Visit the most adored tourist destination in the city of Ontario, the Parks of St Lawrence.
If you are looking for a camping weekend, a picnic with the beautiful landscape as background, or a challenging hike through elaborate trails, drive to the Parks of St Lawrence for an everlasting memory.
What are the major attractions?
The parks of St Lawrence have extensive camping grounds. This is not just a few but a handful of green grounds to spend your time off. For a dream camping memory, book and reserve a place.
Eastern Ontario has a camping ground situated not less than an hour from Montreal, Glengarry. The parks of St Lawrence are home to tranquility and calm in their purest form.
The place is a heaven for newbies camping owing to its safe grounds. Lawrence parks have fully grown forests and the canopy covering of trees distributing a fresh fragrance over the place. This provides a blessed bough for families and friends to catch up.
The finest views of the temperate Adirondack mountain range overlooking the peaceful shores of the St. Lawrence River offer the perfect getaway.
The Parks of St Lawrence offers 8 major campgrounds to its visitors, managed by the Lawrence of Park Commissions.
Major campgrounds
1. Mille Roches Campground
Address: 5805 Long Sault Pkwy, Long Sault, ON K0C 1P0, Canada
Mille Roches consists of two sister islands within the enthralling Long Sault Parkway. The Mille Roches Campground is one of the three within the mature forest and lively wild animals.
Every morning you are here, get out of your bed with a serene mindset, an organic setting, ideal for private camping. Unwind and relax at this popular campground, but book your space beforehand.
The place also has the largest beach corridor adjacent to it. This is the St. Lawrence beachside.
2. Woodlands Campground
Address: 15175 Long Sault Pkwy, Ingleside, ON K0C 1M0, Canada
Woodlands Campground is customized for campers who love the sun and would like to bask in its goodness. Its location in the Long Sault Parkway gives it the best ambiance. Try water sports when you are visiting as well. With not just one but two beaches and vast space, you can spend valuable time with family or large friend groups.
You can opt for the cozy family lodge for campers of a large number and non-traditional choices. It can accommodate up to eight guests.
3. McLaren Campground
Address: 5020 Long Sault Pkwy, Ingleside, ON K0C 1M0, Canada
The campground is situated at the far west of the Long Sault Parkway. More favorable to families, the place is designed to host many campers.
The campground is renowned for having the best sundowner cabins named after one of the Lost Village’s historic attractions. Take refuge in the tranquil ambiance after an exhausting week.
Vivid sunsets would help you contemplate and retrospect your inner thoughts on the banks of the St. Lawrence river.
4. Farran Park Campground
Address: 14704 Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry County Road 2, Ingleside, ON K0C 1M0, Canada
A fantastic location to spend memorable time with loved ones in the Ingleside, Farran. Enjoy a lovely campfire in the evenings while strumming to a guitar.
Abundant with many beautiful waterfront lots and trustworthy service sites up to three in number, this campground is the more practical choice for families.
Past year, even amidst the pandemic, the place received much attention from campers. It also has recreational vehicles, camping trailers, group camping, and cycling enthusiasts.
5. Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary Campground
Embedded with nature’s generosity and almost 150 species of birds to accompany your visit here, Upper Canada Sanctuary will leave you astonished with its vibrancy.
This nature lover’s dream also has a golf course: the Upper Canada golf course.
It is located in the middle of the reserve, and you could spend the day hiking the sprawling trails and hand-feed wild birds.
Here, you can also see Robin’s Roose Treehouse. The space offers a wrap-around deck for having coffee with outdoor dining under the bough for bird-watching. It can accommodate 6 people easily with a master loft, an extra bedroom, and a futon.
The luxury extends to a private beach, open shower, dual space bathroom, and a barbecue facility.
Along with this reputed treehouse, you can have a great time in the two waterfront cabins.
6. Brown’s Bay Campground
The oldest park in St Lawrence is Brown’s Bay which was made as a provincial park between Gananoque and Quebec frontier lines. This was even before St Lawrence came into existence as a state.
A beautiful beach on its side provides the opportunity to swim, relax, and have picnics in the shade. You are assured of having a great time here with your friends.
7. Ivy Lea Campground
With thousands of islands surrounding, experience the most scenic drives along the coasts while visiting Ivy Lea Campground. Spectacular views, jaw-dropping typography, and great waterfront cottages.
