Your guide to arriving at a park for your car camping trip

A visitor checking in at the Gatehouse

We want to get you to your campsite faster than a mosquito can find an unzipped tent!

Here are 8 tips to keep in mind when arriving to a park so that you can spend more time enjoying nature and less time in line ups when you arrive for your camping trip!

~

1. Review your confirmation letter

Read your emailed confirmation letter carefully, it contains important information for your visit. Arrival processes may vary from park to park and your confirmation letter will contain important instructions on what to do upon arrival to the park you are visiting.

family

At select parks, you may be directed to proceed directly to your campsite without stopping in at a registration area (gate or park office) upon arrival. At others, you may be directed to visit park staff to pick up your permits before heading to your campsite.

~

2. Complete self check-in

We repeat, complete self check-in.

You will receive an email reminder the day of your trip to complete self check-in. This allows you to confirm any pre-registered information or enter your licence plate and the names of all campsite occupants.

main office

It is important to make sure your licence plate is accurate and up to date. Park wardens use vehicle licence plates to verify permits.

~

3. Have your confirmation letter saved

At parks where you aren’t required to display a paper permit, your confirmation letter will serve as your permit and your licence plate will be used to verify your permit.

You are responsible for having proof of purchase while in the park either by having a digital or printed copy of your confirmation letter.

If the park you are visiting doesn’t have reliable cell service, we recommend saving a screen shot of your confirmation letter to your device and ensuring you keep your device charged during your stay.

In addition, please be ready to provide proof of eligibility if you qualify for a discounted rate such as an Ontario Seniors or an Ontarian Persons with Disabilities rate.

~

4. Double-check your campsite number

Five months in advance is a long time to remember a number, especially if you have multiple camping trips in a year. Double-check that site number to help avoid confusion when you arrive.

~

5. Make sure your campsite occupants are accurately listed

This ensures all of your campsite occupants can purchase any required additional vehicle permits without issue upon arrival. 

~

6. Consider arriving at an off-peak time

Park entrances can get congested during busy times (Fridays or any long weekend). If you know you’ll be checking in during a busy time, consider arriving at an off-peak time.

dog in car

Our standard check in time is 2:00 pm. To dodge the line, arriving a little later in the day, or consider booking a day earlier or later the next time you reserve.

~

7. Check the park’s alerts page for any updates

Stay in the loop on park news by checking park alert pages before hitting the road. Some parks also post updates and events to their social media accounts.

~

8. Visit our friendly park staff!

Have questions or need directions? Need to purchase firewood, ice, or an additional vehicle permit? Have last minute changes to your vehicle licence plate or campsite occupant information? Stop in to visit our friendly park staff and they will be happy to assist you.

~

We’re so excited to see you!

We’ll be doing our best to make sure you get to your campsite as smoothly as possible.

We have a lot of campers keen to access our parks, so please include patience and kindness on your packing list.

staff greeting visitor in vehicle

There may be considerable wait times (especially on busy days), as everyone wants to get outside, recharge, and connect with nature.

With a little bit of prep work at home – arriving to your campsite will go quicker than you think!

Related Posts

bog

The bog remembers

Today’s post comes from a Black Spruce tree as transcribed by Cara Freitag, senior park naturalist at Sleeping Giant Provincial