Elora Gorge Conservation Area Review & Campground Guide
Is the Elora Gorge Conservation Area on your must-visit list? If not, you may want to reconsider!
The Elora Gorge Conservation Area is located just 115 km west of Toronto, adjacent to the gorgeous town of Elora.
Elora is one of my favourite places in Ontario to visit.
So, you can imagine that I was super excited to spend some time in town AND then head back to my own accommodations in the campground!
The conservation area is known for its scenic hiking trails along the gorge and for the awesome opportunity to go tubing on the river.
In this guide, I’ll share what makes the park special, what you can do here in every season, and tips for camping at the park’s campgrounds.
Pros and Cons of Elora Gorge Conservation Area – Quick Guide
If you are in a hurry, here’s a quick list of the pros and cons of Elora Gorge Conservation Area:
Things We Liked
Things We Did Not Like
Elora Gorge Conservation Area Reservations – What You Need to Know Before You Go
Making a reservation to camp at Elora Gorge 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 Elora Gorge Conservation Area later in the season and had no problems getting a fully serviced site.
Our visit took place in September, however, so I can’t speak to the popularity in prime summer months.
Elora Gorge Conservation Area is open for camping from May 1st to October 15.
Elora Gorge Conservation Area Address:
7400 Wellington County Rd 21, Elora, ON N0B 1S0
https://www.grandriver.ca/outdoor-recreation/conservation-areas/elora-gorge/
Arriving at the Park
There are two entrances to the Elora Gorge Conservation Area.
The main entrance is off Wellington County Road and will take you to the day-use area as well as Campgrounds A, B, and C.
The second entrance (North Entrance) is off Middlebrook Road and provides access to Campgrounds D, E, F, G, H and I.
Both entrances have a small gatehouse where you will need to check in with park staff.
They will provide you with your permits, a printed map, and a barcode that you will need to scan to get into the park after hours.
In fact, we were only able to check in and grab a printed map there.
You can also purchase firewood and ice at the gatehouse.
We arrived just before the 2 o’clock check-in time and were able to head straight to our site.
Elora Gorge Conservation Area Maps
Navigating the Park
We found that while the park is pretty big, the Elora Gorge Conservation Area was really easy to navigate.
Not only were there enough large signs to help you find your way around, but there really is only one major road that weaves its way through the park.
There were also many smaller signs at every one of the smaller campground roads, which told you the campsite numbers that you would find there.
I think the only time that we were a little uncertain was when crossing the bridge over the Grand River near the Tubing Exit.
It’s a very tight bridge, and there were people with tubes standing on it, so we were unsure if it was open to vehicular traffic.
Once everyone moved, we were able to safely drive over the single-lane bridge.
I really liked the fact that all park roads were paved and smooth, including those in the campgrounds.
Parking
From what we saw, the parking lots located throughout the park are more than sufficient in size.
There were large parking lots at both the Gatehouses, at the entrance and exit of the Tubing area, as well as in the day-use area.
The Concession Stand and Tube Rental building also had its own parking lots, as well as one at the comfort stations, and a few near the campgrounds (though they were quite small).
Elora Gorge Conservation Area Camping
Elora Gorge 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, those with electric and water service, as well as sites with full service (water, electric, and sewer).
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.
Elora Gorge Conservation Area has 9 main campgrounds – A to I.
All in all, Elora Gorge Conservation Area is home to 450 campsites.
Campgrounds A, B, D, E, G, and H offer only unserviced sites.
While Campgrounds C and F offer sites with either electric or water and electric service, Campground I is the only one with fully serviced sites.
⛺ Insider Tip – According to the Grand River Conservation Area’s booking portal, Campground D and Campground E1 (campsites 246 to 320) are no longer available, even though they show up on the map. When John and I walked through this area, the campsite markers, picnic tables, and fire pits had all been removed.
Campground at a Glance
Elora Gorge Conservation Area
- 250 unserviced sites
- 130 serviced sites with water and 15/30 amp electrical
- 20 serviced sites with 15 amp electrical
- 60 fully serviced sites with water, 15/30 amp electrical and sewer
Seasonal Campsites
Elora Gorge Conservation Area is home to several seasonal campsites.
These sites are located in Campground I, and come complete with full services.
The website also claims that some seasonal sites only have water and electricity, but it’s unclear as to where these are located.
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
Elora Gorge Conservation Area also offers 4 group camping sites located in Campground G.
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.
Unfortunately, the group sites are not located centrally in the park.
They can be found furthest from the North Entrance, nearest to the Tube Launch area.
Our Campsite Experience
During our visit to the Elora Gorge Conservation Area, we stayed in Campground I.
