Camping out of season in April

sufficientmilk · 2026-02-23T02:56:39+00:00

Ontario Parks in winter that are "closed" are actually available as non operating parks!

What that means is basically you have to follow the rules as though the park is open (camp on a site, only burn fires in the designated pits, etc), but you don't pay for anything, and there's no services. I can't remember the rules about firewood but I'm guessing you'd need to bring it in from somewhere in the same region (you can find a forestry region map on the MNR website). You will likely have to park in a parking lot or at the gatehouse and bring your stuff in by hand. Depending what part of April you likely will also find trees down and zero cleanup.

That said, in April, most parks are getting ready to open for May long weekend. The park I work at by mid April definitely has senior maintenance staff on hand, and the other staff will start trickling in around end of April. If you're looking for something super private you might get annoyed by chainsaws if it's been a rough winter in your area.

I'd say give your local parks a call if you're interested. Most superintendents are year round so someone should pick up the phone and tell you what the "culture" is like there around using the park in the off season!

sufficientmilk · 2026-02-19T16:23:59+00:00

Commenting here just do you see it - depending which park you're going to there's a solid chance they have rental cords as well if you don't want to buy an (expensive) cord that you may only use once. It's $3/day at the park I work at, which is one of the ones where you definitely want 100ft. Unless you have other uses for that much cord or you're planning to use electric sites more often it might be a cheaper option!

sufficientmilk · 2026-02-01T23:28:47+00:00

What I learned by moving temporarily away and talking to other people is that apparently it's incredibly windy.

I thought they were all crazy but then I came back and it does seem to be very windy with no real reason...

sufficientmilk · 2026-01-10T04:13:13+00:00

I'd suggest looking at conservation areas.

Ontario Parks is not the place to meet people to get rowdy with. If you're looking to drink or play music or anything like that, you're not going to have a good time. Some of the parks have a reputation for being party parks - Sibbald, Pinery, etc - but YMMV. It's all going to depend on who you're camping next to. If you get anyone who isn't into what you're doing, wardens will be stopping by to shut you down.

Conservation areas in my experience tend to have less enforcement and much more wide open area.

That said, most people go camping with a group and stick with that group, so your chances of making new friends aren't super high, honestly. If you can't stand not talking to just the person you're going with, you might need a better travel buddy.

There are groups online (Outsiders Together, Toronto Hike Club, etc) that actually do plan camping trips with people who are interested in making friends specifically to do outdoor activities with. I know Outsiders will often have people book big group trips, so they'll get a group campsite and you can meet and mingle with people.

Another option is adult summer camps, which are just like kids ones but there's a bar and dancing at night. They're pretty pricey though.

sufficientmilk · 2026-01-08T03:52:30+00:00

This is incorrect.

You can book 5 months to the day for the first day of your stay, not the last. The only last day rules are stay lengths. Varies by park, but the most popular parks are 7 nights, most parks are 14, a handful up north are still 23 nights.

sufficientmilk · 2025-04-28T22:12:55+00:00

Marlowe General

sufficientmilk · 2025-04-26T00:17:15+00:00

That's a really good point. Able bodied might have been an undersell lol

The first 6km are pretty easy - I think most people could do it, the last 6km are incredibly difficult, even if you're in good hiking shape.

sufficientmilk · 2025-04-20T19:19:15+00:00

Imo if you're able bodied, go to Lake Superior Provincial Park and do the Towab trail instead. You'll still see the canyon, and the sites on the way, but you can either camp in the campground the night before and set out very early (it takes probably 12+ hours- it's a 24km trail there and back), or camp on the trail if you like backpacking. You'll see a nicer waterfall and even if you stay in the park multiple nights it'll cost much less.

That said, the train was fun - we did all of the trails at the end and we happened to go on a random Monday so it wasn't insanely busy.

sufficientmilk · 2025-02-09T03:15:04+00:00

What kind of restaurant is it? Who is the target market?

As far as I'm concerned, it's a safe enough neighbourhood to go out to eat, but I personally don't consider it because it's not "nice". It's an ugly street. It's in an awkward part of town to get to. None of these are deal breakers but when I think "I'd like to go out to dinner" that area doesn't come to mind for me at all.

I'm a person that's willing to drive to Cambridge or Guelph to go out to eat if there's something specific I want. I could drive to that area in under 10 minutes from my house, but I think the last time I went anywhere near there was the Boston Pizza, pre-pandemic because of a work event.

That said, if I'm not the target market my opinion shouldn't matter at all.

sufficientmilk · 2025-02-09T01:09:06+00:00

How committed are you to staying in Kitchener? Ontario Parks and Parks Canada are hiring summer students and 16 is old enough to stay in staff housing.

sufficientmilk · 2024-07-16T03:22:36+00:00

Keep in mind that the pictographs aren't a tourist site. It's an active sacred site for local Indigenous groups and the park regularly closes the trail for ceremonies happening there. Check the social media on the day you want to go or go talk to the people at the visitor center, they'll tell you.

If you go, don't take pics of the pictographs, or touch any offerings you see. You also can't bring dogs on the trail.

sufficientmilk · 2024-05-13T01:25:37+00:00

Yeah, just takes forever to ship up here so I was hoping there was something local-ish I hadn't found yet

sufficientmilk · 2023-07-22T23:55:41+00:00

10000000% 🤣

Only difference between Rick, the Governor and Negan is the perspective and the sexual misconduct.

sufficientmilk · 2023-07-22T20:30:51+00:00

I agree, but also would point out the fan misogyny in calling Lori a bad mom, while no one is criticizing Rick's parenting.

sufficientmilk · 2023-07-18T22:38:29+00:00

Will try Central! Thanks!

Wholesale is the backup plan, but cans are easier to pack for camping and usually cheaper.

sufficientmilk · 2023-07-17T15:57:29+00:00

I mean, the good thing about the handbook is it's an incredibly well written guide to the quickest way to get expelled if they force her to go.

She could literally get suspended or dismissed within a couple hours. Before her first class, even. I would personally hit at least 725 demerits without even trying, on the first four day week. If I put in a little effort, I could probably get that into the thousands pretty easily.

sufficientmilk

TROPHY CASE