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From paddling pups to walking dogs, Ontario is an adventure center for outdoor-loving dogs and their owners. The province’s extensive network of dog parks and campgrounds makes it easy to plan an inclusive stay for you and your furry companion.
Most Ontario campgrounds and campgrounds welcome dogs with an enthusiastic tail wag, although it’s important to know the rules and exceptions. There are so many fantastic campsites in the province that it is impossible to list them all. Instead, we looked for a representative mix of the best dog campsites with a focus on excellent dog campsites in Northern Ontario.
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The camping season runs from early to mid-May to late September or mid-October, with the high season from early July to late August. Please note that popular campsites can fill up quickly, especially during high summer. Make reservations well in advance (up to five months in advance with Ontario Parks) to avoid disappointment, or call ahead before packing your pellets and hitting the road.
If this is your first time at a KOA campsite, this recreational park with sufficient facilities will not disappoint you. Located on a 90-acre property, Thunder Bay KOA Holiday offers a mix of shaded and sunny lawns for tents and RVs, KOA Patio RV sites with grills and porch swings, and luxury lodge cabins. Pet owners rave about the spacious and clean off-leash dog park.
If you’re traveling with kids, there’s also a splash pad, two heated outdoor pools, outdoor games, and planned family activities throughout the season. The convenient location provides easy access to the city and local attractions.
For a visit to the breathtaking 40-metre Kakabeka Falls, this family-friendly site is a convenient base camp east of the falls on Trans-Canada Highway 11/17. Happy Land Campground has private tree sites for both tents and RVs, plus all the amenities you need for a comfortable stay, including hot water showers, laundry facilities, an outdoor heated pool and hot tub, a playground, and a pet-friendly area.
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Dogs are welcome at the campsites and on the network of camping trails. Morning walks through the woods to the beaver pond are a popular warm-up for local adventure.
Quetico Provincial Park is an iconic destination for wilderness canoe campers and is equally rewarding for casual campers and dogs alike. Set up base at Dawson Trail Campground’s waterfront campsite on French Lake and explore 22 miles of hiking trails, or rent a stand-up paddleboard for you and your pup to take to the water.
The wildlife spotting, stargazing, paddling and fishing in Quetico are top class, as are the benefits for dog campers. The Dawson Trail has both a dog beach and a special off-leash trail for energetic romps in the woods.
Dogs get the royal treatment at the award-winning Sault Ste. Marie KOA Holiday park conveniently located on the north side of the city. Lucky puppies enjoy two spacious animal parks, a dog park, 50 acres of trails through the woods and along the Root River, as well as a regulation-sized dog agility course for trained pups and their owners. After a day of adventure, you can even groom your furry friend in the campsite’s self-service dog grooming salon.
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Whether you stay in a tent, caravan or pet-friendly campsite, you can expect private green spaces with plenty of space, meticulously clean facilities and plenty of family activities – from a heated outdoor pool, playground and bike hire to mini golf and board games.
Imagine a beach of fine white sand stretching for 3km and caressed by the sparkling clear aquamarine waters of Lake Superior – this is the heart of camping in Pancake Bay Provincial Park. When summer warms these waters to a crisp swimming temperature, campers can enjoy unparalleled swimming and body surfing in the world’s largest lake.
Hundreds of campsites offer easy beach access, with sites closer to the park entrance offering better views of the lake and sites further away offering a quieter forest experience. Campsites and trails are pet-friendly; There is also a beautiful beach area where the four-legged friends can play fetch, swim and approach the sand at will.
A canopy of majestic pines and cedars shades the sites at this quiet waterfront community campground in Bruce Mines. This charming town on the North Channel is an ideal base camp for exploring the region and is also a good place to break your drive if you’re driving along the Trans-Canada Highway 17. The campsites are fairly private, the showers are hot and the dogs love the sandy beach and clear lake.
Dog Friendly Woodstock, Ontario
Looking for a pet-friendly campground on Manitoulin Island with great family activities, a fun summer camp atmosphere, and easy access to the island’s abundant natural attractions? Set on a leafy headland in Sheguiandah Bay, Batman’s Cottages & Campground features two beach areas facing east and west, allowing you to watch the sunrise over the La Cloche Mountains before slipping into the water to enjoy the sunset.
Choose from shady spots in the forest or spacious spots by the lake; the campsite also offers a swimming pool for dogs and a walking path to stretch your legs. But the real draw here is the waterfront: swim, sauna, fish or rent a canoe, kayak or paddleboard and explore the coast.
At the quiet Sturgeon Falls KOA Holiday Campground, the tranquil Sturgeon River is central. Rent a boat, canoe or kayak for some great fishing on nearby Lake Nipissing or head upriver to the friendly community of Sturgeon Falls. There is also a swimming pool with a water slide for the children and a dog park Kamp K9 and a pet beach for four-legged friends.
Open grass sites for tents and RVs offer great river views but little shade. Do you not have your own camping equipment or are you looking for more comfort? Choose from a range of pet-friendly camping cabins, from basic to luxurious.
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This beautiful park was formed about 10,000 years ago by retreating glaciers and has a total of 22 deep, spring-fed lakes, including one specially designed for dogs. Green Lake offers a pet exercise area and a dog beach where sand zooming is not only allowed, but encouraged!
Located 45 minutes east of Timmins, Kettle Lakes Provincial Park is also a great destination for families and anglers. Hiking and biking trails wind through the boreal forest to hidden swimming beaches, and bikes, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are available for hire on site. Many of the lakes are stocked with rainbows and brown trout, and the park has a Tackleshare program that lends free fishing poles and tackle to park visitors.
Sun Retreats Georgian Bay is set on 300 hectares of forest near the sights of Parry Sound and 30,000 Islands. It is a tranquil enclave of hardwood forests and private, sparkling lakes. For furry friends, there is a spacious off-leash pet area, boardwalks and dog-friendly beach snorkeling. A fleet of canoes and kayaks makes it easy to explore the three tranquil lakes with your water dog.
This compact park on the shores of Eagle Lake consistently tops every Ontario Parks shortlist of the best dog-friendly campgrounds. Dog campers love Mikisew Provincial Park’s dog beach and off-leash exercise, complete with a fun agility course. You can even rent a paddleboard and go paddling with your dog on Eagle Lake.
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Mikisew is the ideal destination for campers who like to be active outdoors. Explore easy hiking trails, go swimming, play disc golf, cast a line or paddle around the small islands just offshore. Two campgrounds offer pet-friendly, private sites in tall maple and open red pine forests.
Fresh air, hiking trails, lakes, forests and a fire pit: dogs love camping as much as we do. Luckily, it’s easy to find pet-friendly campsites at Ontario Parks across the province, with some parks offering special puppy-approved amenities like off-leash swimming and exercise.
In addition to the above, our favorite parks in Ontario for dog camping are Arrowhead, Restoule, Bon Echo, Killbear, Windy Lake, Chutes, Lake Superior, Neys and Rainbow Falls. The full range and more details can be found here.
Another reliable option for pet-friendly camping is the 13 KOA campsites located throughout the province. These are a particularly good choice if you are camping with children or are looking for more accommodation options such as camping cabins.
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Virginia Marshall is a freelance writer, photographer and outdoor adventure editor with roots in Muskoka and Lake Superior. Read her work in Adventure Kayak, Canoeroots, Rapid, Paddling Magazine and Backroad Mapbooks.
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