The best camping near Peterborough with horseback riding

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This small city in Central Ontario is the perfect jumping-off point to explore “bright waters and happy lands”—the literal meaning of the Kawarthas, a string of nearby glacier-carved lakes. But you’ll find plenty to do in town, too. Both the Otonabee River and the canals of the Trent-Severn Waterway (which links Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario) wind right through Peterborough. The former is lined with good beaches, while the latter runs through the world’s tallest lift lock. Downtown’s Del Crary Park, on the waters of Little Lake, rocks with a summer music festival.

84% (111) 7 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Peterborough

2. Organic Flower Farm

100%
(33)
40km from Peterborough · 2 sites · Tents, RVs
Learn more about this land: We welcome you to the Little Farm That Could! A mixed Flower and vegetable market garden growing year-round on a small farm located in the Trent Hills. Tour the productive gardens which feed and beautify our township, meet our animals, learn about sustainable agriculture, and wind down the night in our wood-fired hot tub. The century old barn accommodates guests as a common space to relax, get out of the rain, play a game of ping pong, and is a backdrop for our wood fired hot tub. Two campsites are located on the farm. Both campsites have their own Washroom/outhouse. Be sure to ask about our hot tub package, the perfect way to wind down and relax in the presence of nature and under a star lit sky! So come on by and get connected to a small farm! We look forward to seeing you :) Jen & Mike
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from 
CA$100
 / night

3. 420 and Drone Zone Campground

76%
(17)
33km from Peterborough · 4 sites · Tents, RVs
Welcome to our property! We are on a scenic farm with lots of Rolling hills bordering the Ganaraska forest.The 11,000 acre Ganaraska Forest is one of the largest blocks of forested land in southern Ontario. The area provides abundant recreational opportunities and is managed for a sustainable yield of wood products.We have four campsites available for tent and RV campers. If you’re bringing an RV or trailer, we can accommodate vehicles up to 50ft in length. The site is flat and electrical and water hookups are available. Amenities include a toilet, water, and wifi. Activities nearby include hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, and swimming in our saltwater pool during the summer!Pets are welcome! Campfires are allowed as long as there is no fire ban.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Toilets
from 
CA$75
 / night

This small city in Central Ontario is the perfect jumping-off point to explore “bright waters and happy lands”—the literal meaning of the Kawarthas, a string of nearby glacier-carved lakes. But you’ll find plenty to do in town, too. Both the Otonabee River and the canals of the Trent-Severn Waterway (which links Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario) wind right through Peterborough. The former is lined with good beaches, while the latter runs through the world’s tallest lift lock. Downtown’s Del Crary Park, on the waters of Little Lake, rocks with a summer music festival.

84% (111) 7 campsites

Top-rated campgrounds near Peterborough

2. Organic Flower Farm

100%
(33)
40km from Peterborough · 2 sites · Tents, RVs
Learn more about this land: We welcome you to the Little Farm That Could! A mixed Flower and vegetable market garden growing year-round on a small farm located in the Trent Hills. Tour the productive gardens which feed and beautify our township, meet our animals, learn about sustainable agriculture, and wind down the night in our wood-fired hot tub. The century old barn accommodates guests as a common space to relax, get out of the rain, play a game of ping pong, and is a backdrop for our wood fired hot tub. Two campsites are located on the farm. Both campsites have their own Washroom/outhouse. Be sure to ask about our hot tub package, the perfect way to wind down and relax in the presence of nature and under a star lit sky! So come on by and get connected to a small farm! We look forward to seeing you :) Jen & Mike
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from 
CA$100
 / night

3. 420 and Drone Zone Campground

76%
(17)
33km from Peterborough · 4 sites · Tents, RVs
Welcome to our property! We are on a scenic farm with lots of Rolling hills bordering the Ganaraska forest.The 11,000 acre Ganaraska Forest is one of the largest blocks of forested land in southern Ontario. The area provides abundant recreational opportunities and is managed for a sustainable yield of wood products.We have four campsites available for tent and RV campers. If you’re bringing an RV or trailer, we can accommodate vehicles up to 50ft in length. The site is flat and electrical and water hookups are available. Amenities include a toilet, water, and wifi. Activities nearby include hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, and swimming in our saltwater pool during the summer!Pets are welcome! Campfires are allowed as long as there is no fire ban.
Pets
Electrical hookup
Toilets
from 
CA$75
 / night

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

The best camping near Peterborough with horseback riding guide

Where to go

The second-largest provincial park in Ontario, Kawartha Highlands offers a wilderness experience, just an hour north of Peterborough. Backcountry campsites are available, accessed only by canoe. Hike through the Canadian shield or paddle along six recommended routes (maps are available in the park office), and spot osprey, great blue herons, and loons, whose distinctive and beautiful call will lull you to sleep at night. 

Beavermead Park

A city park with 95 sites, Beavermead offers camping right in the heart of town. Head to the beach to swim, build sandcastles or play some beach volleyball, or grab a canoe or kayak and paddle under the Centennial Fountain in Little Lake, which shoots 75 metres into the air. And you can explore on two wheels, too, along the Rotary Greenway Trail, which runs right through the park, stretching seven kilometers past the beaches at Rogers Cove, all the way along the river to Trent University.

Less than 20 minutes northwest of Peterborough, the calm waters of the Pigeon River here are favourite for families. Swimming is shallow, and warm, and it’s a perfect place to learn canoeing—you can rent one at the park store. And fishing, too—the river is filled with walleye, bass, and big muskies.

This park really is quiet—the namesake lake doesn’t allow any boat with a motor. It’s all very peaceful and self-contained—the campgrounds connect to two sandy beaches, two mountain bike loops (one 11 kilometres in length, the other 17), plus a series of hiking trails, including one that circumnavigates the lake.  

When to go

Summers in this corner of Southern Ontario are hot, well-suited to all sorts of aquatic adventures, and you’ll find the best swimming in these deep, cold lakes in July and August. In fall, the foliage changes to red, orange and gold, and if you’re okay with chilly nights, the camping can stretch through September and October, which are mostly mosquito-free. Winters are cold but rewarding for those who love skiing, snowshoeing, and ice-skating, perhaps on the frozen canal.   

Know before you go

  • With big-city Toronto just 90 minutes down the road, parks can get busy and campgrounds book up quickly in summer—the wise book well in advance.
  • Pick up the region’s freshest produce at one of two farmer’s markets: one downtown that runs on Wednesdays, the other near the Memorial Centre arena on Saturdays.
  • While there’s a comprehensive public transit system in the city, you’ll need a car to travel beyond city limits.