Algonquin Provincial Park is very pet friendly... but they’re not welcome EVERYWHERE.
In the places they are welcome - most campgrounds, most trails, etc - they’re required to be leashed and supervised at all times, picked up after, and not allowed to harass other visitors or animals.
They’re also not allowed to destroy vegetation, and pet food needs to be carefully stored to not act as a wildlife attractant.
There are a few campgrounds with dog beaches - Lake of Two Rivers Campground, Mew Lake Campground, and Rock Lake. The Lake of Two Rivers and Rock Lake dog beaches are really nice, the one at Mew Lake is... not.
Bottom: Lake of Two Rivers Dog Beach
A few campgrounds have areas that are both radio and pet free: Achray Campground, Canisbay Campground, Mew Lake Campground, and Pog Lake Campground.
Beyond that, dogs are also NOT allowed in any of the park buildings - including most of the Yurts and Cabins - all of the designated swimming beaches, and any waters next to backcountry sites, where campers get their drinking water.
Parking
In general, there’s a decent amount of parking throughout the park. Each trailhead has its own parking lot, and the more popular ones have some pretty big parking areas.
The parking lots at the Visitor Centre, Logging Museum, Amphitheatre (East Beach Area) are all FAR bigger than we’ve ever seen used.
The big caveat here is: during fall colours season, the park can be an absolute zoo. Full parking lots, overloaded trails, people (illegally) pulled over on the side of the highway, etc.
Miscellaneous
This is where I usually talk about night sky viewing logistics.
In general, Algonquin Provincial Park is a great place for night sky viewing - it’s an area of VERY low light pollution, and there are plenty of areas with wide open access to the sky.
That said, if your interests are more Aurora than Milky Way, there are a few things to keep in mind:
I wouldn’t recommend any of the campgrounds that are on the south side of the highway (Mew, LOTR, etc) for Northern Lights viewing, as passing cars on the highway tend to screw with the shots.
Also, the beach at LOTR tends to get flooded with light from cars driving in and out of the parking lot.
Most of the campgrounds on the north side of the highway have a decent-to-good north facing view over a lake, BUT they aren’t open year round. I think Canisbay might be the best option, but they’re all pretty good at least.
If you’re camping in the winter, Mew Lake isn’t *awful* - there’s FAR less nighttime traffic on the highway in the winter, so it’s less of an issue.
If you’re interested in possibly seeing the northern lights, check out our posts: Aurora Hunting, How to Photograph the Northern Lights, Can I See the Northern Lights Tonight?, and Where to See Northern Lights in Ontario.
Park Amenities & Info
Availability, access, and hours for park amenities vary by the season, but here’s some basic information, though:
Creature Comforts
Most of the campgrounds have some form of comfort station, usually with showers and flush toilets as a bare minimum. Raccoon Lake Campground shares a comfort station with Rock Lake, where the comfort station is actually located.
There are also flush toilets at the Algonquin Logging Museum, East Beach, East and West Gates, and the Visitor Centre.
Some of the hiking trails along Highway 60 have vault toilets, but - unfortunately - they’re not listed on the map.
There are also “thunder boxes” in various locations throughout the park, usually near backcountry sites. Haven’t seen one yet, but I’ve read an estimate that there may be 2000 or more in the park!
Park Store
There are a few different stores in Algonquin Provincial Park.
First of all, there are small selections of Ontario Parks Souvenirs, maps, etc available at the East and West Gates, Sand Lake Gate, Achray, and Brent.
The Friends of Algonquin has a cute little book store at the Visitor Centre, and the Unique Boutique Gift Shop is located at the Algonquin Art Centre .
As far as the more STORE-stores go, you have three options:
Opeongo Store
The Opeongo Store is towards the east end of the main corridor, and up a side road. This one is mostly a canoe outfitter, from what we can tell. It’s located right on Lake Opeongo - a major canoe route & backcountry access point.
