Byng Island Conservation Area Review & Campground Guide
Is the Byng Island Conservation Area on your must-visit list? If not, it definitely should be!
Located just 123 km south of Toronto in the town of Dunnville, this gorgeous conservation area is very easy to get to.
While John and I have been to the Dunnville area before for camping, we didn’t even realize that this conservation area existed.
I’m sooooo glad we found it!
The conservation area is most known for its 1.85 acre swimming pool, which apparently is the largest outdoor pool in Canada. That said, it really does have way more to offer for families looking to spend some time in the great outdoors.
In this guide, I’ll share what makes the park special, what you can do here in every season, and tips for staying at the park’s campgrounds.
Pros and Cons of Byng Island Conservation Area – Quick Guide
If you are in a hurry, here’s a quick list of the pros and cons of Byng Island Conservation Area:
Things We Liked
Things We Did Not Like
Byng Island Conservation Area Reservations – What You Need to Know Before You Go
Making a reservation to camp at Byng Island Conservation Area is pretty easy.
Just like with Canadian National Park campsites, registrations for all dates and sites open all at once.
Registrations typically begin on March 1st for the coming camping season, and close mid-October when the season ends.
In order to make a reservation online, you will first need to have an account with the Grand River Conservation Authority.
We booked our stay at the Byng Island Conservation area early in the season and had no problems getting a serviced site.
We also made a second reservation at the end of June (after our initial stay), and once again had no issues getting a choice serviced site.
Our first visit took place in June, the week after the pool opened for the season. And while the conservation area was busy, it never felt crowded.
Byng Island Conservation Area is open for camping from the first week of May to mid-October.
Byng Island Conservation Area Address:
4969 County Road 20, Dunnville, ON N1A 2W8
Byng Island | Grand River Conservation Authority
Arriving at the Park
Once you arrive at the conservation area, you will get to a small gatehouse. This is where you will need to check in with park staff.
They will provide you with your permits and a printed map if you need one.
You can also purchase firewood and ice at the gatehouse.
We arrived long after the 2 o’clock check-in time, so we were able to head straight to our site.
Byng Island Conservation Area Maps
Navigating the Park
We found that while the park is pretty big, Byng Island Conservation Area is pretty easy to get around. That said, we did get turned around a couple of times heading back to our campsite.
There are plenty of large signs to guide you, and the layout is simple, with one main road winding through the park.
As always, there were also smaller signs at every one of the campground roads, which told you the campsite numbers that you would find there.
While the main road through the campground is paved, it’s a bit rough.
The smaller roads leading to the campsites are not paved however, and were in ok shape.
Parking
From what we saw, the parking lots located throughout the park are more than sufficient in size.
There was a small parking lot at the Gatehouse (that did have RV lanes), small lots at the trailheads and boat launch areas, as well as a HUGE lot in the day-use area close to the pool.
The comfort stations also had their own parking lots. Lastly, we noticed several small lots throughout the campgrounds for people camping with additional vehicles.
Byng Island Conservation Area Camping
Byng Island Conservation Area accommodates a variety of camping styles.
From car camping to tenting, seasonal sites, and even large RVs over 32 feet (9.7 metres), you will find it all.
You will also have the choice between unserviced sites or those with electric and water service.
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.
Byng Island Conservation Area has 5 main campgrounds – Blue Heron, Riverview, Willows, Island, and Sulphur Creek.
All in all, Byng Island Conservation Area is home to 356 campsites. This includes 160 serviced sites (electricity and water) and 205 unserviced sites.
The Blue Heron Campground offers mostly serviced sites, with a handful of unserviced sites as well as seasonal sites.
Riverview Campground offers only seasonal sites.
The Willows Campground offers mostly unserviced sites with a handful of serviced sites.
And lastly, the Island and Sulphur Creek Campgrounds only offer unservuced sites.
Campgrounds at a Glance
Byng Island Conservation Area
- 205 unserviced sites
- 160 serviced sites with water and 15/30 amp electrical
- 60 seasonal sites
Seasonal Campsites
Byng Island Conservation Area is home to 60 seasonal campsites spread out over two campgrounds.
As I mentioned earlier, these sites are located in both the Blue Heron and Riverview Campgrounds, and come electrical and water service. I am pretty sure that there were no sewer hookups, but I could be wrong about that.
But just a heads up, if you are interested in a seasonal site, you can only get them through a lottery system.
The lottery takes place every fall. You are given a list of available sites to choose from, and a random selection determines which one (if any) you will end up with.
Once you have been assigned a site for the first time, you then have the option to renew that site year after year.
It was obvious to us, walking through the campground, which seasonal sites were leased year after year!
Group Camping
Byng Island Conservation Area also offers 4 group camping sites that are located centrally in the park.
