Killbear Provincial Park Review & Campground Guide

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Killbear Provincial Park Reservations – What You Need to Know Before You Go

Making a reservation to camp at Killbear Provincial Park is pretty easy.

Just like all the other Ontario Park campsites, you can book your campsite up to five months in advance of your arrival date through the Ontario Parks reservation system.

In order to make a reservation online, you will first need to have an Ontario Parks account.

Registrations begin at 7 am EST.

We booked our stay at Killbear for August and had a pretty tough time getting a preferred site.

In fact, we were unable to get a powered site at all! This is definitely a popular park!

Since we were only staying one night, we were happy enough to secure a site and make it work.

But I don’t think you could go wrong with most of the sites at this park! They were pretty nice!

☑️ Expert Tip – Be sure to pre-register and check in online before arriving at the park. It definitely expedites the process once you arrive. This can easily be done by logging into your Ontario Parks account and heading to your reservation.

Killbear is open for both summer and winter camping. The park is open for winter camping from the beginning of January until roughly mid-March.

The park then opens for summer camping from the beginning of May until the first week of November.

Killbear Provincial Park Address:
35 Eddie Ramsay Parkway, Nobel, ON P0G 1G0
https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/killbear

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Arriving at the Park

Once you arrive at the main entrance to the park, there is a short drive to the gatehouse.

There, you will find some vehicle parking, as well as two long RV parking spots outside the gatehouse.

The gatehouse was tiny. But since it did not double as a park store, it wasn’t a big deal.

In fact, we were only able to check in and grab a printed map there.

We then had to head to our campground, where there was a second gatehouse.

It was there that we were able to purchase firewood.

Ice can only be purchased outside of the park at local stores or in Parry Sound (35 km from the park).

I had to make a trip to the Park Store in order to purchase my park patch, but more on that later.

We arrived well past the 2 o’clock check-in time, so we were able to head straight to our site.

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Killbear Provincial Park Map

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Navigating the Park

We found that while it was a massive park, Killbear was really easy to navigate.

There were enough large signs to help you find your way around the park, the campgrounds, and the beach areas.

The main park road was paved and smooth. And while the one-way campground roads were narrow and unpaved, they were in decent condition.

Keep in mind, Killbear has a dedicated hiking/biking trail that runs parallel to the main roadway. As a result, only motor vehicles are allowed on the roadway.

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Parking

The parking lots that we saw throughout the park were more than sufficient in size.

There were parking lots at the day-use beach area, as well as at all the campground beaches.

The parking lot at the Visitor’s Centre and the Park Store was pretty massive, which was perfect since both were quite busy during our visit.

You also find a smaller parking lot near the gatehouse, one at the comfort stations, and one at a few of the trail heads.

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Killbear Provincial Park Camping

Killbear Provincial Park accommodates a variety of camping styles.

From car camping to tenting, radio-free camping, and RVs up to 32 feet (9.7 metres), you will find it all.

You will also have the choice between electric and non-electric sites.

Just keep in mind that not all types of camping can be accommodated at all sites. So you will need to watch for this when making your reservations.

Killbear Provincial Park has a whopping 7 campgrounds – Kilcoursie Bay, Blind Bay, Beaver Dams, Georgian, Harold Point, Granite Saddle, and Lighthouse Point Campground.

All in all, Killbear is home to 886 campsites. This is probably the largest Ontario park that we have set foot in!

Granite Saddle, Blind Bay, and Lighthouse Point A Campgrounds only offer non-electric sites.

Lighthouse Point B and Kilcoursie Bay Campgrounds only offer electric sites.

All the other campgrounds offer a mix of both electric and non-electric sites.

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Campgrounds at a Glance

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Group Camping

Killbear Provincial Park also offers three large group camping sites that can accommodate up to 25 people.

The sites have access to water taps, picnic tables and vault toilets. However, if you need to use the comfort stations, it will be a bit of a drive.

All three sites are a short walk to the shoreline.

Unfortunately, the group sites can only accommodate tents. No trailers of any kind are allowed.

The group sites can be found furthest from the main entrance, making it necessary to drive to the beach, Park Store, day-use area or the Visitor’s Centre.

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Our Campsite Experience

During our visit to Killbear, we stayed in the Blind Bay Campground.

Unfortunately, we had such a difficult time getting a campsite that we were only able to snag a non-electric site.

No joke! We could not secure a single powered site during our August stay, and we booked as soon as the date opened up!

As a result, we only stayed for one night.

We had a pull-through campsite which was a good size, level and with a packed dirt pad.

While there were plenty of mature trees, we really didn’t have a lot of privacy since we were at the junction of two roads.

The campground was pretty quiet.

Our site was a 2-minute walk to the vault toilets and about a 5-minute walk to the comfort station with showers.

A water tap was located not even a minute away.

