Travel Trailer Camping in Canada

[UtahPete]

In less than two weeks, we are leaving on a trip to Maine via Canada. We'll be towing our 16' Scamp travel trailer (not a Spyder adventure this time, for various reasons). We'll be crossing into Canada at Rainy River, Ontario and traveling east, staying pretty close to the border but avoiding cities as much as possible. Our tentative route is here https://goo.gl/maps/Hw5hwZ25rAE2

Most of our travel / camping has been in the western US, where there is a wealth of camping opportunities, from ad hoc (BLM) to full hookups and services (KOA style). Usually, we make no reservations because we never know where our wanderlust will take us and when. So, we're a little unused to planning our stops, making reservations for one-night stays and have no experience with traveling in Canada at all.

Jane just made our reservations for our first night stay in Ontario at Quetico Provincial Park for $52.53CN ($40US). This broke down to;

• Camping and fees; $36.75
• Reservation fee; $9.73
• HST (tax?) $6.05

We're planning to spend 3 weeks in Canada and really don't want to have to make reservations everywhere we go. Can someone experienced at this suggest a strategy for avoid having to make reservations for overnight camping in Canada?

In the West, if we are unable to find a developed campground with openings when we are ready to stop for the night, we can usually find Forest Service or BLM land to do so. Is there anything like that in Canada, so that if we can't find a campground with open spots we can just pull off the road into the woods or something?

Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Bob Denman]

nojoke Invest in some bug repellent that is 100% DEET... nojoke

They measure mosquitoes up there by the distance between their eyes :shocked:. A small one might only be a "Three-incher"! :yikes:
Have fun, and take lots of pictures for us! :thumbup:

Next time: we might tag along!

 

[DGoebel]

Nice Trip, don't forget to get your picture taken with Willie the Walleye in Baudette, biggest darned walleye I ever caught.... heh, heh, heh
I love those Scamps! I can see you're going right by Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, just east of Thunder bay. We camped there one year and they have an amazing campground, from pretty normal somewhat wooded sites to some of the remote sites on the west shore of Marie Louise Lake. On clear nights you can't see any artificial lighting in most directions. The history and scenery were riveting.
And from Thunder Bay to SSM you're following a portion of the Around Lake Superior route.
Give me a heads up when you're planning on passing through MN either direction, maybe we can join you on our Spyders for a while.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

There is a Spyder owner in CA, Jim O’Briant, who owns a subscription website that has what you’re looking for. I’m not sure though if he has info for Canada. https://www.overnightrvparking.com/

 

[ARtraveler]

The Northern route of the Lake Superior Circle tour is the most scenic. Have been to Rainy River, Baudette, and I Falls area many times. It's going to be a big change from what you are used to.

Post some pictures please. :yes:

 

[Bob Denman]

Do you know what they call that?

A bag lunch! :yikes:

Speaking of that:

 

[Joerolwing]

Camping Inc Canada

This has been about 8 years ago in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island but I don't remember the rates any higher than US rates. We got away with primitively camping right on the beach once.

 

[blitzkreig]

nojoke Invest in some bug repellent that is 100% DEET... nojoke

They measure mosquitoes up there by the distance between their eyes :shocked:. A small one might only be a "Three-incher"! :yikes:

They stopped selling the 95% DEET here in Canada and only sell stuff with a concentration less than 30% now. SIGH!

But really the things to be afeared of are the "no-see-ums" (Black Flies). They rip chunks of meat out of your flesh and go eat it in the woods. I have been inundated by clouds of them. Once at a gas stop just outside of Hamilton I left my helmet on and visor down the whole time I was stopped as they were just unbearable.

 

[Bob Denman]

Look for Ben's100
(100% DEET)
It's not legal for sale here in New York either. I found a store in the Adirondacks that still sold it. As I was picking up five bottles: I asked the owner why he was selling it.
His response"
"I lived in Alaska for 10 years. The vampires that you have down here are even worse!"

I picked up a sixth bottle; paid for them, and left! :thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

:lecturef_smilie: Why can't you knock it off? :gaah:
Everybody is getting tired of this ****: On both sides!! nojoke

Putting the joker at the end of your post really isn't turning it into a joke: we're all too tired of this rhetoric.

 

[Pirate looks at --]

:lecturef_smilie: Why can't you knock it off? :gaah:
Everybody is getting tired of this ****: On both sides!! nojoke

Putting the joker at the end of your post really isn't turning it into a joke: we're all too tired of this rhetoric.

I have to guess that some of the posts on this thread have been pulled......either that or Bob is loosing his mind! Can we all just get along?ray:

 

[Bob Denman]

Holly pulled his post... :thumbup:

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Got it! I am sure that spared the rest of us some un-needed aggravation!:thumbup: BTW, I knew you were not losing your mind!:clap:

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: You DID??

Most of the time: I'm not so sure! :roflblack:

:thumbup:

 

[UtahPete]

I'm still looking for help camping in Canada

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Sorry Pete! I do hope you have a great time! I try NOT to camp as much as possible!:roflblack:

 

[pegasus1300]

I did a quick Google search and this is what I came up with.You may have already been to some of these sites. If so sorry I wasted both our time.

http://camping-canada.com/

http://www.camping-canada.com/towing_regulations_e.asp ( towing regulations)

www.smarter.com/Find/Camping In Canada

www.about.com/Canada+Campgrounds▼



Anyway it sounds like a fun trip. I love eastern Canada.Be sure to post lots of pictures

 

[blitzkreig]

The two primary sites are "Campendium.com" and "FreeCampsites.net".

Also in Canada, many Casino properties offer free overnight camping for self-contained units and of course Walmart too. They should be listed in the Campendium.com site.

Each and every Province has their own Park system websites which you may be able to use to book campsites although they always reserve some sites for drop-in visitors. During peak season expect less than optimal "overflow" camping ...

The Canadian National Park system can also be used but expect them to be fully booked this time of year (where I come from Western Canada anyway).

Canada has no general policy of permitting camping in National Parks or wildlife areas but it isn't likely to yield any kind of policing action unless you are there for a long time and warrant checking out opcorn:

 

[UtahPete]

I did a quick Google search and this is what I came up with.You may have already been to some of these sites. If so sorry I wasted both our time. Anyway it sounds like a fun trip. I love eastern Canada.Be sure to post lots of pictures

Thanks Paul, that's helpful.

 

[ARtraveler]

Camping & Bears

The "usual" bears in Northern MN/Canada are the black ones. They can usually be scared off by banging pots or loud noises.

They "usually" do not attack humans like our Browns in AK. Don't leave food out where they can get at it--as in tent or around picnic table.

Put it in the camper overnight. When we canoed, the food packs were always tied up in a tree from an overhanging branch and suspended between the branch and the ground. We encountered bears one time in 25 years while camping. A big one walked through our camp area and moved on when there was no food.

WARNING: YOUR EXPERIENCE COULD BE DIFFERENT.​