Campgrounds and RV parks near Chalk River, ON

The Ottawa River dominates local recreation. From Driftwood Provincial Park, campers can swim at two sandy beaches, launch canoes and small boats, and fish for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass, with views across to the Laurentian Hills in Quebec. Tiny Village Ottawa River offers direct river access along the same stretch of shoreline. Inland, Bonnechere Provincial Park has a sandy beach on Round Lake, canoe and kayak rentals at the park store, and the Walks of the Little Bonnechere River, including McNaughton's Walk and the Footprints in Time interpretive program. Achray - Algonquin Provincial Park sits on Grand Lake and is the launch point for the Barron Canyon Trail along the rim of a deep canyon, plus multi-day canoe routes and the Berm Lake and Eastern Pines Backpacking trails.

Ontario Parks operates on a spring-to-fall season in this region. Achray Campground typically operates from late April to late October, and Bonnechere and Driftwood open in spring and close in fall, with exact dates set each season by Ontario Parks. Driftwood is gated in winter but remains accessible to walk-in visitors for hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Black flies emerge in mid-spring and mosquitoes peak in late spring, so early-summer campers should pack repellent and screen shelters. July and August bring the warmest, most reliable weather and the heaviest bookings, with long weekends around Victoria Day, Canada Day, and the August Civic Holiday filling first. Wildfire risk rises during hot, dry stretches in summer, and fire bans are possible. September and early October deliver cooler nights, thinner crowds, and strong fall colour in the mixed forests of the Ottawa Valley. Late-October campers should expect frost and possible early snow, and should confirm that comfort stations and water taps are still in service before arrival.

Ontario Parks sites in this area do not have water or sewer hookups at individual campsites. At Driftwood, Brumm Campground holds the park's 20 electrical sites and is geared to larger trailers and RVs, with pull-through options, while the Ottawa Campground loops are non-electrical and hold most of the waterfront sites, served by a full comfort station with showers, flush toilets, and laundry. Bonnechere's Tall Pines Campground contains all of the park's electrical sites, and River Loop and Sandy Flats are non-electrical, with Sandy Flats designated radio-free. RV length limits at these parks are commonly around 32 feet, so larger rigs should call ahead to confirm site fit. Achray is more primitive: 45 non-electrical sites, flush toilets, no showers, and no laundry. Generators are prohibited and the campground is radio-free. Access is by roughly 50 kilometres of gravel road from the Sand Lake Gate. Dump stations are available at Driftwood and Bonnechere.