Ontario Parks Still Open After Thanksgiving: Fall Camping 2026

Thanksgiving weekend (October 10 to 12, 2026) is when most Ontario Parks campgrounds close for the year, but not all of them. Ontario Parks announced in late August that 20 parks are running extended fall seasons in 2026, and a few stay open into November and even December. If you want one more trip with fall colours and no bugs, here is where you can still go.

Dates below are as published by Ontario Parks on August 28, 2026. Parks change these, so confirm on the park's own page before you drive.

Open past Thanksgiving

A few more close right on the holiday Monday, October 12: Arrowhead's Lumby and Roe campgrounds, and Finlayson Point, Kap-Kig-Iwan and Marten River in the northeast. Those are fine for the long weekend itself, just not the week after.

Bon Echo until mid-December is the headline. Mazinaw Rock in November, with the crowds gone, is a different park from the one people fight over in July. Expect reduced services and cold nights. See our guide to Bon Echo's campgrounds for which one to pick.

Algonquin in the fall

Algonquin is the park most people ask about, and the answer is yes, with caveats.

• Mew Lake on Highway 60 is Algonquin's year-round campground. It has electrical sites and yurts, which matter a lot more in October than in July.
• Achray, Brent and Kiosk, the remote campgrounds off the Highway 60 corridor, have historically stayed open until late October. Check this season's dates before committing to the long gravel drive.
• The other Highway 60 campgrounds mostly close around Thanksgiving.

Fall colour in Algonquin usually peaks in late September to early October for the maples, with the tamaracks turning gold later in October. Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest fall weekend of the year on Highway 60; the week after is quiet. Our guide on which Algonquin campground to book covers the differences between them.

What is different about October camping

Services shut down. Comfort stations with flush toilets and showers are often closed late in the season, leaving vault toilets. Water taps may be off once frost is likely. Check the park's page for "reduced services" notes and bring your own water if in doubt.

Nights are cold. Lows near or below freezing are normal in central and northern Ontario by mid-October. A three-season sleeping bag that was fine in August is not fine now. Bring a bag rated well below the forecast low, a proper sleeping pad with insulation, and a hat you sleep in.

Days are short. Sunset is around 6:30 p.m. in mid-October and earlier by November. Set up in daylight, and bring more light than you think you need.

Fires matter more. Firewood at the park store may or may not be available late in the season. Check ahead, and never bring wood from outside the area; it spreads invasive insects and is prohibited in many parks.

Fewer bugs, fewer people. This is the trade. Weekends after Thanksgiving at the parks above are some of the emptiest camping you will find in southern Ontario.

A short fall packing list

Beyond the usual gear, October trips want:

• Sleeping bag rated at least 5 to 10 degrees below the forecast low, and an insulated pad
• Warm layers you can sleep in, including a toque and wool socks
• Extra headlamp batteries or a lantern
• Water containers, in case taps are off
• A tarp for rain and wind over the picnic table
• Hot drinks and a stove that works in the cold (canister stoves struggle near freezing; keep the canister in your jacket)
• A thermos for the morning

If you are going as a group, this is exactly the trip where one shared gear list saves you. Nobody wants to discover at dusk that everyone assumed someone else brought the tarp. PitchPeek gives the crew one list to split, a day-by-day meal plan, and a weather check for the trip dates. When you get home, rate the site so next fall's campers know which ones hold up in the cold.

Free · plan the trip with your crew · rate the site when you get home

Questions

Which Ontario Parks are open for camping in November 2026?

Based on Ontario Parks' extended-season announcement, Inverhuron and Sauble Falls are open until November 1, Arrowhead's East River Campground until November 8, and Bon Echo until December 13, 2026. Algonquin's Mew Lake campground is open year-round. Confirm dates on the park's own page before booking.

Can you camp at Algonquin after Thanksgiving?

Yes. Mew Lake is Algonquin's year-round campground. The remote Achray, Brent and Kiosk campgrounds have historically stayed open into late October; check the current season dates on the Ontario Parks site.

Do you still need a reservation for fall camping?

Yes for most operating campgrounds. The same five-month booking window applies, but in fall many sites are available days ahead or at the gate. Comfort stations and water taps are often shut down late in the season, so check what services are still on.