Algonquin Provincial Park is one of the most famous Ontario Parks, especially known for its seemingly endless network of canoe routes. The park spans over 7,635 square kilometres of Algonquin Highlands, boasting dense forests, bogs, rivers and over 1,000 lakes.
While canoers and kayakers come for epic backcountry paddling adventures, the park is packed with things to see and do for explorers staying in the front country.
We spent a weekend exploring the area and stayed at Pog Lake Campground, which is one of many large car-access campgrounds in Algonquin Provincial Park. If you’re looking for a weekend or a few days away, there is no shortage of natural beauty and fun activities here.
This land is the traditional unceded territory of the diverse and culturally-rich Algonquin Nation, and portions of the park are the Robinson-Huron Treaty (1850) and Williams Treaty (1923) territory. The Anishinabewaki and Huron/Wendat people are among the original stewards of the land. We are grateful to be able to explore and enjoy these lands and waters, and recognize the Algonquin peoples’ historical and continued connection to the area.
Algonquin Provincial Park History
Before settlers arrived, the area that is now Algonquin Provincial Park was used by First Nations families for fishing, hunting, and berry picking. According to The Friends of Algonquin Provincial Park, these family groups were scattered and rarely large.
In the 1800s, pioneer loggers entered the area in search of White Pine, as the wood was in high demand. They’d live in camps as they logged, and would send the logs up the rivers to the Ottawa River and beyond. You can learn about the logging history at the Algonquin Logging Museum.
Fortunately, Algonquin was established as a park in 1893 to serve as a wildlife sanctuary and protect the headwaters of five major rivers that flow from the park. It wasn’t long before fishermen, artists, adventurers and visitors discovered the beauty of the park and tourism in the area was born.
Algonquin Provincial Park was the first park in Ontario and remains one of the largest. It’s home to over 1,000 plant species and 200 birds and animal species. Visitors come to explore the extensive network of canoe routes or participate in recreational activities throughout the park.
Campgrounds at Algonquin Provincial Park
There are so many car-accessible, developed campgrounds in Algonquin Park, so finding a spot to set up camp should not be a problem. We booked our sites on Pog Lake in busy July, a week in advance and scored lakefront sites on both occasions. Many of the campgrounds are near or on a lake, and we chose Pog Lake because you can camp close to swimming beaches and have easy access for launching a paddleboard or kayak.
There are options for tents, RVs and even comfort camping in yurts. Services vary by campground, but you’ll find electrical sites, flush toilets and running water throughout the park. Most campgrounds will have running water at comfort stations, and pit toilets are available throughout.
Here is a list of the car-camping campgrounds in the park:
- Achray
- Brent
- Canisbay Lake
- Kearney Lake
- Kiosk
- Lake of Two Rivers
- Mew Lake
- Pog Lake
- Raccoon LakeÂ
- Rock Lake
- Tea Lake
- Whitefish Group Campground
Most campgrounds are available by reservation only. You can book your campsite at Algonquin Provincial Park with Ontario Parks Reservations.
Pog Lake Campground Information
At the time of booking, which was pretty last-minute, Pog Lake had most of what we were looking for. It was along HWY 60, which was our route in and out of the park, close to Opeongo Lake, where we planned a day paddle and offered lakeside campsites.
Location: Pog Lake is located at km 36.9 on Highway 60.
Operating Dates: It’s open from mid-May to October.
Registration: All campers must register at the Pog Lake Campground office at the gate to obtain their permit. This office also provides registration for Kearney Lake Campground and Whitefish Group Campground.
Campsites at Pog Lake
There are 286 campsites, and some are wheelchair accessible. There are also electrical sites, and, for the most part, the sites are relatively private. Each campground loop has a central Comfort Station with flush toilets, hot showers and laundry facilities. Pit toilets are located throughout the campsite.
The campsites along the main swimming beach are not private, but offer power and are just across the road from great lake access. They also offer lake views through a beautiful, tall stand of pines.
