YOUR PERFECT 10 DAY FALL ONTARIO PARKS ROAD TRIP

If you are looking for the perfect fall RV trip - stop your scroll. Recently my family and I embarked on a 10 day fall Ontario Parks road trip to experience my favourite season in a new way; avoiding the well-known spots and discovering magnificent views within 3 hours of Ottawa. Follow along for tips to plan your own autumn getaway!The trip starts out in Ottawa and heads north west along the Ontario Parks Northern Algonquin route. This trip will take you to some of the hidden gems in the Ontario Parks system, perfect for seeing some amazing scenery without all of the crowds at some of the more well known parks. For the complete family friendly (including dogs!) trip I recommend planning for 10 days to experience it - or longer if you want to include an extra stay or two. Alternatively, you can plan shorter stays within portions of the trip; it’s entirely customizable for you and your family. Before we begin: I wish to recognize the long history of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit in Ontario, and show respect to them today, with the understanding that they will always belong to them - whether physically or in spirit.

THE TRIP ITINERARY

Day 1 – 3: Fitzroy Provincial Park

With just a 40 minutes drive outside of Ottawa, this is a perfect park to kick off your road trip.

When to Get Here: On Day 1 drive from Ottawa to Fitzroy Provincial Park (approx 40 minutes driving time).

The park is known for its large beaches where you can take a stroll and look for wildlife, paddle into the sunset, or try your luck at catching a big one in the Ottawa River.

The Campgrounds: Fitzroy Provincial Park has over 235 campsites divided between 2 campground areas. More than 100 have electrical service and it’s open seasonally (closing around Thanksgiving weekend).

Highlights:

Hiking: Fitzroy has two hiking trails that are perfect to kick off your fall road trip. Both trails are rated easy and moderate. I recommend Terraces Trail (1.6km). This hike ventures through the forest and will give you an insight to many of the geological features that make up the park, including massive boulders that were left behind 500 million years ago by ancient glaciers. We thoroughly enjoyed the Terraces Trail hike.

Sunset Gazing: Our first night at Fitzroy we were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful sunset over the Ottawa River. The colours of the painted sky were magnificent. I suggest catching the sunset at the main beach near the playground. Playground & Discovery Program: If you have little ones, the playground is a must! My kids loved everything at this playground and they were able to enjoy it while we walked the beach. At the park office you can borrow and use some equipment and materials provided to explore the park. My kids enjoyed using the net and bucket to catch, identify, and release frogs and fish

Playground & Discovery Program: If you have little ones, the playground is a must! My kids loved everything at this playground and they were able to enjoy it while we walked the beach. At the park office you can borrow and use some equipment and materials provided to explore the park. My kids enjoyed using the net and bucket to catch, identify, and release frogs and fish

Day 3 – 5: Bonnechere Provincial Park

Just off the southeast boundary of Algonquin Provincial Park is Bonnechere Provincial Park. This gem has over 160 hectares to explore with some of the best fall foliage around.

When to Get Here: On Day 3 drive from Fitzroy Provincial Park to Bonnechere Provincial Park via Trans-Canada hwy 17 and Round Lake Road (approx 1.5 hours driving time).

The Campgrounds: Bonnechere has 128 campsites (24 electric) and 4 rustic cabins.The park is open for the season approx: until Thanksgiving.

Highlights:

Hiking: The 2 km McNaugton Trail follows the shores of the Bonnechere River and offers a unique experience for adults and kids with “FootPrints in Time” (FIT). Along the trail there are 13 areas marked posts and interpretive signs that will teach you about the history of the area and along the way you can experience the beautiful autumn colours.

Canoeing the Bonnechere River: Canoeing the Bonnechere river is a must! If you don’t own your own Canoe, you can rent one from the park. It’s great fun to meander along the river, avoiding a few fallen trees or low lying branches here and there. The kids loved paddling alongside the ducks and spotting turtles bathing on the rocks and logs in the river. If you are lucky, you may even see a blue heron or other wildlife known in the area!

Playground: If you have little ones, this park is great. Not only do they get to hike, paddle, and explore but they also have a large kids playground just behind the Ontario Parks store.