The sites have access to water taps, electricity, picnic tables and vault toilets. However, if you need to use the comfort stations, it may be a bit of a walk (or short drive).
The smallest of the group sites can hold between 24 and 48 people and includes a picnic pavilion.
The other three sites are larger, holding between 36 and 72 people.
Unlike provincial parks, all but the smallest of the group sites actually allows trailers. That said, you won’t find hookups for the trailers onsite.
Our Campsite Experience
During our visit to the Byng Island Conservation Area, we stayed in the Blue Heron Campground.
The campsite was absolutely HUGE!! Nellie looked so tiny sitting there! 🤣🤣
For the first time EVER, we were actually able to drive right into the site to park Nellie. Keep in mind, this was NOT a pull-through site!
And the only reason we did this, was to make sure that the hookups were on the correct side (they were to the left of the parking pad), so that we did not have to run hoses and electrical cords across the campsite.
‼️ Expert Tip: Before you book a campsite at a Conservation Area, take a really good look at the site photos. This will help you to determine which side the hookups are on. During one stay, we did not have a long enough hose to reach the water, and ended up needing to switch sites.
At least the hookups were right by the parking pad, so need to safari through a forest to find the pedestal (like at MacGregor Provincial Park)!
Our site had a level packed gravel pad, as well as plenty of mature trees to act as a buffer on at least two sides. It wasn’t very private, but we made it work.
And while many of the sites in this campground are not very private, we found it to be a lot better than what we had at Elora Gorge Conservation Area.
Our site was only about a 5-minute walk to the comfort station with showers.
There were also vault toilets in this campground, for those who were located furthest from the comfort station.
What Amenities Does Byng Island Conservation Area Offer?
Just like Ontario Provincial Parks, the Byng Island Conservation Area offers a variety of amenities.
Onsite Amenities – Quick List
- 365 campsites
- Showers and flush toilets
- Laundry
- Pool and splash pad
- Large picnic shelters
- Playgrounds
- Canoe & Kayak rentals
Comfort Stations
There are 4 comfort stations located throughout the park.
You will find a comfort station with a shower in the Blue Heron, Willows and Island Campgrounds.
A change house with flush toilets and showers is also located in the day-use area at the entrance to the pool.
We found the comfort stations to be clean and well kept.
I liked that the showers in the campgrounds were similar to those of provincial parks in that they were separate ‘rooms’ accessed from outside the comfort station.
In comparison, conservation areas like Conestogo or Albion Hills both had showers located inside the bathrooms.
Vault toilets are located throughout the conservation area. They were in pretty decent shape.
But at the end of the day, I am SOOO glad that our Teardrop Nellie has a bathroom!
Laundry
There are no laundry facilities available at Byng Island Conservation Area.
You will need to head into Dunnville if you are in need of a public laundromat.
Day Use Area
The day-use area at the Byng Island Conservation Area is actually quite nice.
Just a short drive from the main gate, the day-use area is large, with plenty of trees and green space.
You will find 4 large parking lots in the day-use area as well as picnic tables, the pool and splashpad, bathrooms and change house, as well as a beach volleyball court and playground.
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.
Concession Stand
There is a small concession stand located at the entrance to the pool and splash pad. The concession stand is seasonal and only open during pool hours.
Unfortunately, the snack bar does not sell any food or drinks. Instead, this is where you purchase tickets for the pool.
Apparently, the park stopped selling food at the concession stand a couple of years ago, but have not changed the signage. Sorry!
Picnic Pavilions
There is one main picnic pavilion located closest to the Willows campground area and boat launch.
The picnic pavilion is available for rent and must be booked through Byng Island’s online portal.
It comes equipped with picnic tables, garbage cans, and is located in close proximity to vault toilets and a playground.
There is a large parking lot located adjacent to the picnic pavillion.
Playground
For those families camping with littles, you will find pretty nice playgrounds in each of the campgrounds and in the day use area (near the pool and splashpad).
Not only are there swings and a variety of play structures, but if you have older children with you, there is also a recreational area with basketball volleyball nets.
Boat Launch
Two concrete boat launches can be found at Byng Island.
One provides access to the Grand River (above the Dunnville Dam) and is located nearest the Willows Campground.
The second boat ramp provides access to Lake Erie and can be found nearest to the Sulphur Creek Campground.
Motorboats are allowed and there is no horsepower limit in place.
What Services Does Byng Island Conservation Area Offer?
You will find all the usual camping services at Byng Island Conservation Area.
Water
There are two sanitation stations at Byng Island Conservation Area.
However, there is no water fill station at either location. In fact, I don’t think that there is a water fill station anywhere in this park.
Given that most sites are serviced (water and power), it really isn’t necessary.
I actually checked the non-serviced sites, and trailers are not allowed on them anyway.
Instead, you will find water taps located throughout the campgrounds, as well as in the day-use area.
