Book campsite now for August long weekend, Ontario Parks recommend

TORONTO – It may be hard to think about summer holidays in the middle of March, but anyone thinking of camping in one of Ontario’s provincial parks over the August civic long weekend should consider booking their campsite now, say park staff.

Campsites can be booked five months in advance, and many of the popular ones get taken early.

Ontario provincial parks received almost 10 million visits last year, up 50,000 from 2010.

Five parks are drawing half of the reservations received to date for the coming camping season: Algonquin, Killbear, the Pinery, Sandbanks and Bon Echo, says Bruce van Staalduinen, manager of operations for Ontario Parks.

“The top five parks in the province are really, really filling up fast, as they have traditionally for the past 10 years, but there’s lots of good availability in a whole bunch of other parks across the province,” said van Staalduinen.

“There’s often a myth that by the end of March the entire parks system is full for reservations – that’s not true. There’s still over 200,000 reservations left to process after April 1.”

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For campers seeking alternatives to the busiest parks, Ontario Parks suggests:

– Arrowhead or Samuel de Champlain provincial parks instead of Algonquin: Arrowhead, north of Huntsville, has new electrical sites as well as a trail network for cycling and hiking. Sandy beaches offer good swimming. The family-oriented Samuel de Champlain, near Mattawa, features exhibits at the Voyageur Museum showcasing the area’s fur trading history.

– Grundy Lake Provincial Park, north of Parry Sound, instead of Killbear: There’s family camping at lakefront sites along with canoeing opportunities.

– Inverhuron Provincial Park, near Tiverton, instead of the Pinery: Attractions include dunes, well-treed campsites and good swimming.

– Presqu’ile Provincial Park, near Brighton, instead of Sandbanks: A birding hotspot with a 2.5-kilometre sandy beach and 16 kilometres of trails, plus the second-oldest working lighthouse on Lake Ontario.

– Murphys Point Provincial Park, south of Perth, instead of Bon Echo: Activities include guided tours of the restored Silver Queen mica mine, two pioneer homesteads and ruins of an early sawmill.

To check availability at parks, go to bit.ly/xOyera. To book online go to OntarioParks.com or call 1-888-ONT-PARK.