Algonquin & Beyond

GENERAL INFORMATION

Lake Name: Lake Opeongo, South Arm

Number of Campsites: 70

Number of Permits Issued: 57

Closest Access Point: Lake Opeongo (#11)

This Report: Campsite #32

Length of Stay: Day Visit

Date Visited: September 2022

Map of campsites on Lake Opeongo, South Arm in Algonquin Park, updated for 2024
To purchase your own copy (physical & digital formats), visit Maps By Jeff

I spent a full afternoon exploring the south arm of Opeongo Lake with my dog Elo. Almost all of the campsites left me disappointed. Small. Enclosed. Forgettable. Those are the words I would use to describe most of them. And then this campsite came along. It’s not a hidden gem or anything, but compared to the other campsites in the south arm of Lake Opeongo, it’s not half bad. The campsite is located on a point, full of tall pines. The shoreline has large chunks of rock along the water, making it relatively easy to land and unload the canoe. It’s not the most accessible campsite due to the incline up from the canoe landing to the main campsite area. Up at the main campsite is a decent fire pit low on the ground, with two thin logs for seating way too far away. The setup isn’t great, and realistically, the seating isn’t intended to be used while sitting at the fire pit. But since Lake Opeongo is an access point lake, and there is no portaging required, you could easily pack a few folding chairs with you for the trip. The whole campsite has sloping ground but there are two usable tent spots that I found. The first spot was small and looks like it was created specifically for a tent. The second spot was directly in front of those two seating logs. Both tent spots are usable, but aren’t the most ideal. Overall, I don’t mind this campsite. It’s not where I would end up if there were lots of other choices still available. But on a busy summer night if I was forced to camp here, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. The rocky shoreline is definitely the highlight, providing a great area to swim, sunbathe, and stargaze. And that alone would be enough to keep me happy.

CAMPSITE REMINDERS: 
1) Follow Leave No Trace (LNT); leave the campsite in better condition than you found it!
2) The campsite numbering system (for backcountry canoeing) is not official from Ontario Parks. It is a community-based effort for easy referencing.
3) Reservations for backcountry canoeing are lake-specific, not campsite-specific. You do not reserve a specific campsite. Campsites are first-come-first-serve.
4) Only camp on lakes where you have a valid permit; do not camp off-permit.
5) Physical campsite features can change throughout the season (eg. water levels, leaf fall) and due to human intervention (eg. fire pit, seating).
6) To book a reservation, visit the Ontario Parks website: reservations.ontarioparks.com

Algonquin & Beyond is not affiliated with Algonquin Park or Ontario Parks.

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