We really did not have anything to complain about!

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What Amenities Does Killbear Offer?

Comfort Stations

Comfort stations with showers are centrally located in six out of seven campgrounds.

Granite Saddle is the only campground without a comfort station.

Vault toilets were located at the day-use beach, as well as in each of the campground areas.

We found the comfort stations to be quite clean and well-kept. The water was hot, and the pressure in the showers was excellent.

As in the case of most parks during the summer, the showers got busy around dinner time.

We chose to go later in the evening and had a much shorter wait.

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Laundry

A coin laundry is available in every comfort station in the park.

Unfortunately, there is no laundry in the Granite Saddle Campground.

The laundry room was clean and in great condition.

The one we checked out in the Blind Bay Campground had two washers and two dryers, as well as a large laundry sink and folding counter.

You will even find a machine where you can purchase laundry soap and dryer sheets.

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Park Store

The Nature Shoppe is operated by the Friends of Killbear Park and is located in the Visitor Centre.

Inside, you will find a variety of Ontario Parks merch, including hoodies, t-shirts, hats, stickers, totes, and more.

You will also find a variety of souvenirs, nature books, and artwork.

I found a Killbear ornament that had a teardrop trailer on it, which I immediately snapped up!

John found a really nice, warm plaid jacket to wear at the campsite when it starts to get chilly in the fall.

What you won’t find at this Park Store are groceries, ice, food items of any kind, or camping needs.

This was a little surprising, since most parks carry even just a small assortment of items.

In other words, don’t forget to pack everything you need, or it will mean leaving the park to find a grocery or hardware store!

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Visitor’s Centre

The Visitor’s Centre at Killbear Provincial Park was fantastic!

Divided across two levels, you will find several displays about the birds and animals that can be found in the park, interesting information about local plant life, and of course, stories about indigenous connections to the park.

They also had several interactive activities for young kids, including colouring pages, puzzles, and a touch table with wood, bones, animal hides and feathers.

As I mentioned above, the Nature Shoppe is also located inside the Visitor’s Centre. You can purchase a variety of items like animal stuffies, clothing, books, and more.

Lastly, you will find access to the hike/bike trail right off the parking lot.

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Day Use Area

I didn’t find the day-use area at Killbear to be too spectacular, unfortunately.

The day-use area is pretty small relative to the park.

There was a large parking lot located adjacent to the day-use area, as well as two vault toilets.

You will also find the only picnic shelter in the park, as well as some picnic tables in the day-use area.

We did not see a single playground in the park, which we found pretty surprising.

According to the park map, you will find one of two Dog Beaches and exercise areas just beyond the day-use area.

There is also a hiking trail loop (Twin Points Trail) that starts from the parking lot.

And as much as the day-use area wasn’t fantastic, the beach was pretty nice. But more on this later!

If you want to visit the park for the day-use area only, you can reserve your daily vehicle permit to guarantee your day-use spot.

Permits can be obtained up to five days in advance.

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Boat Launch

There are 2 boat launches at Killbear Provincial Park.

One is located near the Blind Bay Campground B, and the other is located at the Lighthouse Point between campgrounds A and B.

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Amphitheatre

The amphitheatre at Killbear was pretty nice.

The stage area looked to be pretty new, and the benches were in great shape.

Unlike some parks we have been to, this area actually looked like it was being used on a regular basis.

In fact, we noticed a sign out on the main road advertising a Catholic mass being held at the Amphitheatre on Saturday evenings in July and August.

That’s definitely something that we have not seen before in other parks!

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Killbear Provincial Park Beaches

Killbear Provincial Park is home to several gorgeous sandy beaches along the shores of Georgian Bay.

During the summer, you will find the water to be quite shallow and clear near the shorelines.

And while Georgian Bay is usually on the chilly side, we felt that the water temperature was comfortable enough to swim in.

You will find a beach in every campground, as well as one in the day-use area.

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Campground Beaches

Each campground has access to a strip of beach with a roped-off swimming area.

You will find a small parking lot as well as vault toilets at the entrance to each campground beach area.

These beaches had white sand with clean, sandy entrances to the water.

Most of the shoreline is located in a somewhat protected part of Georgian Bay, so the water was pretty calm close to shore.

The water was also quite calm during our visit in August, so there were plenty of people out swimming and paddling.

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Day-Use Beach

While we didn’t get a chance to go paddling at the beach, John and I rode our bikes over to check it out.

The day-use beach was pretty decent, but not huge.

You will find vault toilets at this beach, but no comfort station.

The beach had a nice strip of white sand, with a large roped-off swimming area.

John waded out into the water and found that he could go pretty far before it got too deep.

Just beyond the roped-off area, there are plenty of motorized boats in the water. So you do need to be careful if you leave the swimming area.

I liked the fact that the bottom was packed sand, not squishy or rocky.