And as I mentioned, there are water hookups in most of the individual campsites.
Dump Station
As I just mentioned, there are two sanitation areas in the park.
One is located next to the comfort station in the Blue Heron Campground, and the other is centrally located to the main campgrounds (nearest the boat launch).
Both sanitation station areas consist of a single lane with a single dump on the driver’s side.
Not sure how that would work if your tanks are located on your passenger side, as the lanes were quite narrow.
I’m guessing that these small sanitation stations might get busy at checkout time with trailers coming from all campgrounds.
Garbage and Recycling
Garbage and Recycling bins are located near the boat launch, as well close to the comfort station in the Blue Heron Campground.
You will also find several garbage bins conveniently located throughout the park.
Wi-Fi
We found that Byng Island Conservation Area had very spotty cell and inconsistent service throughout most of the park.
While I was able to make calls from my campsite and send texts, I wasn’t able to browse online consistently.
Things to Do at Byng Island Conservation Area
If, like me, you enjoy getting out and experiencing all that a park has to offer, you’ll be happy to know that the Byng Island Conservation Area has a variety of activities to keep everyone occupied.
1. Enjoy a Bike Ride
While there are no dedicated bike paths within the Conservation Area, bikes are welcome on most of the campground roads.
As I mentioned before, the main road is paved but a little bumpy, so don’t expect the smoothest of rides.
That said, we saw plenty of families riding their bikes through the smaller campground roads.
And while John and I did have our bikes with us, we chose to spend most of our time relaxing by the pool!
2. Make a Splash
My teens absolutely LOVED visiting the pool at Byng Island Conservation Area, and honestly, I can’t blame them!
The almost 2 acre swimming pools has a deep end for swimming, a shallow end for wading, a diving board, and a gradual entry so even young kids can splash and play at the waters edge.
Of course, for the littles, there is also a pretty great splash pad conveniently located next to the pool, with several awesome spray and splash features.
There are lifeguards on duty. And while there are no types of inflatables allowed in the pool, you can either borrow or bring your own PFD to wear.
3. Try Your Hand at Fishing
Byng Island Conservation Area is an awesome place to try your hand at fishing.
You can go after more than 20 species in the Grand River and Lake Erie including walleye, pike, rainbow trout, bass, salmon channel catfish and more.
Just keep in mind that you need a fishing license and should be aware of the fishing rules and regulations for recreational fishing in Ontario.
4. Go Canoeing
Byng Island is a great place to go for a paddle.
Kayaks, double kayaks, canoes and paddle boats are all available to rent at the small kiosk located by the boat launch (nearest the Willows Campground).
Because John and I didn’t have the chance to go for a paddle, I really can’t comment about what kind of experience you might have.
That said, we saw a few families with young children out in canoes, and the water seemed really calm.
5. Enjoy a Hike
Byng Island offers a trail system with 3 different loops including the Creekside Trail, Carolinian Trail and the Pines Trail, with a total combined length of 2.0 km.
The trails were pretty easy to navigate and did not require too much of a time commitment.
The terrain was mostly flat with grassy sections and some muddy areas.
Bothe the Creekside and Pine Trails had parking lots attached to the trail heads, making it convenient to jump on the trail.
The Carolinian Trail could be accessed just off the road leading to the Blue Heron Campground.
It’s not as obvious to find, and I walked past it a couple of times before I realized that it was an actual trail!
All three trails link together, so technically, you could complete them in one 2 km loop.
Is Byng Island Conservation Area Accessible?
We found the comfort stations at the Byng Island Conservation Area to be accessible.
They allowed for barrier-free access to both flush toilets and showers.
The pool, splash pad and pool house were also barrier free.
On the other hand, during our walks through the campgrounds, we did not notice any designated barrier-free campsites.
Are Pets Allowed at Byng Island Conservation Area?
Yes. Dogs are welcome at Byng Island Conservation Area.
Pets are allowed at the campground, on the trails, and in the day-use area, but must be leashed at all times.
The leash must also be under 2 metres long.
Dogs are not allowed in the Pool or Splash Pad area.
Is There Winter Camping at Byng Island Conservation Area?
Unfortunately no. The Byng Island Conservation Area is not open for winter camping.
The conservation area closes for the winter season, which means that there are also no winter sports like snowshoeing or cross-country skiing allowed in the park.
Our Park Rating
We give this park 4 out of 5 stars for having:
Final Thoughts
John and I had a really great time at the Byng Island Conservation Area and can’t wait to go back.
We really enjoyed the awesome swimming pool, large treed campsites and the water/electric hookups at our campsite.
Our next trip to Byng Island was booked before we left the park!
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More Campground Reviews:
- Elora Gorge Conservation Area Review & Campground Guide
- Byng Island Conservation Area Review & Campground Guide