The Little Bonnechere Library: The Little Bonnechere Library offers a new read for all. Take a book – leave a book. It is a fun tree stand in front of the Ontario Parks Store.

Day 5 – 7: Driftwood Provincial Park

Driftwood Provincial Park is located on the south shore of the Ottawa River, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Deep River. It is a smaller park but it has a lot of charm.

When to Get Here: On Day 5 drive from Bonnechere Provincial Park to Driftwood Provincial Park via Round Lake Road and Trans-Canada hwy 17 (approx 1 hour and 15 minutes driving time).

Campgrounds: Driftwood PP has 80 campsites, 20 of which have electrical hookups. The park is open seasonally (closing around Thanksgiving weekend).

Highlights

Catch a Sunset: The sunsets over the Ottawa River at Driftwood PP are out of this world with the vibrant colours and scenic landscapes. This was something I was most excited to see - unfortunately during our stay we had mostly cloud cover during sunset times. I guess that just means I need to schedule another visit!

Paddling the Ottawa River - The best spot to view the fall colours and magnificent landscape of Driftwood PP is on the water. You can bring your own kayak or canoe or paddle board or you can rent one from Ontario Parks.

Hiking: There are a few different hikes in Driftwood PP but our favourite and our recommendation is the The Oak Highland trail system. During our scenic hike we even came across a young snapping turtle who was crossing the trail. It was a really neat experience for the kids.

Day 7 – 9: Restoule Provincial Park

Restoule is one of the best-kept secrets of the area and home to impressive bluffs, sweeping forests, interconnected lakes, and awesome mountain biking trails!

When to Get Here: On Day 7 drive from Driftwood Provincial Park to Restoule via Trans-Canada hwy 17 (approx 2 hours and 15 minutes driving time)

Campgrounds: Restoule has 278 campsites (99 with hydro) in three campgrounds. The park is open seasonally (closing around Thanksgiving weekend).

Highlights:

Mountain Biking: What set Restoule apart for our family was the amazing mountain bike trails! Angels Point Trail is a 2.8km loop that was designed for mountain biking with smooth winding corners, moderate changes in elevation, and flowing dips, humps and bumps.

Hike the Fire Tower Trail: There are 6 trails that you can hike inside of the park but hands down the best trail is the Fire Tower Trail (4.1 km loop) to a historic Fire Tower that was used back in the day to spot forest fires in the region. Along the trail is Stormy Lake Bluff - the perfect spot to stop and view the autumn colours. Don’t forget a PB&J sandwich and your camera because it is also the perfect spot for a picnic with a view.

Day 9 – 10: Mikisew Provincial Park

Nestled on the shores of Eagle Lake. Mikisew is one of those parks that might not be as well known but it is a hidden gem that needs to be experienced and it is the perfect park to end our epic 10 day road trip on.

When to Get Here: On Day 9 drive from Restoule to Mikisew via ON-522 E (approx 1 hour driving time)

Campgrounds: This park offers over 250 campsites spread across two campgrounds (a mix of electric and non electric).

Highlights

Disc Golf: This is the highlight activity that you must do whenever you visit Mikisew Provincial Park! There are 2 courses, an 18 hole course and a shorter 9-hole course that is great for kids and families. If you don't have your own discs you can rent from the office. I was nervous doing this 9 hole course with a 6 year old and 8 year but they loved it!! We even went back and played another round the following day!

Hiking & Biking: Since Mikisew Provincial Park is quite small, travelling the campground and trails by bike is a great way to get around - we even attempted to bike one of the more popular hiking trails: Beaver Meadow Trail (although it can rather challenging on a bike so I would recommend walking unless you were up for the extra challenge!). Beaver Meadow Trail loops around beautiful open beaver wetland. The route offers some nice changes in elevation and views.

Day 11: Back to Ottawa

On the final day, you’ll leave Mikisew Provincial Park and drive back to Ottawa - Approx 3 hours Depending on what your time allows, you can drive towards Huntsville, grab lunch and continue on through the scenic Hwy 60 corridor that drives through Algonquin Provincial Park as you head back towards Ottawa. The drive adds about 30 extra minutes (minus any stops) to your route. I highly suggest it if you have the time. Have an amazing road trip!