winter camping ontario

This park is the ultimate winter camping destination in Ontario

There are more options for cold weather camping within a reasonable drive of Toronto than you might think, but when it comes to the ultimate winter adventure destination, nothing tops Arrowhead Park.

It is best known, of course, for its hyper-popular and social media-friendly skating trail through the woods, but it's the rest of the package that solidifies this park's place as a true winter playground.

Over and above the skating trail, visitors here can explore 28km of groomed cross country ski trails, an array of shorter snowshoe routes and a giant tubing hill.

The tubing hill in particular is one of the most underrated features of the park, as you get to careen down a hill in the middle of the forest, which is as thrilling as it sounds. 

The sheer range of activities is too much to handle in just one day, which is where the rustic winter cabins come in. Yurts are great and all, but nothing beats spending a snowy night in a secluded wood cabin. These accommodations aren't luxurious, but they sure are cozy.

Arrowhead boasts 13 cabins, which are available to rent from December 8 to March 26. These units book up fast, so interested parties need to reserve well in advance. Each cabin sleeps five.

With so much attention on the skating trail over the years, the park has become increasingly busy on winter weekends. One of the advantages of staying overnight is that you don't have to fight the crowds to enter the property and park your car.

Winter camping has its hardships — like no running water, for instance. But the idea is to spend enough time in the snow that you're grateful for the roof and warmth that you do have. Plus, the province doesn't really get any more beautiful than this.

Lead photo by

@DaveLanovaz


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