Aside from the outfitting and canoe/kayak rentals - and a water taxi service - they are listed as selling camping supplies, groceries, clothing, footwear, souvenirs, and ice.
We’ve never been in there yet, we just happened to see it when we were looking to see a moose, early one morning during one of our summer stays!
The Opeongo Store is open from the last Friday in April, to Thanksgiving Monday.
Canoe Lake Store
The Canoe Lake Store is on the west end of the corridor - around km 14 - and a couple hundred metres up a side road.
Formerly known as “The Portage Store”, it carries Ontario Parks souvenirs, clothing, camping equipment, fishing tackle, snacks, and other outfitting supplies.
It also has a restaurant, and offers canoe, kayak, and paddleboard rentals.
The Canoe Lake Store is open from late April to Mid October.
Lake of Two Rivers Store
Located at km 31, it seems to serve as the main camp store for the main corridor of the park.
The LOTR store carries a somewhat weird mix of basic groceries and more bougie items (Beyond Burgers, almond butter, Bolthouse Farms juices, etc), along with camping supplies, ice cream, souvenirs, etc
There’s also the Lake of Two Rivers Café and Grill, which has a pretty interesting menu AND the ability to order online for pickup!
Lake of Two Rivers Store is open from May 1 to Thanksgiving Monday.
Visitor Centre
There are actually a few different attractions in the park that serve the basic function of a Visitor Center, that you may want to make the drive to.
Each of these will require a day use permit or camping permit in order to park / visit, btw.
Algonquin Park Visitor Centre
The Algonquin Visitor Centre is located, at km 43 on Highway 60.
Like the Bruce Peninsula National Park Visitor Centre, this one has a full out museum experience involved, rather than just a few small, isolated displays.
Displays covered information on the land, wildlife, and human history of the early Indigenous peoples that inhabited the land the park resides on. (Algonquin is part of the Anishinabek Nation)
There’s a book store, and gorgeous café that opens out onto an observation deck overlooking a forest, with a lake view off in the distance.
There is also a short, wheelchair accessible trail off to the side of the building, culminating in a “fire tower” set up that basically looks like an amazing tree house.
The full sized “logging man” with CGI animation projected onto a featureless, flat face was the stuff of nightmares, as was the uplit woman with a pie.
All in all though, a really fantastic Visitor Centre.
Algonquin Art Centre
We noticed the Algonquin Art Centre on first trip into Algonquin, and noted it as something we would go see during our trip.
It’s an art gallery specializing in scenic and wildlife art, specific to the Algonquin Park area.
Unfortunately, it’s only open from June 1 to October 16 - so we missed our chance to see it by only a few days. We also haven’t had much luck since, given that we tend to camp in the off season.
Some day, though, we’ll get around to checking it out.
Algonquin Logging Museum
This museum is located clear on the other side of the park - just past km 54, close to the east gate.
The main building of the museum is apparently only open from June 10 - October 15, but it sounds like that’s mostly like an info desk and gift shop - the bulk of the museum is outside, along an interpretive trail.
Good news: the trail - 1.3 km, the second “easy” trail in the park - is open year round!
This trail difficulty rating is accurate. This distance was a bit closer to 1.5 km per MapMyRun, but I’m guessing the overage accounts for actually looking at the displays, not just breezing right past them.
It was really interesting how it took you through time, a chronological walk through the beginning of logging in the area, to the recent past.
There are all kinds of tools, large equipment, and full scale log buildings along the route, as well as a super cute active chute, a train engine, and an “alligator” vessel - the latter two actually set up to allow you to board them.
All of the displays were really well done, and large scale - a really great way to spend a bit of time!
Day Use Area
Most - if not all - of the campgrounds have some sort of day use area, usually a small beach with some picnic tables nearby.
Beyond that, there are a few larger picnic areas in the park, each with picnic tables and vault toilets. These are:
Costello Creek
This is located about 1 km north of Highway 60, on Opeongo Rd (km 46.3).