Tip: When booking your site, check the slope grade in your site details before booking! There are several unserviced but stunning lakefront sites at Pog Lake, but some have a severe slope, and you’ll have difficulty finding a flat spot to park or sleep. We managed to level out our camper on site 345, but it was time consuming and frusterating.
Planning a weekend in Algonquin Provincial Park
You could spend weeks in this park and still not see or do everything it has to offer. Unfortunately, we only had a couple of days to spend here, and I’ll share how we filled that time!
Paddleboarding on Pog Lake
Most of the frontcountry lakes in Algonquin Park have water access, so you can launch your paddleboard, canoe or kayak. Most of the campgrounds also offer canoe and kayak rentals from nearby outfitters. At Pog Lake, rentals were at the beach, and it looked like you could book them via Algonquin Outfitters at algonquinoutfitters.com.
Pog Lake is small, with a few nooks and crannies that shelter it from the wind, making for an interesting paddle. We launched our paddleboard from our campsite and enjoyed a sunset paddle and swim on the lake.
Canoe and kayak rentals in Algonquin Park
There are a few outfitters that offer canoe and kayak delivery to your campground. Your rental will include the boat, properly-fitted lifejackets, paddles and safety gear.
- Algonquin Outfitters:Â Algonquin Outfitters provides a campground delivery service with scheduled stops at developed campgrounds along Highway 60.Â
- Opeongo Outfitters: Opeongo Outfitters also offers a campsite canoe delivery service.Â
- The Portage Outpost: The Portage Outpost offers rentals with free delivery to campgrounds along the Highway 60 corridor.Â
Kayaking on Lake Opeongo
Lake Opeongo is the largest lake in Algonquin Provincial Park and is considered a major gateway to Algonquin’s backcountry. The Opeongo Store offers complete outfitting services, including a water taxi service, for eager backcountry paddlers. They also offer day rentals, and there are plenty of scenic places to explore from the main launch point. No reservations are required for same-day rentals.
We rented a tandem kayak for the day on Lake Opeongo. The lake is huge, but there are several islands, coves and inlets to explore right out of the main launch area. We found an unoccupied backcountry campsite with a sandy beach and enjoyed a picnic and swim on a beautiful summer’s day. This map of Lake Opeongo can help you plan your day or multi-day trip on the lake.
After our paddle, we got an ice cream from the Opeongo Store.
Cycling the Old Railway Bike Trail
The Old Railway Bike Trail is an easy, family-friendly, relatively flat trail that runs from Rock Lake Campground to Cache Lake. It meanders through a few of the campgrounds in the park, including Pog Lake, Mew Lake, Kearney Lake, Raccoon Lake and Rock Lake. We were able to get on it from our campsite at Pog Lake.
The trail is 16 km each way, but you can ride it for as little or as long as you choose. It’s the abandoned railbed of the old Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway, which was decommissioned in 1959. There are a few interpretive signs that share the history of Algonquin Provincial Park.
You can rent bicycles at the Two Rivers Store.
Swimming at one of the many beaches
Kids will love the beaches and clear water of several lakes in Algonquin Provincial Park. As mentioned, most campgrounds have beach access. In our case, we enjoyed an afternoon swim at the Pog Lake main beach, which was located across the road from our campsite (#108). Because this lake is small, the water was remarkably warm.
There are other day-use swimming beaches in the park, including:
- Lake of Two Rivers Picnic Ground and Beach
- Canisbay Lake Day Use Area
- East Beach Picnic Ground and Beach
- Campground Swimming Beaches
Note: Swimming is unsupervised, and lifeguards are not present at Algonquin Park swimming areas.
Exploring the Algonquin Provincial Park Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre in Algonquin Park is more like an interpretive centre and natural history museum! It’s massive and features several interactive and interpretive displays and exhibits that can keep your family entertained for an hour or two.
The Visitor Centre also offers educational programs, a theatre, observation deck, bookstore and gift shop, free wi-fi, outside picnic area and walking paths. A visit here is a great rainy day activity, but worth checking out regardless.
Check out the Algonquin Park Events Calendar for interactive programming and events!
