A Chilly Damp Week at Balsam Lake Provincial Park August 2015

The sun was out in Picton as we headed into the Kawarthas mid Monday morning to Balsam Lake Provincial Park.

We had visited this park a few years ago, and were looking forward to spending the week with our nieces.

Balsam Lake Provincial Park is a rather large park (506 sites) accommodating all trailer/tent sizes as well as having a cottage rental.  We were lucky and managed to reserve a waterfront site - only 8 of them there...and we couldn't wait to get there!!!   https://reservations.ontarioparks.com/BalsamLake?Map
We were pleasantly surprised to see the site was much bigger than the photos on the Ontario Parks website and quickly got set up.  We had site 513 and were the last in the row on the water. Between the plentiful trees was a trail, which after walking for about 13 min lead you to the great beach. Fun having the path right beside us!
The few sites that are waterfront all seem to have stairs down to the water, in some way. Some had pallets at the rocky shore in order to get into the water or to help secure a canoe or kayak which was super handy!


View of the water and top of staircase

 The stairs down to the water and Pete's kayak on the make shift landing on the rocks

View of the site from the water /staircase - there was two driveways into this site

The girls chilling while it was drizzling

The rocks at the shore at the campsite

 We sadly had mostly wet, damp,chilly weather but managed to have two nights of campfires and a beach day on the Thursday. Always seems to be the best weather on the day you leave - Friday was the best weather!!!

The beach is groomed and clean and a decent size. Kayaks, canoes and paddle boards and paddle boards were available for rent. We rented a SUP for 2 hrs for $15.

The washrooms/showers were always clean and usually not much of a line up, if any for the showers, and we saw park staff cleaning them daily. There was a store, just across the road from site 500, off park property, called The Park Store (there was a pathway to the store by that site) and it was a great store, having everything from gas, milk, sausages, camping supplies, candy, newspaper and clothes.   The Park also had a store selling Park merchandise and also they have bike rentals there which I believe they said were new this year.

Great park to go too - lots of sites for all camping needs - the ones along the water of course are the best, but not for large sized RVs. Lots of level large sites, and great sites when travelling with friends for ease of sites side by side.