Ontario parks: https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/algonquin
Friends of Algonquin: https://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/index.php
This park is the oldest provincial park in Canada and the most popular in Ontario. It's probably the largest provincial park in Ontario too (7635 square kilometers) but we are yet to verify that information. It's also a national historic site of Canada. We have met many people over years who are camping in Algonquin for 20-30 years and yet to cover the entire park, so you can perhaps understand the size of this beauty. If you ask us, we consider this place our second home, we end up visiting almost every month, sometimes few times in a month. We tell everyone, if you live in Ontario, this place is a must visit in any season (although fall is the most popular time). You must know canoeing to explore this park completely as only a limited portion of the park is accesible by road. There are two campgrounds that you can explore by road - Highway 60 Campgrounds (most popular), Achray Campground (isolated but paradise for nature lovers)
Highway 60 Campgrounds-
There are many to choose from and we would post soon updates on each of them. These are the campgrounds we have camped-
Mew lake campground: It's one of the popular campgrounds in this park. We have camped few times here, in fact our first camping in Ontario started at this camground in a yurt (#49) in 2013. This campground also has yurts so it's perfect for first time camping experience. Chances of spotting a wildlife is very high in this campground and we realized the reason few years later. The campground is right beside an old airfield which is maintained to preserve many wildlifes, specially bear. There is a really good biking trail that goes through this airfield and offers some gorgeous views and if you are lucky some moose sighting (we have also seen a gorgeous wolf years back here). The campground is also located very close to the lake of two rivers restaurant. We don't like the beach in this campground.
Tea lake campground: We have camped only once here, the sites here are a little small. It's a decent campground though. Could not explore the beach as there was some water contamination.
Lake of two rivers campground: This campground provides gorgeous views of the lake. Beach quality is much better than the nearby campgrounds. Many sites have trees on the site itself so make sure you check that out while booking a site. Our favourite sites:
Rock lake campground: This is our favourite campground in Highway 60 and the reason is it's quite isolated then the other campgrounds. You have to travel in agravel road for approx 8kms to reach this place. The view is gorgeous though! If you decide to pay a visit, don't miss the human face formation in the rocks on your left as soon as you exit highway 60 and enter the gravel road, it's right after the marsh land. This is also our recluse in fall as entire highway 60 gets really busy! Our favourite site:
Achray Campground: This is an isolated campground near Pembroke, Ontario. There is a good distance of gravel road (approx 30 kms) to reach this place. This place also played a huge role historically but that story would come later! As I mentioned earlier, this place is a nature's paradise and finding a site here is like winning a lottery. They gets booked really really fast! It has also one completely isolated yurt and booking that needs some extremely good luck! The view of the grand lake is beyond gorgeous and yes, don't forget to visit Barron canyon trail, it's really beautiful. There is a pic here where you see our tent and two chairs, that's Achray!
The park also offers many ranger cabins and some of them can be accessed by road. The cabins (except Kiosk) does not have access to flush toilets/showers and pets are not allowed. There are also options of backcountry ranger cabins. We are yet to explore them.
Few things you must do if you are visiting this park for the first time through the highway 60 access -
Visit the lookout trail, some portions of the trail are a little steep but it's not very difficult! The pic where you see my daughter with a bagpack overlooking a cliff, that's the view you get...actually way more beautiful than you see here.
Visit the visitor centre and also enjoy the short movie on the park, you would appreciate this place way more after this movie.
Visit the picnic area of lake of two rivers and just look at the view! Don't do anything literally, just look and the nature soak in!
Visit the logging museum. See the original logging houses, boats and many more.
Drive the entire Highway 60, every part is unique in it's own way. We sometimes enter Algonquin from west gate and exit from east gate for Toronto. Also, the Algonquin sign board on east gate, if you want a pic, is more beautiful and has lot of space for you to pose with family and friends. Both gates have washrooms.
