Algonquin: Brent Campground Review & Guide

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Algonquin’s Brent Campground Reservations – What You Need to Know Before You Go

Making a reservation to camp at Algonquin’s Brent Campground 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 Algonquin’s Brent Campground for August and had a relatively easy time getting a site for the days we wanted.

On the plus side, most of the sites at this campground were pretty nice! So I really don’t think you can go wrong.

☑️ 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.

The park is open for camping from the end of April until the end of October.

Algonquin Brent Campground Address:
31 Riverside Drive, Pembroke, ON, K8A 8R6
https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/algonquin/brent

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Arriving at the Park

Because the Brent Campground is located in the northern part of Algonquin Park, you can expect that it takes a little longer to access than the campgrounds like Mew or Lake of Two Rivers, which are located along the highway 60 corridor.

You will need to access the campground from Brent Road, which is directly off the Trans-Canada highway.

Unfortunately, once you turn off the highway, you are now travelling on a gravel logging road for at least an hour (38 km)!

Before you venture too far, be sure to stop at the Park Store first. Brent still requires campers to have a paper permit for your vehicle, so while you can check in online, you will still need to attend the Park Store for your permit.

The Park Store is located less than a kilometre from the Trans-Canada Highway.

The building itself is pretty cute and looks nothing like the usual stores found in other parks. Inside, you can get a printed map, and shop from a small selection of Ontario Parks merch.

There’s even a small fridge with cold drinks, a freezer full of novelty ice cream, and a very small selection of last minute necessities.

But back to the gravel roadway…

Brent Road is actually what scares most campers away from Brent, especially those with trailers!

While it wasn’t the nicest drive, it really wasn’t anywhere close to being as bad as what we expected based on previous reviews.

The road was in good shape, with very few potholes, There were sections where the rain had created almost a washboard affect. Those were the worst!

It felt like my brain was rattling as we drove over all the grooves!

On the plus side, I would say that the worst of it was only the last 10 km, or as soon as you enter the Algonquin Park boundary.

We found the roads in this section to be more narrow, hilly, and rough.

⚠️ Disclaimer – Our trip took place in August 2026, so conditions on a gravel road will likely change from season to season and year to year.

Just like on our drive to Kiosk, you will have some spotty cell service for the first 15 km, and then after that, consider yourself “unplugged”!

Once you arrive at the campground, there is a very, VERY, small Park Store (think garden shed) where you can purchase ice and firewood, as well as a tiny selection of necessities (like Pop Tarts 🤣🤣).

We arrived after the 2:00 p.m. check-in, so we were able to head straight to our campsite.

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Brent Campground Map

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Navigating the Park

Brent Campground is small, so you really shouldn’t have too many issues navigating around. That said, we found the signage within the campground to be sufficient.

As far as the campground roads go, they were fairly narrow, made of packed dirt, and not in bad shape.

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Parking

The parking lots we came across around the campground were appropriate for the size of the campground.

And while our vehicle stayed parked for the duration of our stay, you should not have any trouble finding space to park.

There was a small parking lot at the Campground Park Store, a large one at the day-use area, several near the Trailhead and Lookout, as well as small lots near the flush toilets and garbage area.

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Camping at Algonquin’s Brent Campground

Brent Campground has several options available if you are looking to camp in this awesome little park.

You can book sites for car camping, tenting, paddle-in sites, 2 rustic cabins, and RVs up to 32 feet (9.7 metres).

Just keep in mind that there are only non-electric campsites available.

And because not every campground section fits every style of camping, make sure to pay close attention to the site details when you book.

Brent Campground is home to 30 campsites as well as two rustic cabins spread out over two campgrounds.

Campground 1 has a variety of sites that are located closest to the beach and day use area.

Campground 2 has more private sites that are mostly waterfront.

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Campgrounds at a Glance

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Roofed Accommodations

As I mentioned earlier, Brent Campground is home to two rustic cabins, located in Campground 2.

Brent Deputy Ranger Cabin

The Brent Deputy Ranger Cabin was built as an ice house in the 1930s but was eventually converted to the Deputy Chief Ranger’s home in Brent.

