General Info:
– 2.5 hours north of Toronto
– all-season campground: open January – Dec (winter camping available)
– 3 campgrounds:
1. Roe
2. East River
3. Lumby
– 15km of hiking trails
Beaver Meadow (7 km)
Homesteaders Trail (3 km)
Mayflower (1 km)
Stubb’s Falls (2 km)
Big Bend Lookout (under 1 km)
– boat rentals available
– 3 sandy beaches
– off-leash dog area
– winter skating trail
Directions:
https://goo.gl/maps/YTqRivrgeG6Dza1eA
The Good Stuff: Rating and Review:
I booked this very popular Muskoka park as my 32nd birthday camping reservation for myself and it didn’t disappoint. This 12.37 km2 of stunning mixed forest and pristine lakes in an outdoor enthusiast’s playground! It even comes with a waterfall, ample winterized activities, and an ancient glacial delta – what more could you ask for?
The campgrounds are spaced out around the lake’s southern edge and offers a variety of camping options. With 375 sites and 10 cabins available, this park fills up during the peak summer months and that’s reflected both at the park gates on the way in and at the beaches. Roe campground offers mostly large, private sites at the lake’s south-eastern edge. East River is near the middle of the park, where the day-use beaches are, with large sites for RVs and a few sites that are closest to Stubb’s Falls. Lumby campground is split north and south and is the farthest west of the grounds, with smaller sites and a dog-beach close by.
Staying in Lumby, mixed deciduous forest provided plenty of site coverage and the tough Canadian Shield underfoot made for some tough staking but the sites were spacious and private making for an inviting stay. Close to the Beaver Meadow trail that winds for 7km through forest and marsh, and up the hill from the dog- beach (where I also launched my kayak from), made the location ideal for us.
Unfortunately, the park maps were very outdated and barely useable – bathrooms listed that weren’t there, missing water taps and roads and trails inexplicably blocked off or ending in someone’s campsite. It was a mild frustration in the big scheme of things but still an annoyance nonetheless as I tried to navigate one pot-holed road after another. Eventually, it all got figured out and didn’t lessen my experience at the park, but for new visitors it’s something to keep in mind.
Aside from the panoramic views of densely forested rolling hills, the churning waters of the Stubb’s Falls’ waterfall, and the calm expanse of shimmering lake from a paddler’s seat, there’s also large sandy bluffs at the Big Bend Lookout to marvel at. This short trail takes you to the park’s most iconic scene – curving oxbow lakes and impressive sandy bluffs of exposed layers of silt and stone carved from retreating prehistoric glaciers. An easy highlight of an already beautiful place.
All in all, Arrowhead is a park I’ll definitely need to revisit. And may even be my next winter destination. Wild but welcoming, this place was an ideal location to kick off my 32nd year.
She Collects Campsites 