It’s a small pull-off area with a large garbage and recycling area, and a few picnic sites. It’s a great spot for birding, and is right near a big open body of water with an active beaver population.
We’ve often watched beavers swimming around, and one time even watched one come right up on the road!
East Beach Picnic Ground and Beach
Located at km 35.4, this is the home of both the outdoor theatre - where a lot of the Discovery Programming happens - and a large covered picnic shelter.
The shelter can hold 110 people, has electricity, hot and cold running water, picnic tables, a propane grill, and two stone fireplaces, with nearby washrooms.
Lake of Two Rivers Picnic Ground and Beach
Located at km 33.8, this is a large grassy area by the lake, with parking right off the main highway.
Tea Lake Dam and Picnic Ground
Located at km 8, this is a pretty little picnic area, with views of Tea Lake, the Tea Lake Dam, and a small waterfall / rapids.
Rentals
The rental options - at least during summer - are almost overwhelming.
The Lake of Two Rivers Store offers bicycle rentals, as well as a bunch of info on other outfitters. A lot of them are also advertised in the park guide / map thing, so you don’t necessarily need to even leave your site, to arrange for a rental.
The Portage Store on Canoe Lake and the Opeongo Store on Opeongo Lake both offer canoe rentals, and there seem to be a TON of outfitters in the area, some of whom will actually deliver a canoe right to your site!
In the winter months, winter equipment rentals are mostly only available from private outfitters, located outside the park.
Apparently you can get snowshoe rentals at the East and West gates, though.
Campground Details
If you’re planning an overnight stay at Algonquin Provincial Park, you’ve got all kinds of options - 9 campgrounds along the Highway 60 corridor, in addition to 3 more in the northern section of the park.
We haven’t visited those 3 - or done any Backcountry Camping in Algonquin - but we can tell you ALL about the other 9.
They range from tiny, quiet campgrounds with no electricity, to bustling campgrounds with full electrical connections and more. Canisbay, Mew Lake, Pog Lake, and Achray all offer some designated radio-free areas.
Anyway, here’s an overview of the 9 main campgrounds, with links to our full campground review of each:
Canisbay Lake Campground
Located 1 km north of km 23, this is one of the larger campgrounds at Algonquin Provincial Park, and the first one we ever stayed at. It’s got a mix of electric and non electric sites, showers, flush toilets, and laundry facilities.
For full details, see our Canisbay Lake Campground Review.
Kearney Lake Campground
Located at km 36.5, this is a fairly small campground, on the north side of the highway. This campground is entirely non electric sites, and has showers, flush toilets, and laundry facilities.
For full details, see our Kearney Lake Campground Review.
Lake of Two Rivers Campground
Located at km 31.8, this Lake of Two Rivers is one of the larger campgrounds at Algonquin Provincial Park. This one is usually known as “LOTR” - a fact that makes our little nerd hearts SO happy.
Anyway, this one is especially popular with families, probably mostly due to its beach, playground, and proximity to the LOTR store.
It’s a mix of electric and non-electric sites, and has flush toilets, showers, and laundry facilities.
For full details, see our Lake of Two Rivers Campground Review.
Mew Lake Campground
Located at km 30.8, Mew Lake is probably our favourite campground at Algonquin Provincial Park, and the only one that’s open year-round.
It’s a mix of electric and non-electric sites, with flush toilets, laundry facilities, and showers at the campground comfort station.
It’s got gorgeous lakefront sites, an old airfield that attracts black bears in August, a prime spot for watching Pine Martens, and a short trail out to a waterfall.
What’s not to love?
For full details, see our Mew Lake Campground Review.
Pog Lake Campground
A SUPER cute, well treed campground at km 36.9 - another one that seems really popular with families.
It’s got a mix of electric and non-electric sites - some with AMAZING views of the lake - as well as flush toilets, laundry facilities, and showers.
For full details, see our Pog Lake Campground Review.
Raccoon Lake Campground
This is one of two campgrounds located down a long stretch of road that starts at km 40.3.
