Campgrounds and RV parks near Cochrane, ON

Cochrane sits in northeastern Ontario's Cochrane District, at the northern end of Highway 11 in boreal forest country. The town is best known as home to the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat and as the rail terminus for the Polar Bear Express to Moosonee. For RV travellers, it functions as a jumping-off point for lake camping, fishing, and paddling across a wide, thinly populated region. Most campgrounds in the area sit on lakes ringed by jack pine, spruce, and birch. Ontario Parks operates two of the closest options: Kettle Lakes Provincial Park, roughly an hour south near Timmins, and Rene Brunelle Provincial Park, on Remi Lake near Moonbeam to the west. Private and municipal choices closer to town include Camerons Beach Trailer Park, Big Water Campground, and Twin Lakes Camping. Expect a shorter operating season than in southern Ontario, cooler nights even in July, and long driving distances between services. Fuelling up and provisioning in Cochrane itself is recommended before heading to more remote sites.

Ontario Parks handles reservations for Kettle Lakes Provincial Park and Rene Brunelle Provincial Park through its central online reservation system or by phone at 1-888-ONT-PARK. Sites can be booked up to five months ahead of the arrival date, with new inventory opening at 7 a.m. Eastern each morning. Popular waterfront and electrical sites for summer weekends are typically the first to go, and both parks also offer a rustic camp cabin that books well in advance. Rene Brunelle has about 105 campsites, the majority with electricity, plus seasonal sites and a separate group camping area with its own beach. Kettle Lakes has two car-camping loops, The Pines and Island Lake, with many electric sites suitable for trailers. Private options such as Camerons Beach Trailer Park, Big Water Campground, and Twin Lakes Camping book directly with the operator by phone or email.