Silver Lake Provincial Park - June 2015

Packed up and ready to go, we hit the road early, hoping to get on our site early. Fortunately for us, noone had booked on Thurs night, so we were able to start setting up at 1130.

Silver Lake Provincial Park is right off of hwy 7, about 14km east of Sharbot Lake Provincial Park, and approx a half hr from Perth.

It is a small park, but has lots of amenities within it.

With 147 sites, navigating around the park is a tad bit hellish. Signage isn't the best at this park and it was a bit of a struggle to find the site, and a REAL challenge to turn around with the trailer in tow. However we managed thanks to Pete's good turning skills.  We booked back in January - our hope this summer was to try to get water sites to make it easy access with the kayaks.  We were successful in securing site 40.  Site 40 is rated for an 18 ft trailer and is non-electric. It was once again a stuggle to get the trailer on the site as we had to back down a long lane way but thought we could make it work with our 21 ft trailer!!! Thankfully Pete was a pro- "backer- upper" and he did it!!!!  While checking in the girl working said 40 was the best site at the park and she was right!! (we had looked around last year when we were the only ones in the park to search out the best site).  Site 40 had a great view, although a bit of hwy noise could be heard, the location made up for it.  A great small sandy area allowed easy access for the kayaks and would be an ideal site for small children to play in the water right onsite.

A 3 or 4 min walk to the comfort station, large beach area,, boat launch, playground, garbage, recycling, and another small beach area and day use area.  The nice thing about a small park is you need not have to drive anywhere once arriving.

Large trailers can be accommodated here, but not on the water. Most of the sites along the water are for 18ft and under or tents only. The beach area was quite busy over this weekend, as we had superb weather. It was well cleaned by park staff, as was the large playground area, which was right in the centre of the park.  This park, in my opinion is great for families with small children as there is lots to keep them busy and the beach isn't super large.

There is a small hiking trail with a boardwalk (.5km). We did not do it as I am recovering from surgery.  Fishing was the priority for Pete this weekend. Friday he searched the lake (9km long) for lake trout but was unsuccessful.  Saturday marked the opening of bass season, so off he went and was not disappointed. Overall he caught a tonne of bass & pike in two days fishing.  For those needing canoes or kayaks they offer a lot for rent, and it was nice seeing a lot of them being utilized over the weekend.

We never saw park staff patrolling - the roads aren't really made for this at this park as they don't flow in many loops like most parks do, and we were at a dead end.  Noise wasn't an issue around our site, even though a lot of the sites were booked. Most people seemed to be there for the camping experience vs a loud, party all night experience!

Would we return - yes, but likely not for a while - too many other great parks to go to but in a few years, yes - we will likely return!

Some photos around the park, our site and the lake

Fishing - day one

 view from the picnic table - site 40

 setting up our site

 setting up site 40

 view from the hammock

 enjoying an awesome Friday night around the campfire

 view from the edge of the site

 Day Two fishing

 Wilson checking out the site

 so close to the water - loved hearing the waves at night

 main beach area

 children's park area

 kayak/canoe area ,and view of the main beach

 edge of our site

 summer flowers

 setting the table up for a anniversary dinner while camping

 getting ready for darkness

 children's play area

 view of the main beach area

 Wilson getting cooled off in the small beach area - a 1 min walk from site 40

http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/silverlake

Sharbot Lake Provincial Park June 2015

We just arrived home from a wonderful 3 days at Sharbot Lake Provincial Park - just north of Kingston on hwy 7. This was our 2nd visit to this park and once again were able to secure a waterfront site. We always aim to get a water site, for quick and easy access for our kayaks to save time & energy!!

We arrived at 2pm - note that the water fill/dump station is smack dab in the middle of the campsites - bit of a pain however needed when using a trailer.

Headed to our site and got set up - site #10 is rated for an 18ft trailer however we had room for our 21 ft trailer and our truck. Ideally we would have liked site #12 but it was snapped up before we booked.
Hopefully next time!!! Campfire is right beside the water, and the water area made for quick access with our kayaks.  The boat launch was one site over from our site.

Sharbot Lake has 2 great beach locations, and a great playground area for kids. Canoe rentals looked plentiful on Black Lake. The beachfront sites are ideal sites for families with young children as it is right by the one beach and the playground. There is 178 campsites here, minimal electrical sites and lots of sites are tent only but very scenic, and many are on the water or offer a waterview.  Provincial parks are wonderful but with most being made years ago, it is hard to find ample sites that will host a large trailer on a great scenic site, on the water.   The park sits between Sharbot Lake and Black Lake, with all the sites being on Black Lake. There is a short (although hilly) portage between the two lakes, and the park also offers boat launches on both of the lakes.

Not listed on the park website but on the park guide, there is a decent hiking trail, approximently 1.5km long, which I would rate as moderate - be cautious of roots and rocks when walking. The hike was scenic and followed along Sharbot Lake, then into the woods, then along the top crest along Black Lake.  We lucked out and saw a huge snapping turtle, beaver and deer on our Sunday afternoon hike.  This trail is called the Discovery Trail and is situated near site 175.

A small amount of treats, worms and park clothing are sold when checking in the park office, but right across the road(hwy 7) is a very local small store selling lots of odds and ends should you forget something at home, or need a quick loaf of bread or milk, or an ice cream cone. There is a chip stand there as well but we did not venture to try it out. We just checked out the somewhat messy little store and headed back to the trailer!!!!