Raccoon Lake is the first, about 6 km south of Highway 60 - down a gravel road. Very small, just a handful of non-electric sites and a couple vault toilets.
You’ll need to go further down the road to Rock Lake Campground if you want flush toilets, showers, and/or laundry facilities.
For full details, see our Raccoon Lake Campground Review.
Rock Lake Campground
Rock Lake Campground is 8 km south of Highway 60, starting at km 40.3.
This one’s a mix of electric and non-electric sites, with flush toilets, laundry facilities, and showers in a centrally located comfort station.
Here is where you’ll find one of the nicer pet beaches, and the only wheelchair accessible beach in the park.
For full details, see our Rock Lake Campground Review.
Tea Lake Campground
Tea Lake Campground is a tiny, cute campground at km 11.4. They’re all non-electric sites, and there are flush toilets and showers at a small, centrally located comfort
For full details, see our Tea Lake Campground Review.
Whitefish Lake Campground
This is the only group campground at Algonquin park, and ALL 18 sites in this campground are group sites. It’s located at km 36.9, in the same area as Pog Lake Campground.
They’re all are non-electric sites, and can host between 10-40 people. There’s no comfort station, but campers can use the Pog Lake Comfort Stations, which aren’t too far away.
For full details, see our Whitefish Lake Campground Review.
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Entertainment and Activity
There are a TON of things to do in Algonquin Provincial Park, from birdwatching and canoeing, to interpretive walking trails and - in the winter - skiing.
Here’s some basic information on the offerings - we’re focused on those along the Highway 60 corridor, specifically, as that’s where all of our Algonquin experience has been, to date.
Hiking
There are a TON of trails - for all skill levels - throughout Algonquin Provincial Park, with some being accessible from the north or east sections of the park.
For the purposes of this post, though, we’re going to focus on the interpretive trails along the Highway 60 corridor. (I’ll update it when we get around to visiting some of the more remote ones!)
Algonquin Logging Museum Trail - 1.3 km, Easy / Barrier-Free
Located at km 54.5, this trail walks you through a chronological set of outdoor displays - including a re-created logging camp, with buildings you can go into.
I’ve already covered this earlier in the post, as the trail basically *is* the museum. Moving right along...
Bat Lake Trail - 5.6 km, Moderate
Located at km 30, this one sounds really cool - it takes you to Bat Lake, which is an acidic lake!
Beaver Pond Trail - 2 km, Moderate
Located at km 45.2 This is a fun little trail with fantastic scenery, and great views of two different beaver ponds.
For more photos and details, see the trails section of our Canisbay Lake Campground post.
Big Pines Trail - 2.9 km, Moderate
Located at km 40.3, this one takes you through old growth White Pine forest, to see the remains of a logging camp from the late 1800s.
Booth's Rock Trail - 5.1 km, Moderate
This trail starts out from a parking lot at the Rock Lake campground (9 km south of Highway 60, at km 40.5), and is WILDLY popular in the fall.
It takes you to two different lakes and is known for an amazing lookout - apparently it’s one of the best places in the province for fall colour viewing!
Centennial Ridges Trail - 10 km, Strenuous
Located at km 37.6, this one takes you along two ridges, and is known to have some fantastic views.
Hardwood Lookout Trail - 0.8 km, Moderate
Located at km 13.8km , this trail takes you through a hardwood forest, to a nice view over Smoke Lake and the surrounding area. We haven’t done this trail yet, will update when we do!
Hemlock Bluff Trail - 3.5 km, Moderate
Located at located at km 27.2, it takes you through some woods to a view over Jack Lake.
Lookout Trail - 1.9 km, Moderate
Located at km 39.7, this trail is supposed to be pretty steep, but “worth it” for the views from the namesake lookout.
Mizzy Lake Trail - 11 km, Moderate
Located at km 15.4, this is a HEFTY trail - the park recommends starting early and giving yourself a full day to do this.
It’s known as being one of the absolute best trails for wildlife viewing, and dogs aren’t allowed on it.
