Discover the best lakeside campgrounds near Toronto, Ontario with campfires

Canada’s largest city is a bit of an urban jungle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t escape into nature. Toronto is home to dozens of urban hiking trails and there are opportunities for kayaking and canoeing downtown. Just a short drive outside the city, camping options abound at provincial parks and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority sites, and if you’re willing to head an hour or two out of town for a getaway, you’ll be rewarded with starry nights and wide, open nature spots.

Where to go

Albion Hills Conservation Park

About an hour northwest of the Toronto area, Albion Hill is a tranquil nature escape surrounded by easy access to city amenities. This conservation area offers over 230 serviced and unserviced sites, with space for RVs. Albion Hill has forested hiking and mountain biking trails, a kid-friendly swimming pool and splash area, and even a bike washing station.

Darlington Provincial Park

Just over an hour east of downtown Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario, Darlington Provincial Park has a long, sandy beach and ample family-friendly programming in summer, plus opportunities to kayak or go paddle boating. The Lakeside Campground is radio-free for those seeking a quiet camping experience. It’s also open in winter for hiking and snowshoeing.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park

In Oakville, Bronte Creek Provincial Park has an impressive list of day-use and overnight activities. Pending the time of year, campers can enjoy disc golf, hiking, tobogganing, swimming in one of Canada’s largest outdoor pools, a children’s farm with live animals, ghost walks, a maple syrup festival, Victorian Christmas, plus four campgrounds, including group camping spots, and three yurts for a glamping experience.

Georgian Bay Islands National Park

This park is two hours north of Toronto but it feels like an escape to pure wilderness. Looking out over the world’s largest freshwater archipelago, there are exceptional views of the Canadian Shield—views so spectacular they inspired the Group of Seven artists. Visitors enjoy camping, glamping, waterfront cabins, and paddle-in backcountry sites on Beausoleil Island. Even if you don’t camp there, you can hike and bike on trails that range from easy loops of a kilometre or less to challenging terrain on much longer paths. Across the waters from this park is Awenda Provincial Park, where campers can find six campgrounds (including radio-free and pet-free options), 31 kilometres of trails, and a calm interior lake perfect for gentle kayaking.

When to go

Most camping facilities in and around Toronto are open from mid-May and mid-October. However, many Ontario parks are open in winter for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Book well in advance for Canadian holidays, including Victoria Day (the second-to-last Monday in May), Canada Day (July 1), and the Civic Holiday (the first Monday in August). Late June’s Toronto Pride Parade is another busy weekend.

Know before you go

Toronto may be a large, busy city but it offers ample birdwatching opportunities. The local Ornithological Society has good resources for budding birders.
There are multiple outdoor supply stores in and around Toronto, including MEC, SAIL, Bass Pro Shop, Patagonia, and The Complete Paddler, Canada’s largest paddle shop, where equipment rentals are offered.
Toronto’s raccoons are undeniably cute and seemingly fearless of humans, but feeding them is a bad idea as it only encourages nuisance visits. Lock up your food at night.