The best camping near Silver Lake Provincial Park

Campers choose this compact park in Eastern Ontario for its quiet waterfront setting along nine-kilometre-long Silver Lake, set between Toronto and Ottawa, 85 kilometres north of Kingston. The park has a boat launch, a playground, and two sandy beaches along the lake, which is also a good spot for canoeing or kayaking. While the park is too small for much hiking, you can fish for yellow perch, smallmouth bass, lake trout, and northern pike. Silver Lake’s three campgrounds have a total of 100 campsites, accommodating tents and RVs, plus a comfort station with flush toilets and showers.

• Best for RVs: Wesley Campground
• Best for lakeside camping: Algonquin Campground
• Best for barrier-free camping: Dawson Campground

1. Reservations for campsites at Silver Lake Provincial Park are available up to five months in advance. Book online through the Ontario Parks reservation service.
2. The waterfront sites in the Algonquin and Dawson campgrounds book first, so be ready to reserve these sites as soon as they become available.

Silver Lake Provincial Park is open only from mid-May through mid-September. July and August are the busiest months, although the park stays active into September as the trees begin to take on their fall colors. Come on weekdays to avoid the weekend crowds.

• You can buy firewood and ice in the Silver Lake park store and pick up basic supplies in the village of Sharbot Lake outside the park. Otherwise, the town of Perth, 30 kilometres east of the park, is your best bet for shopping.
• The park rents canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards for paddling along Silver Lake.
• Silver Lake is located in one of Ontario’s main maple syrup-producing regions. While the March-April sugaring season, when the trees are “tapped” for their sap, takes place outside of the best camping months, you can find local syrup year-round—perfect for pancakes around the campfire.