Peck Lake Trail - 1.9 km, Moderate
Located at km 19.2, this is a gorgeous trail that takes you all the way around Peck Lake.
There are amazing view points along the way - see our Canisbay Lake Campground Review post for more photos and details.
Provoking Falls Trail - About 1 km / 2 km round trip, Easy
This short trail isn’t listed on the park website, but is a particular section of both the Old Railway Trail and one of the Backpacking Trails.
You can access it from the small parking area near the garbage bins in the Mew Lake Campground.
See our Provoking Falls post for everything you need to know!
Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail - 1.5 km, Easy / Barrier-Free
Located at km 42.5, this is a barrier-free trail in the summertime, and a popular trail for snowshoeing in the winter. It’s a fantastic spot for birding, especially in the winter time.
We covered it - in the fall - in our Canisbay Lake Campground Review, and as a snowshoeing trail in our Winter Camping in Algonquin Provincial Park post.
Track and Tower Trail - 7.7 km, Moderate
Located at km 25 km, this one seems to be a really popular trail - the parking lot always seems pretty busy!
Anyway, this one takes you to a lookout over Cache Lake, and has an optional side trail
Two Rivers Trail - 2.1 km, Moderate
Located at km 31, it’s a loop trail that takes you up to a cliff. You can access it via the parking lot on Highway 60, or walk/bike the 5.5 km stretch of the Old Railway Bike Trail that goes between this trail, and Mew Lake Campground.
Whiskey Rapids Trail - 2.1 km Loop, Moderate
Located at km 7.2, this is a relatively short trail, with more than half of it taking place along Oxtongue River, en route to the namesake Whiskey Rapids,
While the trail is gated off for most of the winter, we covered this one in our Winter Camping in Algonquin Provincial Park post.
... I guess we managed to get in right before it closed for the season?
Joke’s on us, it was SO over-the-top gorgeous, I can’t imagine any other time of year living up to it!
Other trails in Algonquin Provincial Park include:
Barron Canyon Trail (Achray Campground)
Berm Lake Trail (Achray Campground)
Brent Crater Trail & Tower (Brent Access Point)
Bruton Farm Hiking Trail (South Side of Algonquin)
High Falls Hiking Trail (South Side of Algonquin)
Jack Pine (Achray Campground)
Scorch Lake Lookout Trail (South Side of Algonquin)
... as well as over 140 km of backpacking trails, with designated camp sites along the way!
Biking
There are 3 main bike trails in Algonquin Provincial Park, ranging from a super flat, easy trail, to challenging mountain bike trails:
Minnesing Mountain Bike Trail
This rugged mountain biking trail is located at km 23, and consists of a few loops that allow for rides of 4.7 km to 23.4 km
Old Railway Bike Trail
This is a decommissioned rail trail, following the bed of the historic Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway.
As a rail bed, it’s wide, relatively flat, has no wild changes in elevation, and runs along a good section of the main Algonquin Provincial Park corridor.
16.2 km long, it stretches from the Track and Tower Trail to Rock Lake, with access points at Mew Lake and Pog Lake along the way.
Byers Lake Mountain Bike Trail
This trail is NOT on the main corridor, but located east of the Kingscote Access Point on Elephant Lake Road
It’s a 6.5 km long (13 km round trip) mountain biking trail and rated moderate due to steep areas and obstacles.
Swimming
Each of the campgrounds have at least one beach, with most having multiple.
The sandy beach at Lake of Two Rivers is probably the nicest beach in the park - I recommend checking out our beach descriptions and photos on each of our campground reviews for more specific information on each, though.
Birding, Wildlife, and Nature
The park is open year-round, and wildlife viewing opportunities vary wildly between the seasons.
Well over 200 different species of birds have been recorded at Algonquin Provincial Park, and people come from all over the world to view them in their natural environment.
