So you slacked on booking your summer campsite — what to do now? Summer camping is one of the most popular activities in Ontario, but if you haven’t booked your spot in advance, don’t stress!
Last-minute camping is a totally doable activity; it just depends on how flexible you can be. Depending on where and how you want to camp, plus your group size, you can still pull off an Ontario summer 2025 trip — some searching required.
From local conservation areas, northern parks, and private sites, here are your best bets for snagging a last-minute camping spot this summer.
Grand River Conservation Areas
With eight campable conservation areas spread out in Southwestern Ontario, Grand River often has camping sites available right until the end of the season. Conestogo Lake (Mapleton), Elora Gorge, Guelph Lake, and Rockwood (Guelph) have availability throughout August — all you gotta do is book your spot and start packing up the car.
Long Beach Conservation
Located on the sandy shores of Lake Erie, Long Beach Conservation Area is a family-friendly spot that has availability throughout its 225 serviced and unserviced campsites. Swimming, fishing, and strolls along the shoreline are included, too.
Part of the larger Niagara Peninsula Conservation Area, overnight camping spots are also available at Chippawa Creek, depending on your desired dates and group size.
Northern provincial parks
While some of Ontario’s most popular provincial parks have already been booked up for the season (like Algonquin and the Pinery), there are still tons of availability at some of the more Northern parks.
A quick search shows that parks like Pakwash near Ear Falls, Macleod Provincial Park in Geraldton, and Rainbow Falls Provincial Park in Rossport all have availability throughout August. Depending on when you want to visit, you could just snag a mid-week or weekend adventure.
Private campgrounds
When all the public parks and conservation areas are booked, private campgrounds might be your safest bet to book a site. Privately owned sites and trailer parks are available throughout the province until the season ends, and can easily be searched within the provincial database.
There are many KOA sites available throughout Ontario that are ready to be booked, like Owen Sound KOA and Sturgeon Falls KOA. If that doesn’t work, check out other private sites like Saugeen Riverbank Campground in Walkerton or the Manitoulin EcoPark.
Get your camp on
From tents, trailers, and cabins, there are still plenty of camping spots available in Ontario, all waiting to be booked up. Skip the big-name parks and the more popular sites, and you’ll surely find something that fits your taste.
Remember — it’s not about where or how you camp, it’s all about the fun memories you’ll have while doing it.
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