The Best Websites & Apps for Finding Campgrounds in Ontario

Are you searching for the ideal location for your next pet-friendly camping trip? Are your usual go-to campgrounds and parks already booked solid for the season?

Camping with your dog or cat by your side is a fun way to make memories while reconnecting with nature.

Whether you’re seeking a rustic backcountry experience on Crown Land or a luxury glamping getaway with all the amenities, there are options for everyone!

To help you with your search, we’ve put together a list of the best websites and apps for finding campgrounds in Ontario.

10+ Websites & Apps to Find Places to Camp in Ontario

Here at The Kas Pack, we usually plan our camping trips well in advance, hopping on at 7 AM to compete in the “Ontario Parks Lottery” as we often refer to the battle to book the best sites.

But that isn’t always possible…

Plus, who doesn’t want to have the freedom to go on a more spontaneous adventure?

This year, we have been dealing with many changes in our pack. With the losses of Daviana and Indiana just months apart, our camping plans are almost nonexistent.

Now that we are settling into a routine again, we’re starting to get out and enjoy some trips again.

But how are we booking good sites at the last minute? Here is a list of websites and apps that will help you find the ideal spot for your next getaway:

Ontario Parks

Our provincial park system offers a wide range of camping experiences, including roofed accommodations, car camping, and backcountry camping.

Some parks even offer Learn to Camp programs, teaching essential skills to first-time campers.

To check availability, access the Reservation System on the Ontario Parks website. You will start your search by selecting the camping style, date, party size, and equipment. 

The parks are sorted into five zones in the province, including:

• Northern Parks
• Near North Parks
• Algonquin
• Southeast Parks
• Southwest & Central Parks

Simply click on the desired area on the map and check out the available parks.

If you’re interested in snagging a site at a specific park that is currently booked solid, set up an availability notification to be notified when one becomes available. 

TIP: Don’t sleep on non-operating parks. Many offer beautiful camping opportunities if you’re interested in backcountry camping and don’t require additional amenities!

Parks Canada

The Online Reservation Service on the Parks Canada website is very similar in design to the Ontario Parks system.

Here, you can book your stay at any of the national parks and historic sites across Canada. There are 8 Parks Canada locations in Ontario.

Accommodations and camping experiences at these locations include:

• Tent and RV camping
• Backcountry camping
• Cabins
• Yurts
• oTENTik tents
• MicrOcubes
• Oasis shelters
• Tipis
• Unique historic buildings

Like Ontario Parks, the “Notify Me” feature is also available for Parks Canada. Set your notification and watch your email for a chance to snag a site if someone cancels.

Campnab

This isn’t necessarily a “booking site or app” in and of itself. However, it offers a service we feel should be included on this list.

Once you sign up for the service (there is a fee), you can use Campnab to monitor multiple parks. You will be alerted by text and email when a site is available.

Memberships start at $10/month or $90/year on an annual plan.

While both Ontario Parks and Parks Canada offer availability alerts, many users find the text alerts give them an advantage over those relying on email.

Crown Land Atlas

With Crown land accounting for approximately 87% of the province, there are many beautiful camping spots to explore.

This is a more rustic experience without the amenities of an organized park (bathrooms, showers, etc.). But it does have one significant perk – it’s free.

The Crown Land Atlas can be used to identify the location of Crown land and what each area is zoned for (and whether camping is permitted).

Many users find the Crown Land Atlas challenging to navigate and understand, so we put together a step-by-step tutorial HERE.

Hipcamp

If you have ever booked a rental home or room through Airbnb, you’ll find many similarities here. Hipcamp is like Airbnb for the camping world.

On this site, private landowners allow you to rent campsites they have created on their properties.

This includes standard tent camping, RV camping, and accommodations like cabins, as well as some interesting and unique experiences – like yoga retreats, treehouses, or camping at a winery.

In a video sharing one of our favourite Hipcamp finds in the Grey/Bruce area, we walk you through how to use the Hipcamp system to search for your perfect site.

If you’re looking for a last-minute getaway, you can go to the Hipcamp homepage, where you will find buttons for “Available tonight,” “Available this weekend,” and “Available next weekend.”

iOverlander

This popular phone app and mapping project make it easier than ever to find Overlander-style accommodations when you’re hitting the road.

This means locations where you can camp as well as spots where you can stop for an overnight stay on longer road trips before heading out once again on the open road.

Most of the spots here are listed as “Wild Camping,” meaning they do not have the creature comforts of booking at a private campground or provincial/national park.

However, iOverlander also lists other locations, such as established campgrounds, hotels, hostels, and short-term parking opportunities.

They also allow you to search for services and amenities you may need when travelling, such as showers, pet services, Wi-Fi, sanitation dump stations, and laundromats.

Allstays

This massive resource features many different styles of accommodations for those on the move, including those on vacation and those travelling for work, like truck drivers. 

The site lists campgrounds, hotels, truck stops, rest areas, and many popular amenities.

In the campgrounds section of the Allstays site, you can access a map of all Ontario campgrounds in their directory.

Here, you can find public lands, private campgrounds, national parks, provincial parks, country/city parks, KOA locations, and more.

In our experience, it’s certainly not a complete list, but it has a surprising number of locations to choose from.

Campendium

Similar to Allstays, Campendium is a map-based website and app that makes it easy for you to search a variety of different camping opportunities, including:

• RV parks
• Free camping
• National Parks
• Provincial (State) Parks
• National Forests
• City/County Parks
• Private Campgrounds

The basic app is free. However, you can upgrade to a paid PRO version for ad-free viewing and map overlays.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this, the app is only available for iPhone users. As Android people, we haven’t had the opportunity to test the app.

Harvest Hosts & Boondockers Welcome

Once operating as two separate websites/apps, Harvest Hosts has now bought out Boondockers Welcome, so we are sharing them together.

Harvest Hosts is a paid subscription, starting at $99 USD/year.

In exchange, you get unlimited overnight stays without camping fees at their network of over 5000 farms, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and other locations.

However, visitors are asked to purchase something from the host business during their stay.

Boondockers Welcome has an annual membership fee of $79 USD/year.

The significant difference is that the hosts on BW are private property owners, while HH is focused on businesses offering spots to stay.

Both are designed for RVs and trailers for short stays, and many hosts limit stays to one night.

Electrical hookups and water may be available. Hosts may ask for compensation for using the provided hookups, so we recommend looking into any potential fees before your stay.

Almost all hosts on both apps allow pets, but most require dogs to be leashed at all times.

These are both great options for those planning a long road trip and needing places to stop along the way.

Camping in Ontario

Also known as the Ontario Private Campground Association (OPCA), the Camping in Ontario website allows you to search over 420 private campgrounds around the province.

They also have an app, CampON, for those who prefer to book on their phone.

While many of the other options on this list focus on boondocking or more rustic experiences, this site allows you to filter searches by the services you require, including:

• Electrical, Water & Sewer
• Electrical & Water
• Only Electrical
• No Services

They also include the option to search for full-season sites for those interested in finding the perfect spot to call their “home away from home.” 

Final Thoughts: Finding Campsites in Ontario

Whether you’re planning an epic road trip across the province or looking for somewhere to unplug and spend a week surrounded by the natural beauty Ontario offers, there are many great camping opportunities to explore.

These websites and apps allow you to discover new locations and narrow your list of possibilities with various filters and search options.

Who knows, you may discover a new favourite hidden gem!

Do you know of any websites or apps we’re missing? Let us know! We will be continuing to update this resource for our community.