Escape the crowds and experience Ontario’s backcountry at its quietest. Frontenac Provincial Park, just 40 km north of Kingston, offers peaceful lakes, scenic hiking trails, and canoe routes where you can truly enjoy nature – loons, whip-poor-wills, turtles, and more.

In May, John and I spent a week canoeing and hiking through its chain of quiet, interconnected lakes. We stayed two nights at three backcountry campsites, giving us full days to explore on foot and see the park from a completely different perspective.

The park is home to 22 pristine lakes, 120 kilometres of hiking trails and 54 backcountry sites across 19 locations. Wildlife is diverse with roughly 25 species of mammals (from tiny voles to the occasional moose) and more than 170 species of birds. Here’s what you can expect on an unforgettable multi-day canoeing and hiking trip in Frontenac Provincial Park.

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Where is Frontenac Provincial Park?

Frontenac Provincial Park is easy to access from Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. It’s about a 2.25-hour drive from Ottawa and just shy of four hours from both Montreal and Toronto. We broke up the drive from Toronto with a overnight stay in Prince Edward County, about an hour and 20 minutes away.

Why visit Frontenac?

Founded in 1974, Frontenac Provincial Park is a 5,200-hectare natural environment semi wilderness park that is open year-round. It’s world renowned for its biodiversity – with its location in the Frontenac Arch, a part of the Canadian Shield.

The landscape is diverse with forests, wetlands, and rocky slopes. It’s the home of a large assortment of plants, snakes (9 species), birds, turtles, insects, and more. It also has a rich cultural history with the Indigenous People of Canada using the area for hunting, fishing and food gathering in the past.

The park also boasts 120 km of well-signed hiking trails, numerous canoe routes that are ideal for beginner paddlers, and a history of mica mining, logging and old homestead farms. And in winter you can hike, snowshoe or cross-country ski.

How to get reservations and backcountry camping permits for Frontenac Park

Purchase a map of Frontenac Provincial Park online or in person in the park – as it shows the canoe routes, campsites and hiking trails.

Camping reservations – You can book campsites online or by phone (1-888-668-7275 in North America or 1- 519-826-5290 outside North America) up to five months in advance of your arrival date. The distance to campsites on foot is anywhere between 20 minutes and three hours – so choose accordingly. If you’re canoeing, factor in the time for portages.

Campsites are reservable year-round in Frontenac Provincial Park. Reservations are necessary over school breaks and in peak season – late June until September.

There is no need to check into the park office if you’ve got a backcountry reservation. You can head to your campsite – but carry a copy of the reservation confirmation letter.

Campsite facilities: Every campsite comes with a tent pad or platform, fire-pit, picnic table (except Campsite 16), outhouse, and food locker. With most campsites clustered together, you can usually see the neighbouring campsite. There are some one-off campsites if you prefer more privacy.

Where to rent a canoe near Frontenac Provincial Park

Frontenac Outfitters located near the entrance of Frontenac Provincial Park is the place to rent a canoe or kayak. They also have foam pieces you can put on top of your car so you can transport the canoe to the starting point of your Frontenac canoeing trip.

If you’ve forgotten camping equipment, camping food and meals gas for your stove, clothes – basically anything you might need out on a trip, you’ll find it here.

Route Overview: A 7-day loop canoe and hiking trip in Frontenac Provincial Park

We stayed at the following three campsites.

Campsite #17 on Big Clear Lake

• Very private
• Lots to explore by canoe between Big Clear and Devil Lake
• Great campsite for hiking; we did a 24 km hike that took us out and back via the Small Slide Lake Loop

Campsite #18 on Clear Lake

• Roomy and far more private than the other campsites on the lake.
• Great base for hiking

Campsite #6D on Little Salmon Lake

• Fine but without a platform, we were in mud.
• Not much privacy but good views
• Perfect place to stay for a quick exit at the end of the trip.
• Explored Birch Lake from here by canoe as a day trip

Day one: Canoeing Big Salmon Lake to Campsite 17 via Labelle and Big Clear Lakes

This was easy canoeing compared to most canoe trips we do – like a week long one we did in remote Woodland Caribou Provincial Park. It’s ideal for beginners as there are lots of campsites, even along Big Salmon Lake, if you want to avoid portages.

• Started at the western end of Big Salmon Lake
• Canoed the length of Big Salmon Lake, did a 491 m portage to Labelle Lake, followed by a short paddle across Labelle Lake and a final 190 m portage to Big Clear Lake.
• Several kilometres of beautiful canoeing following the shoreline to a point and into a big bay on the left. Campsite 17 halfway down the bay on the south side.

Day 2: Hiking from Campsite 17 to North Slide Junction + Small Slide Lake Loop

• Best day of the week with sunshine and blue skies.
• Did a 24 km hike that included an out and back from campsite 17 to North Slide Junction + the 9-km Small Slide Lake Loop
• Highlights included a gorgeous view down the length of Big Salmon Lake, the view of tiny Mink Lake, fresh spring green foliage, numerous clumps of colourful columbine and turtles galore
• At southern end of Small Slide Lake Loop hopped on the Rideau Trail for a short stint.
• Halfway up Slide Lake take a break at a couple of picturesque overlooks

Day 3: Canoeing from Campsite 17 through Black Lake to Campsite 18 on Little Clear Lake in Frontenac Provincial Park

• An easy paddle and two portages (663 m + 503 m) to reach Little Clear Lake
• Giant campsite with no one around
• Hiked part of the Hemlock Lake and Lynch Lake loops
• Beautiful spring flowers (wild phlox especially) around, lots of mud, no people

Day 4: Day hike that includes the Gibson Lake Loop, Tetsmine Lake Loops and part of Hemlock Lake Loop