However, if you have your fur babies with you, this is the place to be.

As I mentioned, the dog beach is located adjacent to the day-use area, and it didn’t look too bad.

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What Services Does Killbear Offer?

You will find all the usual Ontario Provincial Parks services at Killbear.

Water

There is one sanitation station at Killbear Provincial Park. It is located right across from the Kilcoursie Campground.

There you will find two lanes equipped with two fill stations.

However, there is another water fill station, which is in a completely different area of the park.

You will find 2 water fill stations located in the parking lot of the Park Office.

This is where we were directed to go to fill up our tank.

Since the fill stations are located at the edge of the parking lot, you could approach them from either direction, depending on which side your water tanks are on.

You will find water taps located throughout the campgrounds, as well as in the day-use area.

There are no water hookups at the individual campsites.

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Dump Station

The sanitation area is located across the street from the Kilcoursie Campground entrance.

Just like with the fill station, you will find a total of 2 dump stations.

There are two lanes, with one dump station and one water fill station located in each lane.

The dump stations come first, so if you want to fill your trailer, it might be better to head to the other fill station during busy times.

And just like at other parks, expect the sanitation area to be busy around check-out time.

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Garbage and Recycling

Rather than one main garbage and recycling area, Killbear had a large area at the entrance to each campground.

There, you could find several garbage and recycling bins, as well as places to drop off small propane tanks that were empty.

We found this a lot easier and more convenient than having to find a central garbage area.

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Wi-Fi

If you need to stay connected during your time at Killbear, you will be happy to know that there is pretty decent cell service in the park.

While it wasn’t great in all areas (very little at our campsite), I could make calls with no problems and even check emails.

There is also free public wi-fi available at the Visitor’s Centre (which is provided by the Friends of Killbear).

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Things to Do at Killbear Provincial Park

If, like me, you enjoy getting out and experiencing all that a park has to offer, you’ll be happy to know that Killbear has a variety of activities to keep everyone busy.

1. Enjoy a Bike Ride

One of the things that we made sure to do at this park was to enjoy the 6 km mixed-use trail.

As I mentioned earlier, the trail runs parallel to the main camping road. This means that you can get to most places in the park by bicycle!

The trail is mostly wide and flat, with hard-packed dirt.

But just a heads up, there are a few big hills, blind corners, and places where the trail gets narrow, rocky or even muddy.

I actually got off my bike to walk up a couple of the hills!

Also, for parents with small kids, the trail does cross several of the smaller campground roads. So you do need to keep an eye out for cars at the crossings.

We thoroughly enjoyed riding the path from end to end! It was a great way for us to see the park, get to some hiking trails, check out the Visitor Centre, and even head to the beach!

And the best part is, all the places that I mentioned above have bike racks where you can lock up your bike while you explore the park!

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2. Go for a Paddle or Boat Ride

As I mentioned earlier, John and I were only in the park for one night, so we did not have a chance to take our paddleboards out.

That said, while we were at the beach, we saw many people out on paddleboards and kayaks.

According to the website, the park has over 12 km of shoreline and three islands to explore. And, there are dozens of other islands within a short paddle of the park.

While Killbear does not rent canoes or kayaks, rentals are available outside the park at local businesses.

What the park rents out are lifejackets. If you are headed out on the water (especially with kids) and you have forgotten your own lifejackets, you can rent them from the gatehouse located near the Harold Point Campground.

And if you have brought a boat with you, then you are in for a treat.

Killbear is located in the heart of the 30,000 Islands, so it’s an ideal location to explore beautiful Georgian Bay.

And as I mentioned earlier, there are two boat launches within the park that will provide access to different parts of Georgian Bay.

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3. Take the Plunge

We love swimming in Georgian Bay. The water is crystal clear, clean, albeit a bit chilly!

And because the water stayed pretty shallow for a good way out, there were plenty of families with kids enjoying a dip.

Our only advice is to keep in mind that the water can get rough on this lake, especially further out.

And the fact that each campground has access to a beach (usually with just a short walk) is pretty awesome.

Kilcoursie, Beaver Dams and the day-use beach share a 2 km horseshoe-shaped beach. We found these to be quite sandy.

Beaches at Georgian, Harold Point, Granite Saddle, Lighthouse Point and Blind Bay Campgrounds are all on smaller beaches surrounded by rocky headlands.

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4. Take Part in the Discovery Program

According to the website, Killbear Provincial Park offers a pretty good Discovery Program for kids.

During July and August, kids can pick up a Discovery Activity Book from the Park Store and use the equipment and materials provided to explore the park.

Interpretive programs are held daily during the summer months. These usually focus on the natural and human history of the area.

Some of the programs that you can expect to see include a variety of children’s programs, guided hikes, evening programs at the amphitheatre, plus special musical concerts by groups such as the Wakami Wailers.

