The best camping in Fitzroy Provincial Park, ON

Fitzroy Provincial Park is a small park less than an hour from downtown Ottawa. It’s the ideal destination when you want to combine rural relaxation with some urban escapes. Visitors go swimming in the Ottawa River, explore area forests (including a century-old White Pine forest and a group of 200-year-old bur oaks), and tackle beginner-friendly hiking trails. The 2.4-kilometre Terraces Trail, in particular, should be on every camper’s list. The park’s shale pillars remind hikers of the powerful glaciers that once moved through here, as do the massive boulders left behind. Keep an eye out for the small waterfall near the beginning of the path.

• Best for families: Two Rivers has a small, shallow beach.
• Best for hikers: Pine Grove is set near the park’s two small hiking trails.

1. All Ontario Provincial Parks accept reservations up to five months in advance of arrival. Waterfront sites and summer weekends book up quickly, so plan accordingly.
2. As such, if you miss out on grabbing a reservation when they open, wait patiently for the four-month mark. Reservations cannot be changed or cancelled more than four months in advance. After that, some cancellations will roll in.
3. Campers can shorten their stay and receive a full refund if they cancel before 12pm on their day of departure. If you need a last-minute site, check around noon to see if you can grab one of those freshly cancelled spots.

Fitzroy is open from mid-May until mid-October. Like most Ontario provincial parks, it has a complete liquor ban on Victoria Day (the second to last Monday of May) and for the 10 days preceding it. Campsites book especially early for the Canada Day long weekend (July 1). As the park is just down the road from Ottawa, this is a very busy time for the entire region.

• Fitzroy’s boat launch can accommodate small boats, kayaks, and canoes. However, on occasion, the fluctuating water level of the river affects availability.
• The Ottawa River is well stocked with walleye, pike, bass, and panfish. Good fishing sites in Fitzroy include the boat launch, along the shore, and near Butternut Island (where the Ottawa and Carp Rivers meet, accessible by boat). A provincial fishing license is required.
• The nearby community of Carp is home to a popular farmers’ market, cafes, and shops but is best known for its annual garlic festival, a must-see for foodies.