The original cabin was completely restored and you can now enjoy a one room open-concept log cabin with an incredible view looking east on Cedar Lake.

This cabin is a one-room open concept accommodation that only sleeps 2 people.

Inside, you will find a bunk bed (double bunk on bottom, single on top) with vinyl-covered mattresses, a table and 2 chairs, couch and chair, fire extinguisher, propane heat (propane supplied), solar-powered lighting, propane stove-top, propane refrigerator, wash basin, metal pail, shovel, broom, and dustpan.

Outside, you are provided with a BBQ (propane supplied), fire pit, and picnic table.

Please note there is no running water, indoor bathrooms or electricity and no cell phone reception.

Vault toilets and water taps are a short walk away in the nearby campground.

Check-in is at 4 pm, and check-out is at 10 am.

Just be aware that dogs are not permitted in the cabin and smoking is prohibited in all facilities. Tents are also not permitted to be set up outside of the cabin.

You’ll need to bring your own food, cookware, dishes, linens, towels, and chairs.

Parking for two vehicles is available at the cabin, with one vehicle included in the fee.

Brent Cabin

Brent Cabin is located on a peninsula on the north shore of Cedar Lake. Construction of the Brent Deputy Chief Ranger’s headquarters was begun in 1932.

This large cabin sleeps ten, has four bedrooms (the bunks include mattresses), a living room with a woodstove in a stone fireplace, and a kitchen.

The amenities, rules, check in/out time and what you need to bring along are identical to those of the Brent Deputy Ranger Cabin (listed above).

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Our Campsite Experience

During our visit to Brent Campground, we stayed in Campground 1 closest to the beach.

Our campsite was pretty spacious, with more than enough room for us to set up our dining tent.

Unfortunately, we were next to the day-use parking lot, a water tap, and a vault toilet, which was not the best site ever.

Given all of that, there was very little vehicular or foot traffic, so not all that bad.

While the site had very little privacy, we were steps from the beach making it easy to launch our paddleboards.

While our Teardrop Trailer is equipped with a bathroom, we did need to syphon water into our tanks from a bucket filled at the water tap. A bit of a pain, but nothing to complain about.

We did have some water in our tanks when we arrived at the park (knowing there was no fill station), but we did need to top up during our stay.

And while we are normally quite good at taking photos with our trailer parked on the site, we must have been so excited (more like relieved) to be there, that we completely FORGOT!! Sigh…

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What Amenities Does Brent Campground Offer?

Comfort Stations

Unfortunately, there are no comfort stations or showers at Brent Campground.

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Laundry

There are no laundry facilities at Brent Campground.

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Park Store

As I mentioned earlier, the main Park Store is located right off the Trans-Canada Highway. There you will find a small selection of treats, Ontario Parks merch and some camping necessities.

Because there is no patch for this campground, I purchased a sticker instead!

The Park Store located inside the actual campground was the smallest I have ever seen! It was literally a wooden shed!

You will find it in the staff area near to the beach. Inside, you can purchase some ice, firewood, small items you may have forgotten (tick remover, toothpaste, first aid kit, deodorant, razors, batteries) and a few snacks.

If you venture a little further down the road from the beach (towards the Rustic Cabins), you will find a small “village” with the Algonquin Outfitters shop. There, you will find a ton of clothing, souveniers, some snacks and PLENTY of oddities!

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Visitor’s Centre

Algonquin Park is home to an awesome Visitor’s Centre. Unfortunately, it is located approximately 4 hours away from the Brent Campground.

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Day Use Area

The day-use area at Brent Campground is home to the main beach, the boat launch, Park Store, vault toilets, and a few picnic tables.

There was also a large parking lot located adjacent to the main beach.

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.

But honestly, it seems like a long way to come for just a short visit. Do yourself the favour, and spend the night!

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Boat Launch

As I mentioned above, the boat launch is located in the day-use area of Brent Campground.

If you would like to head out on the water, only boats with motors of 20 horsepower or less may be used Cedar Lake.

There is a large parking lot adjacent to the boat launch where you can park both vehicles as well as boat trailers.

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Brent Campground Beach

Brent Campground has one main beach, as well as other smaller areas to access the lake.