The heart of thousand islands also makes it the best roadway in North America. If your summer job tires you, grab your tent, tag along with your friends, and come to Ivy lea.
Boaters and scuba divers have their best time here. Explore the beautiful wood planked space, jump on the suspension bridge or immerse yourself in the ecstatic, sky blue water.
8. Crysler Park Marina Campground
The perfect destination for boating and camping is situated in Crystal Park Marina. Equipped to host many guests with scenic waterfront cabins and a private beach to relax.
Take part in water sports and rent paddling boats to enjoy the river.
Beaches and Picnic Areas
Ontario offers the best weather to enjoy its beautiful coastlines. The parks of St Lawrence are located right beside beautiful beaches. There are 6 magnificent beaches beside the parks. These have unique features with a common golden-sand aesthetic.
Summer’s at its prime when spent on these shores. Catch up with sunbathing, reading your book, and take a dip in the river afterward to cool down.
Note that the pandemic has restrained the visitors. Reservations are no longer accepted for the beaches, picnic, and day-use areas. Now, day permits are necessary from Monday to Sunday at every beach.
Filled with summer positions and students applications at bay, Glengarry Beach helps you relax from all the routine hustle. Situated in the Glengarry campground, visiting this beach is a package deal.
Mille Roches Beach, the largest sand beach, is located on the St. Lawrence corridor. According to the islands, with water sports and snack bar themed, this beach is a chill pill.
Brown’s Bay beach is also a fantastic option.
Camper Cabins
Get cozy in the cabins constructed for accommodating the beloved guests. Nature’s purity and chirping sounds entangled in the melody of waves bring you the best of the parks of St Lawrence.
The majority of the campgrounds have the amenities to provide you with the best cabin life. Traditional camping is tagged along with the luxurious aspects of cabins.
Cabins are fully furnished with a bed, refrigerator, oven, and own barbecue to take back wholesome memories.
Dates of Operation
We have listed the active hours of operations and the date announced for 2022 for the Parks of St Lawrence. Check the website for the latest updates.
In terms of campgrounds, take a look at this chart.
Glengarry campground: May 20 to October 10
Long Sault Parkway
- McLaren (and Hoople): May 20 to October 10
- Woodlands: May 20 to September 5
- Mille Roches (and Lock 21): May 20 to September 5
Farran Park Campground: May 20 to October 10
Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary Campground: May 20 to October 17
Riverside-Cedar Campground: May 20 to October 10
Ivy Lea Campground: May 20 to October 10
Crysler Park Marina Campground: May 20 to October 10
All the Beaches are open on Saturdays and Sundays from May 21. Beaches will open all day from June 24 through September 5, 2022.
Waterfront Cycling Trail
The Waterfront bicycle trail is incomparable to anything you would experience. It’s an 80 kilometers fun-filled path through asphalt and pavement pathways meandering through forests, over the bridges of varying lengths, and the beautiful Lawrence river. This is an adventurous ride through the parks of St Lawrence.
A long 45 kilometers of picturesque scenery towards the west. The path passes through Morrisburg, Cornwall trails, and along Longsault Parkway. This trail is partly paved in the Thousand Islands Parkway.
Finally, it passes through Crysler Beach Marina and the Upper Canada Village of Eastern Ontario.
Lost Villages in Ault Park
Apart from the parks of St Lawrence, you can visit a historic venue. The Lost Villages Museum is a tribute to the ten villages and hamlets demolished due to the invasive flood of 1958. The place was lost while the St. Lawrence Seaway project was unfolding.
Ten heritage buildings were restored to their original positions in the Ault Park. There you could find a barbershop, a train station, reading room, school, and church, among many other buildings uncovering the story of the lost village.
Lawrence parks commission, backed by the Canadian government, manages the parks and the Lost Village.
The parks of St Lawrence are little pieces of paradise for the residents and visitors alike. All 8 different campgrounds with almost 1000 campsites and over 500 RVs, beaches, and popular sites complement the site further.
With world-class fishing facilities and other recreational facilities arranged for the convenience of the visitors, nothing is stopping you from having fun.
This is the best place for a family with kids or a group of friends.
So, start planning.
To read more, click here.
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