In the winter, we tend to see American Crow, Black-Capped Chickadees, Blue Jay, Canada Jay, Common Raven, Dark-Eyed Junco, Evening Grosbeak, Pine Grosbreak, Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, White-Breasted Nuthatch, White-Winged Crossbill, and Wild Turkeys.
The Visitor Centre is a great place to have almost guaranteed bird viewing opportunities in the winter, as they put bird feeders out. There’s also a Wild Bird Webcam live feed from the feeder.
The trails are also great for bird watching, with the Spruce Bog Boardwalk being a particularly great spot.
2nd Row: Evening Grosbeak, Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Wild Turkey
Bottom: White-Winged Crossbill, Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin
American Robin, American Crow, Black-Capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, Canada Goose, Cedar Waxwing, Common Grackle, Common Raven, Eastern Bluebird, Nashville Warbler, Red-Eyed Vireo, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Song Sparrow, Tennessee Warbler, Turkey Vulture, White-Throated Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Yellow-Rumped Warbler,
... and we heard: Brown Creeper, Chipping Sparrow, Common Loon, Dark-Eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, Grey Catbird, Golden-Crowned Kinglet, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Swamp Sparrow,
... And they probably don’t count, but we saw a Kestrel, a Red-Tailed Hawk, and a Barred Owl at a live show about raptors, at the outdoor theatre!
Row 2: Blue Jay, Broad-Winged Hawk, Cedar Waxwing
Row 3: Common Raven, Eastern Bluebird, Great Blue Heron
Row 4: Kestrel, Nashville Warbler, Pine Siskin
Row 5: Red-Tailed Hawk, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Sparrow (?)
Row 6: Wild Turkey, Wild Turkey (Baby!!), Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Moose are most common along Highway 60 in the spring, when they go seeking salt from the roads after the snow melts.
The Old Airfield at Mew Lake is a GIANT blueberry patch in late summer (illegal to pick them, mind you), which makes it a popular spot to view black bears.
Pine Martens like to hang out by the garbage area in Mew Lake during the winter, and they’re ridiculously cute!
We’ve also seen several foxes, but never a wolf. We’ve seen tons of PHOTOS of wolves that were taken in Algonquin, though - someday we’ll see one!
2nd Row: Moose, Red Fox
Boating
Boating and canoeing are HUGE in Algonquin Provincial Park - I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many canoes in one place in my life, as I did on our summer trip!
There are lakes and boat launches all over the place throughout the park in general. Bring your own canoe, or rent one at either the Portage Store or Opeongo Store in the park.
Additionally, some of the outfitting companies will deliver a gear rentals right to your campsite / boat launch area / access point!
You can canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard on a lake at pretty much every campground, and we even saw some sort of water cycle thing at Mew Lake at one point.
Several of the corridor campgrounds are connected by waterways - Madawaska River enters and exits Lake of Two Rivers, so you have access to get to Cache Lake from one entry, and out to Pog Lake, Whitefish Lake, and Rock Lake from the far end.
Motor Boats
Motor boats are more restricted, though - they’re banned on most lakes and major rivers throughout the park.
The exceptions are:
Motors of 6 horsepower or less may be used on Big Crow Lake, Hogan Lake, La Muir Lake, Little Crow Lake, Proulx Lake and White Partridge / Crow River from Proulx Lake to Little Crow Lake. This is only from Labour Day to the last Thursday in June, though.
Motors of 10 horsepower or less can be used on Cauchon Lake, Cauliflower Lake, Grand Lake, Joe Lake, Little Joe Lake, Madawaska Lake, Manitou Lake, North Tea Lake, Radiant Lake, Rain Lake, Tepee Lake, and Travers Lake
Motors of 20 horsepower or less can be used on Bonita Lake, Cache Lake, Canoe Lake, Cedar Lake, Kingscote Lake, Kioshkokwi Lake, Little Cauchon Lake, Rock Lake, Smoke Lake, Source Lake, Tanamakoon Lake, Tea Lake, Lake of Two Rivers, and Whitefish Lake.
No horsepower restrictions: Galeairy Lake and Opeongo Lake.