• A full day of hiking covering approximately 22 km
• Saw no one on any of the hikes
• Passed the Rathkopf Fen – the only one in the park on the Gibson Lake Loop
• Stopped to check out mica mines on the Testsmine Lake Loop

Day 5: Canoeing from Campsite 18 to Campsite 6D on Little Salmon Lake

• A very short paddle across Little Clear Lake to a 856 m portage – and arrival at our campsite on Little Salmon Lake
• A miserable day with lots of rain
• Opted to hike the trail back to the launch site, get in the car and buy John a new sleeping pad as his had a hole we couldn’t fix
• Fortified with a latte and brownie – then hiked back to camp and started a fire to warm up

Day 6: Portage over to Birch Lake and explore by canoe

• Canoed across Little Salmon Lake
• Portaged 1,138 m one way from Little Salmon Lake to Birch Lake
• Over many hours canoed from the portage south to campsite #7 (not my favourite as it was dark), then hugged the north shore of Birch Lake on route to Kingsford Lake and campsites 11 and 19.
• Headed back – stopping to survey campsite 8 (my favourite on this section), and then repeated the portage back to Little Salmon Lake
• Beautiful sunset and lots of loon action

Day 7 in Frontenac Provincial Park: Canoe to the launch site on Big Salmon Lake

• Started with a short paddle down the length of Little Salmon Lake
• A 974 m portage to Big Salmon Lake and a very short paddle back to the launch site
• Excellent recycling options – even for fuel cannisters at the launch site

A Quieter Experience Compared to Algonquin

Paddling and hiking in Frontenac Provincial Park is quieter than Algonquin, with fewer crowds on lakes and trails. You can enjoy peaceful mornings with loons, and have entire lakes or trail sections to yourself. Canoe trips here feel relaxing – perfect for beginners or anyone wanting a quieter backcountry experience

Wildlife and Birds

We didn’t see a lot of wildlife – one deer and a handful of turtles. But the birding was excellent since we were there over the spring migration. The highlight for me was hearing the Eastern whip-poor-wills and loons.

What to Pack for Canoe-Hiking Trips

In spring you need to be ready for all types of weather. Most of the trip was on the chilly side – and one day was just plain miserable.

My paddlers checklist – with 100 items – give or take gets into the details. The most important items for our chilly spring trip included the following:

• Quick dry clothes – and lots of layers including long-sleeved merino wool tops, a down vest, a down jacket, and a bomb-proof raincoat along with a pair of gloves
• A tarp
• An axe, fire starter, lighter
• Water purification tablets or filter (especially with beaver dams around)

Navigating portages and trails in Frontenac Provincial Park

The park map is a tremendous resource as it lists the length of every portage and hiking trail. Combine that with excellent trail signage on the ground in the park, and you’ll find navigation to be very straightforward.

Weather, bugs, hazards, and trail conditions in Frontenac Provincial Park in spring

Hypothermia – With a combination of cold but not freezing temperatures along with rain and wind, you can run into hypothermia type of conditions in Frontenac in spring. If possible, get into a tent, remove all cold, wet clothing and do a gentle rewarming with dry layers and sleeping bags, focusing on the core. If the person is alert warm, sweet drinks can help. If severe, use your Garmin InReach Mini 2 to call for help.

Poison ivy – Follow the rhyme – “Leaves of three, let it be.” The leaves are usually glossy with toothed edges. New leaves in spring have a red tint to them. If you do come in contact with poison ivy, scrub the area with soap and water as soon as you are able to.

Bites and stings: Use bug repellent for mosquitoes. If its blackfly season wear a head net and possibly a bug jacket. A bee’s stinger is barbed, and a wasp is not. To relieve the pain of a bee sting, scrape overtop with your fingernail. Wash both sting types with soap, water and then an antiseptic. Cover with calamine lotion. According to The Happy Camper, rubbing an aspirin over the affected area is also a good idea.

Giardia – Beavers are present in Frontenac Provincial Park. To prevent giardia or “beaver fever” purify and treat all your water. I always carry water purification tablets, the 1-L Katadyn Be Free microfilter and the larger Platypus GravityWorks Filter for in camp.

Blacklegged ticks – These nasty creatures are responsible for transmitting Lyme disease. To avoid them, wear long sleeves and pants tucked in, use insect repellent containing DEET, do body and pet checks regularly. Remove ticks by grabbing close to the skin and pulling straight out. Consider packing a tick remover in high tick areas.

Trail conditions in spring: Count on wet, muddy ground and slippery logs. Trying to find a dry place for lunch was a challenge. Don’t forget an inflatable seat cushion that can be part of a pillow set-up in the tent.

More paddling trips in Ontario you’ll probably enjoy

• Kayaking Georgian Bay from Killarney Provincial Park – Kayak directly from Killarney, navigating past stunning granite cliffs, sheltered bays, and islands galore.
• A 3-Day Early Season Canoeing Trip in Algonquin Park – A shoulder-season canoeing adventure with fewer crowds, crisp mornings, and a heightened sense of wilderness in Ontario’s iconic park.
• A Week-Long Canoeing Trip in Quetico Provincial Park – A classic backcountry adventure through remote lakes, long portages, with some of Ontario’s finest wilderness camping.
• 1000 Islands Kayaking: What a 3 Day Trip Looks Like – An overview of what to expect on a three-day kayaking trip through the 1000 Islands, including camping, daily distances, and the rhythm of paddling among scenic islands.
• Kayaking Georgian Bay Over a Long Weekend – A quick weekend paddling trip circumnavigating Franklin Island and exploring the rugged coastline and clear waters of Georgian Bay.

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