The beach is located in the day use area, with the swimming area marked by buoy lines. We pretty much lived at the beach during our stay!

And this was made even easier given that our site was right next to the beach!

The swimming area was clean and did not get very deep, making it perfect for families with young children.

The water was tea coloured and not too chilly during our visit in August.

The water stayed shallow for a good distance out, so we were able to swim and easily launch our paddleboards.

Just a word of advice, bring bug spray! The black flies were nasty at the beach and around the small picnic area!

John and I decided to sit at the beach in the early evening to read and relax. I wore long pants, socks, and a hoodie to protect myself from the flies.

However, those little buggers started biting my ankles THROUGH MY SOCKS!!! I had to tuck my track pants into my socks to stop the carnage!

That was a first!

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What Services Does Brent Offer?

Unfortunately, Brent does not offer all the usual services that you would find at other Ontario Provincial Parks.

Water

There is no water fill station at Brent Campground. If you would like to fill your trailer, you will need to do that before you arrive.

As I mentioned earlier, we filled some water containers at the tap and filled our trailer from those containers.

You are NOT allowed to hook up your trailer to any of the water taps located in the campground.

There were several potable water taps located throughout the campground and in the day use area.

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Dump Station

There is no sanitation station at Brent Campground.

If you need to dump your trailer, you can head out of Algonquin Park to nearby Driftwood Provincial Park where you will be able to use the sanitation station.

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Garbage and Recycling

You will find a small central garbage and recycling area just before you enter into the campgrounds off of Brent Road. There, you will find only garbage and recycling bins (none for propane tanks).

Just be aware, you are expected to sort your recyclables into paper products, glass, and cans. Funny enough, there was a dedicated bin for used batteries!

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Cell Service

There is absolutely NO cell service anywhere in the Brent Campground.

As I mentioned earlier, you will have some spotty service up until the half-way mark (15 km) on you way into the park on Brent Road.

After that, consider yourself officially UNPLUGGED!!

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Things to Do at Brent Campground

Brent is an awesome place for enjoying the outdoors.

1. Go for a Paddle

One thing John and I always look forward to when we’re camping is paddleboarding. And Brent was definitely a great spot for it.

There are so many kilometres of shoreline to explore with your canoe, kayak, or paddleboard. And while we decided against doing a perimeter paddle, we definitely enjoyed our time out on Cedar Lake.

Just be sure to head out early in the day. We found that the water in the center of the lake became pretty choppy in the afternoon, making paddling a lot less fun.

And if you don’t have a kayak or canoe of your own, the Algonquin Outfitters shop in the village has rentals (including lifejackets) available.

The couple that run the shop are really nice, and will even allow you to launch right from the property. Given that the shop is a short walk from the campgrounds, this is a perfect arrangement!

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2. Enjoy a Refreshing Swim

Cedar Lake is a great spot for swimming.

The tea-coloured water is clean and warm enough for a comfortable dip.

As we mentioned, it stays fairly shallow in the roped swimming area at the beach, which makes it a good option if you’re visiting with younger kids.

Just keep in mind that the water can get a bit rough once you head farther out, especially later in the day.

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3. Do Some Stargazing

Brent is a terrific place to do some stargazing.

Although it’s not officially a dark sky preserve like Point Pelee National Park, there is very little light pollution in the area, so the skies are incredible!

During our visit, John and I got up at 3 am to do some stargazing. Not only were the skies super clear, but we had the added bonus of the Perseids Meteor Showers going on.

What a treat!!

I only wished that my astral photography skills were up to par (which they most definitely are NOT)!

Listening to the loons on the lake as we stargazed was an experience we won’t soon forget!

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4. Try Your Hand at Fishing

For anyone who loves fishing, Brent is a wonderful place to enjoy this pastime.

Cedar Lake is home to a healthy population of Lake Trout, Smallmouth Bass and walleye.

During our visit, we saw people fishing from small boats, from the water’s edge, and even from canoes!

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5. Do Some Birdwatching

By no means are John and I bird experts, we do appreciate some of the amazing birds that we see while camping.

Algonquin is a hugely popular birding destination with it being one of the most southern locations to get northern specialty birds such as Canada Jay, Spruce Grouse, and the Black-backed Woodpecker.