The campsite was a good size, with a level packed gravel pad, and had plenty of mature trees in back as a buffer.
The water, electrical and sewer were conveniently located at the far right side of the parking pad, which was perfect!
No need to safari through a forest to find the pedestal (like at MacGregor Provincial Park)!
Because our Teardrop Nellie is so small, however, we actually couldn’t reach the sewer with our single (stinky) slinky.
We ended up having to back her up all the way to the end of the pad to make the hose reach.
Note to self – don’t forget the second hose at home! 🙄
Another small annoyance that we were faced with was that our site (aside from the pad) was pretty sloped.
This limited where we could set up our outdoor table and chairs.
Just a heads up, though, the sites in this campground are not private at all.
Similar to most privately owned campgrounds, there were no trees or shrubs between campsites. Just rows of sites that look like a parking lot.
If this isn’t appealing, our recommendation would be to stay in Campgrounds E or F, where many of the sites are really private.
The only trade-off is that you won’t have a sewer hookup.
As busy as this looks, I was quite surprised by how quiet the campground actually was!
It was about a 5-minute walk to the comfort station with showers.
There were no vault toilets in this campground, which makes sense as most trailers needing sewer service have toilets.
One last thing that I wanted to mention about this campground is that we encountered some Biting Midges (also called No-see-ums).
These tiny little flies can barely be seen, but when they bite, it feels like someone jabbing you with a sewing needle!
This was a first for me! John and I ended up eating indoors. But beware – they are small enough to fit through some screens!
What Amenities Does Elora Gorge Conservation Area Offer?
Just like Ontario Provincial Parks, the Elora Gorge Conservation Area offers a variety of amenities.
Onsite Amenities – Quick List
- 450 campsites
- Showers and flush toilets
- Concession Stand
- Tubing with rentals
- Large picnic shelter
- Splash Pad
- Playground & sports fields
Comfort Stations
There are several comfort stations located throughout the park.
You will find a comfort station with a shower at the Tube Registration Building, one between Campgrounds A and B, one at the North Entrance adjacent to Campground I, and one between Campgrounds E and F.
A comfort station with flush toilets is also located in the day-use area near the splash pad.
Unfortunately, we found the comfort stations to be in varying degrees of cleanliness.
The comfort station and showers in Campground I were older, but clean.
The one between E and F and the one between A and B were both in pretty rough shape during our visit.
🚿 Expert Tip – The showers in this conservation area are all coin-operated! The cost is 25 cents for 5 minutes. Make sure you bring some quarters! We did not see this posted anywhere in the campground or on the website, so it was a big surprise for us.
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 located in the Conservation Area. You would need to head into the nearby town of Fergus to use a laundromat.
Day Use Area
The day-use area at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area is actually quite nice.
Accessible from the Main Gate, the day-use area is large, with plenty of trees and green space.
You will find 3 large parking lots in the day-use area as well as a comfort station, picnic tables, picnic pavilions, the splash pad, and the trailhead to the scenic lookouts and famous “Hole in the Rock”.
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
The Concession Stand is located adjacent to Campground A and a short distance from the Main Entrance.
Hot food (hamburgers, French fries, etc.), soft drinks and snacks are available for purchase.
Tube Registration Building
The Tube Registration Building is located right next to the Concession Stand.
This is where you can get your wristband for tubing and pick up/drop off all equipment like tubes, helmets and lifejackets.
You will find showers, a bathroom, a change area, and a large parking lot here as well.
Picnic Pavilions
There are three picnic pavilions located in the day-use area at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area.
Two, the Splash Pad Pavilion and the Pines Pavilion, are located near the splash pad and bathrooms.
These are available on a first-come-first-served basis and can be shared by several families.
The Kay Marston Pavilion is located adjacent to the baseball diamond and Campground A.
This pavilion, which also has washrooms, must be rented and can accommodate about 200 people.
The pavilion can also be split into two sections and rented out separately, each half accommodating about 100 people.
Playground
For those families camping with littles, you will find a really great playground adjacent to Campground F.
Not only are there swings and a variety of play structures, but there is also a nice green space to play in.
What Services Does Elora Gorge Conservation Area Offer?
You will find all the usual camping services at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area.
Water
There are three sanitation stations at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area.
One is located between Campgrounds B and C, one is located near Campground F, and the last is located just outside of Campground I.
All three have water fill stations.
However, you will not find the usual style of fill station like you would at Ontario Provincial Parks.
Instead, you will find a single regular water tap located in the sanitation loop.
Each is located on the passenger side.
You will find water taps located throughout the campgrounds, as well as in the day-use area.
There are also water hookups in the individual campsites in Campgrounds C, F, and I.
