Wander in and around the waters of Woodstock—a dream fishing and boating destination.
At the head of the Thames River is the town of Woodstock, a popular summer camping destination home to 90 species of fish (many found only in Canada) providing once-in-a-lifetime catches. In the surrounding area, over 550 hectares of parks and trails call to campers, as do opportunities for cultural enrichment (like the Woodstock Museum National History Site or the W.L. Dickson Arboretum). Woodstock area campgrounds are available in nearby parks and feature a mix of tent campsites, RV sites, and backcountry campsites.
Pittock Conservation Area’s 2,000 acres on the Upper Thames River watershed is ideal for campers planning to fish or boat. Enjoy kayaking and canoeing in the clear waters, swimming in the pool, or dominating a game of disc golf. Pittock’s main hiking trail is paved, with packed dirt secondaries open from dawn until dusk. RVers and tent campers will find sites with full electrical hookups and grated fire pits.
Built in conjunction with a dam of the same name, Wildwood Conservation Area features a boat marina and wet docks for campers to launch canoes and kayaks (rentals available), while hiking and biking trails propel campers through the forest greenery along the Thames River. Rent a pavilion for a barbecue and let the kids run wild on the playground—Wildwood campsites all have picnic tables and fire pits, and some have full electrical hook-ups and pull-through spaces for car camping and RV camping. For a more primitive experience, Wildwood features a backcountry, no-noise-no-radio camping area.
Long Point Provincial Park is a World Biosphere Reserve, meaning campers can witness the migration of herons, bitterns, sandhill cranes, and tundra swans. Long Point also offers a mix of campsites for tent camping, RV camping, and primitive backcountry trips. Modern campsites feature a range of electrical hookup amperage at RV and car pull-through pads, and many sites come with picnic tables, fire pits, and access to nearby dumping stations. When not at camp, Long Point campers can enjoy biking, boating, swimming, fishing (with a license purchased from the town of Long Point), and birding festivals. The park offers equipment rentals for items like extension cords, personal floatation devices, and fishing rods too.
Activities at Port Burwell Provincial Park center on the water because of the warm weather. Shallow, sandy waters give campers the chance to swim, fish, or boat (with the proper licenses), and windsurfers love the challenge of Lake Erie’s choppy waters. Witness monarch butterflies migrating, hike trails through serene woods, or challenge fellow campers to a game of volleyball, horseshoes, or disc golf. Port Burwell welcomes group campers, with each site including hookups, fire pits, and picnic tables.
Most parks and public campgrounds near Woodstock observe the camping season running from the beginning of May through the middle of October. The busiest times of year are weekends from June through September, since Woodstock and the Upper Thames are a hit during summer. Spring or fall camping offers all the same amenities and similar weather, without the large crowds.