And don’t forget to head to the Visitor’s Centre for some fun activities!

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5. Do Some Birding

While we are not avid birders, Killbear offers some great opportunities to bird watch while you are camping in the park.

You can expect to see a variety of species, including woodpeckers, warblers, wood thrushes, herons, hawks, hummingbirds, and even bald eagles.

Of course, the best places to birdwatch are the hiking trails.

And if you are really serious about birding, you can even pick up a bird checklist from the Visitor Centre.

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6. Give Fishing a Go

For anyone who loves fishing, Georgian Bay is an awesome place to try your hand at fishing.

Fish for Lake Trout, Smallmouth Bass, pike, perch and walleye.

We saw people fishing from boats and even from the water’s edge.

And if you don’t have your own fishing gear, Killbear is part of Ontario Parks’ Tackle Share program.

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7. Enjoy a Hike

Killbear Provincial Park is home to 4 hiking trails. The trails were quite nice, and most were pretty easy to manage.

While we didn’t have a chance to hike all of them (2 out of 4 isn’t bad), we really enjoyed the ones we did do.

The trailheads are located throughout the park, but the signs were a little on the small side.

Just a heads up, not all have parking spaces adjacent to the trailheads.

This trail begins and ends at the parking lot in the day-use area.

The first part of this trail is wheelchair accessible and takes you to a Lookout Point.

The trail crosses over rock outcrops and through different types of forest until it makes its way to the rocky points and sandy beaches of the shoreline.

You will find a trail guide along the way that interprets the geological features found along the way.

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This short trail takes you to the tip of Killbear Point and offers amazing views of Georgian Bay, interesting rockscapes, and, of course, the lighthouse.

The Lighthouse Point Trail starts and ends in a parking lot. So you have two choices.

If you take the entrance to the trail on the right and go in a counter-clockwise direction, you will hit the moderate part of the trail.

This is where you will find some pretty uneven terrain, plenty of rocks to navigate over, and parts of the trail that are a little more difficult to traverse.

If you take the left entrance to the trail, go clockwise, and just do an out-and-back to the Lighthouse, it is much easier.

This is perfect if you have mobility issues or are hiking with younger children.

You will still get to enjoy all the great views of Lighthouse Point, but on a much flatter and easier trail.

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This is one of the trails that we unfortunately did not have the time for.

The trail takes you through a variety of forest types and rock outcrops, providing an awesome view of Georgian Bay at the midway point.

You will also find interpretive panels along the way that explain the ecology of the area.

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The recreational trail runs parallel to the main park road from the park entrance to Lighthouse Point.

This is the trail that John and I rode our bikes on instead of choosing to hike.

The trail winds through hemlock groves, hardwood forest and rock outcrops and is perfect for hiking, jogging, cycling or bird watching.

Just keep in mind that parts of this trail are rocky, steep, and can get pretty muddy after a rainfall.

We were actually fascinated by the little wildlife “doors” that we saw on either side of the trail (closest to the park entrance).

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Is Killbear Provincial Park Accessible?

We found the buildings at Killbear to be very accessible.

All the comfort stations allowed for barrier-free access to both flush toilets and showers.

The Park Store and Visitor Centre were also barrier-free.

We also noticed that both the day-use and Kilcoursie beaches have accessibility mats. And, you can rent a beach wheelchair from the counter inside the Visitor Centre.

During our walks through the campgrounds, however, we did not notice any designated barrier-free campsites.

Lastly, the first section of the Twin Points Trail that takes you to the Lookout Point is wheelchair accessible.

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Are Pets Allowed at Killbear?

Yes. Dogs are welcome at Killbear Provincial Park.

Pets are allowed at the campground and in the day-use area, but must be leashed at all times.

As we mentioned earlier, you will find a small pet beach and exercise area just beyond the day-use area, and another near the group camping area.

The dog beach was decent, just a little smaller and surrounded by rock.

Just a reminder, dogs are not allowed in the other areas of the beach.

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Is There Winter Camping at Killbear?

Yes! Killbear Provincial Park is open for winter camping from the beginning of January until mid-March.

A small section of the Beaver Dams Campground is open during this time, providing powered sites and a heated comfort station.

Unfortunately, aside from hiking, the park does not allow, or have the facilities for, any winter activities like skating, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing.

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Our Park Rating

We give this park 5 out of 5 stars for having:

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Final Thoughts

We had a really great time at Killbear and can’t wait to go back for a longer visit.

We really enjoyed biking the mixed-use trail and the wooded private campsites, as well as the many hiking trails. It really is a spectacular park!

Our only regret was that we didn’t get to enjoy paddling on Georgian Bay!

But there will definitely be a next time!

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Pin This Post for Later!

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• Killbear Provincial Park Review & Campground Guide
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