In fact, over 260 different bird species have been recorded within the park.

That said, we were happiest seeing and listening to the Loons on the lake at night!

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6. Chase Waterfalls

One of the best tips I got while speaking to the Parks staff at the Park Store, was to go visit the waterfall across the lake from the campground.

With some easy directions, John and I set out on our paddleboards for a relatively short trip to where the Petawawa River meets Cedar lake.

There you will find a portage point where you can leave your paddleboard (or kayak or canoe), and do a short 500m or so hike to the top of the waterfalls.

During our stay, the falls were incredible! It was a great spot to stop and have a snack and do a little photography.

If you are not up for the hike, you can view the cascading water from below as well. It just depends how full the river is during your visit.

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7. Enjoy a Hike

If you enjoy hiking, Brent has a few trails to try. While we normally like to hike, we did not have time to try all three hikes.

But that just leaves us with another reason to head back to this awesome campground in the future!

The Limestone Trail trailhead can be found right off the day use parking lot at the beach.

We only did a small portion of this trail, as the black flies were really bad during our visit. The trail leads to a small, but secluded beach, which was where we turned around.

Some sections have a bit of an incline as well as rocks and tree roots to step over. That said, it really wasn’t that bad.

John and I did this entire trail during our visit. It is definitely a walk, and not a hike.

The first plaque (all of them are numbered) is located at the far end of the campground past campsite 1.

The trail takes you from there, along the campground road to the beach in the day use area (plaque 2), and all the way to the point where the rustic cabins are located.

You will pass right through the Historic Townsite, so be sure to stop in at the Brent store!

Its an easy walk, but just be careful. The entire trail is on the main park road (not that there is much in the way of traffic!).

The Brent Crater was formed when a meteorite crashed into earth thousands of years ago. The trail takes you down to the crater floor before looping back to the starting point.

You can access the trail off of Brent Road, but you will likely need to drive or bike there from the campground. There is a small parking lot conveniently located at the trailhead.

As you make your way through the forested trail, you will find six interpretive plaques that share some of the geological and historical significance of the crater.

John and I did not have time to do this hike, unfortunately. What we did do, head to the observation deck located just a short walk from the trailhead.

From the top of the lookout, you can look out over the area affected by the crater. Just a heads up, don’t expect anything grand or dramatic!

It just looks like a forest!

But it was a nice place to sit or read all the info presented on the plaques. Its definitely worth a quick stop.

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Is Brent Campground Accessible?

We found Brent Campground to be somewhat accessible.

The Park Store as well as many of the vault toilets allowed for barrier-free access.

That said, we did not notice an accessibility mat at the beach, nor did we notice any sites that were designated barrier-free campsites.

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Are Pets Allowed at Brent?

Yes. Dogs are welcome at Brent.

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

Unfortunately, there is no pet exercise area or dog beach.

Just a reminder, dogs are not allowed at the main beach.

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Is There Winter Camping at Brent Campground?

No. Unfortunately, Brent Campground does not offer winter camping. It also does not offer any winter activities.

The only campground in Algonquin that is open for winter camping is Pog.

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Our Park Rating

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

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Final Thoughts

Our visit to Brent Campground definitely surpassed our expectations.

The combination of awesome paddling, excellent stargazing, and a nice, quiet experience, made it a memorable camping trip.

We were definitely happy that we didn’t chicken out about the gravel road! (Although truth be told, one of the hinges on our galley cupboard broke after travelling back down the gravel road to leave the park 😢).

If you are not bothered by a lack of some creature comforts (namely showers, electricity and cell service), have a decent suspension and tires on your rig, and let’s not forget nerves of steel, then this is the campground for you!

DEFINITELY recommend. Will be back!!

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Pin This Post for Later!

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• Algonquin: Rock Lake Campground Review & Guide
• Algonquin: Pog Lake Camping Review & Guide
• Algonquin: Canisbay Lake Campground Review & Guide
• Algonquin: Lake of Two Rivers Campground Review & Guide
• Algonquin: Kiosk Campground Review & Guide
• Algonquin: Brent Campground Review & Guide
• Algonquin: Mew Lake Review & Campground Guide