The best camping near Craigleith Provincial Park

Craigleith offers a convenient, affordable place to stay for visitors. The park’s compact campground is squeezed between the highway and the shores of Georgian Bay, so privacy is scarce, but the location is great. Campers can quickly get to Blue Mountain resort, swim at Wasaga Beach, bike the Georgian Trail, hike on the Bruce Trail, or launch a sailboat or canoe into Georgian Bay. The shale shoreline is fun to explore with kids, with fossils up to 450 million years old.

• Best for families: Area D is the closest to the playground and playing fields for kids.
• Best for early risers: Campsites 1 through 24 are closest to the shoreline and farthest from the highway—ideal for avoiding road noise at night.
• Best for RVs: Area D is almost entirely sites with electrical hookups and most also have water hookups.

1. Bookings can be made online or by phone through Ontario Parks.
2. The campsites are not very big. Consider booking more than one site if you have a group or large family, or want a bit of breathing room.
3. Most of the tent campsites allow up to three tents, but some only allow one. Check the site description carefully when you book.
4. Book early for July and August dates or long weekends. The park’s proximity to Barrie, Kitchener, and Toronto means there’s a lot of competition for spots.

The park is open from early April to late October, and the best time to go depends entirely on your planned activities in the area. For cyclists, exploring the Georgian Trail is lovely at any time after the winter snow has cleared (by mid-April). Anglers will want to take their boats out during trout season (late April to September). Hikers should wait until June to avoid black flies, and swimmers should aim for July to early September when the water is at its warmest.

• The campsites at the western end of the park have more space between them.
• There is a dog exercise area at the west end of the park and in the day-use area at the east end of the park.
• Many campers recommend bringing earplugs to drown out the noise from the nearby highway at night.
• Some of the activities you can access nearby include golf, a high ropes course, a full service spa, zip lining, scenic caves, and a luge-like mountain coaster.
• The shoreline at Craigleith is made of shale, not sand, so wearing sandals is recommended. But your vehicle permit from Craigleith also gets you free entry to Wasaga Beach Provincial Park if you’re looking for a sandy beach.