Sharbot Lake Provincial Park does sit along side hwy 7 and traffic can be heard from some sites, however sitting fireside, listening to the loons & looking out at the sun setting made up for the muted noise of the traffic in the background.  Park staff patrolled through out our stay, more so on the Friday than the Saturday, but we were lucky in that we didn't have any noisy neighbours.

Pete spent hours fishing this weekend - mostly on Black Lake and Sun for 4 hrs on Sharbot Lake. He caught Lots of fish in Black Lake - walleye, bass, pike, cisco and geared up for lake trout fishing in Sharbot Lake and was successful in getting one there this am.

Would we return - for sure - as long as we could get site 10 or 12

                Sunset kayak on Black Lake

              site 10 view from Black Lake

   view of the water access from site 10 onto Black Lake

   Heron watching from the shore

   Early morning kayak fishing trip on Black Lake

 early morning kayak fish on Black Lake

 Pete's successful trips for lake trout out in his kayak- which he threw back in for someone else to try their luck at!

 by the boat launch and docks over on Sharbot Lake

    hiking on the the Discovery Trail

 sunset.....

 setting up our site

   successful walleye kayak fishing night -after a rain and thunderstorm

 Sat night fire but the water...how relaxing....thanks for the great weekend Sharbot Lake Provincial Park!

http://www.ontarioparks.com/park/sharbotlake

Fall 2014 Camping at Ferris Provincial Park

A short drive from the County, we headed up to Campbellford for Thanksgiving weekend. We stayed on site 69 which we were thankful had electricity as it was a chilly, sunny weekend and took advantage of our furnace in the trailer.
Ferris Provincial Park is in Campbellford, and is a short drive into town from the park itself.   Make sure to visit Doohers Bakery on Main St - delicious donuts & other yummy treats - go early or you will be disappointed.
We have camped twice at Ferris, both times in the fall. There are 163 sites here, some more private than others. The park is situated along side the Trent River - one summer downfall is that it does not have a beach area for swimming. We love the hiking here - about 10km of trails - our favourite two being the Ranney Falls trail which walks along the falls & you cross the suspension bridge and the River Gorge Trail. Benches are set up here and there along the trail so it makes for a great spot to stop for a picnic when taking in the sights and sounds of nature.
Both the times we have been, the electrical site areas have been packed and a good amount of the regular sites have been booked. Easy to cycle around the park and never any rowdy campers when we have been there. There is a small playground area and a boat launch. Pete has never fished here although likely will bring the kayak on future camping trips.

 View from the suspension bridge

 On the suspension bridge

 view from the bridge

 the suspension bridge

 view from the falls - looking up to the bridge

 The lock on the Trent at the park

Silver Lake/Sharbot Lake Provincial Park June/14 camping

All packed up and ready to go, we headed east towards our weekend getaway of two provincial parks that we had never been too. Less than two hrs from PEC we headed down the 401 to our destination.

We arrived at Silver Lake on a drizzly Thursday afternoon. Despite the rain, Pete headed out in his kayak to fish. Wilson and I headed for  a walk to explore the small campground.  Sites are small here, not a lot of space for big rigs, but privacy is ok.  The beach area is small but nice and the comfort station clean & well kept. It has 147 sites but not many are electric and again, I stress they are for smaller trailers and tents. The park also borders along Silver Lake and hwy 7. In the Algonquin section you can not hear the highway, but over in the Dawson section be prepared to listen to the traffic from hwy 7.

We had site 112, non electric and it was a super waterfront site. Getting the trailer down the hill to the site was a challenge however Pete did it!!!

We were only spending Thurs night here, and then were heading to Sharbot Lake - we thought since they are in such close proximity to each other we would check this one out to see if it warranted a return visit or not.  There is a small store here, but we did not visit it.  Oddly enough, for a day in early June, we were the sole campers here on a Thurs pm. It was  a bit freaky to say the least - not usually ones to lock the door on the trailer when sleeping, we did that night!!!!

We awoke to much nicer weather and Pete was up with the birds out fishing - plenty of fish to be found here.  We did not do the short hike they advertise, but just did a couple walks around the campgrounds itself, checking out all of the sites since they were all open!

awesome waterfront site

enjoying a fire after the rain

sunset

sunset

 Enjoying a fire

 view of the site from the water

 out on Silver Lake

We packed up after lunch and headed down the hwy a short distance to Sharbot Lake Provincial Park. Here we encountered lots of other campers and beautiful weather. Once again we lucked out and had a waterfront site - Beachfront site #10. This site is fabulous, and although right beside the boat launch isn't loud or noisy as the launch wasn't used much when we were there. This park is much larger than Silver Lake, and still borders along hwy 7. There are two lakes here - Black Lake, which sites are on, and Sharbot Lake.  It is a nice walk over to Sharbot Lake from the beachfront sites, and lots to see while walking around the park.  The waterfill up and dump station are in an awkward spot, in the middle of the park, and hard to navigate around. There are two beach areas here, and both look well looked after and clean.  The comfort stations are also kept clean and tidy.
We spent the bulk of our time kayaking - and Peter fishing while here. Black Lake is a great lake to paddle around and offered lots of scenic things to look at while out floating around.


site 12 view from the water

 kayaks on the water at our site

 view of our site

 relaxing on the site by the water

 enjoying Black Lake