Boat Launches
We haven’t seen many of the actual boat launches in the park - most of the campgrounds just have canoe launching off the beach.
Rock Lake has a really nice ACTUAL boat launch, though - along with a bit of a boardwalk alongside it.
In terms of actual boat launches throughout Algonquin Provincial Park, you’re looking at:
Aylen Lake Access Point
East Beach
Cache Lake Access Point
Canoe Lake Access Point
Cauliflower Lake
Galeairy Lake
Kingscote Lake Access Point
Opeongo Access Point
Smoke Lake Access Point
Source Lake Access Point
Rain Lake Access Point
Rock Lake Access Point
Fishing
Algonquin Provincial Park is a HUGELY popular destination for fishing, known to have some of the best fishing opportunities in Canada, with over 230 lakes offering trout fishing alone - Brook Trout and/or Lake Trout, usually.
Also, many of the lakes along the highway are stocked with Splake.
Weirdly, we haven’t actually see a lot of fishing going on during our trips.
Well, unless you count the couple of guys wading in the water at the Mew Lake Beach late at night. Apparently several types of fish will hang out right near the shore there, after dark.
We’ve seen a few people out for early days in boats, but - by and large - it seems like the best fishing tends to be on the small lakes throughout the interior of this park.
... and those are areas we haven’t really gotten to yet, on account of my mobility issues!
Discovery Program
Algonquin Provincial Park has a really robust Discovery Program during the summer.
Over our summer stay, there were at least 2 programs scheduled each day, from talks and guided hikes, to raptor demonstrations, a play, and live folk music / storytelling.
Most of the activities we were interested in took place at the outdoor theatre (East Beach), with the week’s schedule posted at campground bulletin boards around each of the campground areas.
There also tends to be “Algonquin for Kids” programming at the Visitor Centre, as well as evening programmig.
That said, we’ve seen SOME Discovery Programming in the off season - usually over holidays, with the odd random special event.
Niantic Games
While there are Pokestops / Ingress Portals / Gyms throughout the park, many are few and far between... and cellular reception can be an issue for a lot of them.
If you’re needing to get your daily tasks in for any of the Niantic games, your best bet is to play in the Visitor Centre Parking lot. There are several game stops there, plenty of spawn points / XM in the area, and probably the most reliable cell reception in the park.
Winter Activities
The park is a WHOLE other ball game in winter, with winter activities including cross-country skiing, ice skating, and dog sledding.
If you’re thinking of visiting in the winter months, check out Winter Camping in Algonquin Provincial Park for *everything* you need to know!
Final Thoughts
Algonquin Provincial Park - Overall - is one of our top 5 favourite parks of all time.
Before we’d visited for the first time, we were a bit intimidated - we’d seen a lot of mentions of how it was basically a city itself, that it was not at all walkable, etc.
The opportunities to enjoy nature there, though - long drive from a campground or not - are almost unrivaled.
It’s a park that really has something for everyone, and every time of year.
There are everything from backcountry sites and small, non-electric campgrounds for those wanting quiet and seclusion, to cabins and huge campgrounds with all the amenities.
There are bustling summer beaches, and amazing winter camping experiences. You can hike, go bird watching, see a moose, go canoeing... or even go dog sledding. You can take super long, remote backpacking trails... and you can visit a museum or art gallery.
It feels SUPER remote... while also being a fairly easy drive from the Greater Toronto Area.
All in all, just a really fantastic place to visit!
More Algonquin Provincial Park Campground Reviews
Want to read some more of what we have to say about the campgrounds and attractions in Algonquin Park? Here are some more reviews!
Canisbay Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Kearney Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Lake of Two Rivers Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Mew Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Pog Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Provoking Falls, Algonquin Provincial Park
Raccoon Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Rock Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Tea Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Whitefish Lake Campground, Algonquin Provincial Park
Interested in seeing our other Provincial Park reviews? We've got a huge - and ever-growing! - list of them here: 2 Nerds in a Truck Campground Reviews
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