Dump Station
While there are three sanitation areas in the park, only two have trailer dumps in the loop.
We noticed that the sanitation loop near Campground F did not have a trailer dump area (only a water tap and garbage bins).
The sanitation station between Campground B and C has a single lane with one dump station.
The sanitation station near Campground I had two lanes with one dump station in each lane. One was located on the driver’s side, and the other on the passenger side.
While Campground I has full-service sites, this sanitation station might get busy at checkout time with trailers coming from the other campgrounds.
Garbage and Recycling
Garbage and Recycling bins are located in each of the sanitation stations.
You will also find several garbage bins conveniently located throughout the park.
Wi-Fi
The Elora Gorge Conservation Area has excellent cell service pretty much anywhere in the park.
Not only was I able to make calls and send texts, I was also able to work on this very blog post while at our campsite!
Things to Do at Elora Gorge 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 Elora Gorge 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.
And as I mentioned before, the roads are paved and smooth, so awesome for all ages to bike on.
Of course, if you are looking for something a little more scenic, you can access the Elora Cataract Trailway from within the town of Elora.
The 47-kilometre Elora Cataract Trailway links the Grand and Credit watersheds and follows the old Canadian Pacific railroad bed.
The trail runs from east of Elora, through the historic community of Fergus and past Belwood Lake to the Forks of Credit Provincial Park at Cataract.
Just a heads up, a few parts of the trail run on the roadway through towns, so if you are biking with younger kids, you may want to keep this in mind.
2. Go Tubing
Tubing is definitely a great reason to camp at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area, especially if you have kids in tow!
Tubing usually runs from late June through September, with tickets being booked solely online in advance.
You can rent gear or bring your own (no pool floaties, obviously), but helmets and life jackets are mandatory.
Rentals include the tube, PFD, and helmet, though you’ll also need to pay a refundable deposit.
The run takes you down the Grand River past limestone cliffs and small rapids.
Kids need to be at least 122 cm tall, and an adult must go with them.
Just a heads up, expect a 1.3 km walk back along the road after your ride, so wear proper footwear.
The river can be cold, but it definitely looks like a ton of fun!
3. Make a Splash
My kids absolutely LOVED visiting the splash pad at Elora Gorge Conservation Area when they were little.
The 195-square-metre splash pad has 18 awesome spray and splash features to keep kids cool on a hot summer day.
The splash pad is conveniently located in the day-use area, near washrooms, parking, and the picnic pavilion.
4. Try Your Hand at Fishing
The Grand River is an awesome place to try your hand at fishing.
The stretch of river between Fergus and West Montrose, which includes the Elora Gorge, is one of the best brown trout fisheries in North America.
Because the part of the river that goes through the Elora Gorge is relatively shallow, most people choose to wade in the river or fish from shore.
Just a heads up, the river is rocky and slippery in some areas.
Also, keep in mind that you need a fishing license and should be aware of the fishing rules and regulations for recreational fishing in Ontario.
5. Go Canoeing
While the part of the Grand River that runs through the gorge may be too challenging for canoeing, you can head over to the lower end of the conservation area and the Low Level Bridge for a trip downstream.
This scenic and much calmer section of the river will take you towards West Montrose (and the famous covered bridge), Waterloo and Kitchener.
You can also choose to head into Elora and canoe a small stretch of the Grand River from the falls in Bissell Park to the Downtown Bridge near the Elora Mill.
There are even kayak and canoe rentals in town if you didn’t bring your own.
And because this part of the river is super calm, it would be a great activity for families with younger kids.
6. Enjoy a Hike
The Elora Gorge Conservation Area is home to several kilometres of hiking trails.
The two trails located inside the conservation area are quite nice, and for the most part, are very easy to manage.
The trailheads are located inside the park, and the signs pointing to them are easy to spot.
You will find parking at both trailheads.
And if you want to explore a few more trails, you can find some that start in and around downtown Elora.
Elora Gorge Trail
- Length: 4.7 km (loop)
- Duration: 1 – 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: Easy
This is a fantastic trail to walk in the summer in order to get out of the heat, or in the fall to see the awesome foliage.
The Elora Gorge Trail can be started at the Kay Marston Pavilion parking lot.
Head to the High Level Bridge, where the route follows the Grand River, with views of cliffs, forest, and sometimes even people tubing or kayaking below.
The path is mostly flat and well-kept, with just a few short hills.
There are some rocky spots and tree roots, but we felt that it was still manageable for all ages.
The trail is unmarked, but it wasn’t too hard to follow along the fenceline of the gorge, with a few areas requiring you to walk on the campground roads.
Elora Gorge and Hole in the Rock Lookout
- Length: 2.9 km (loop)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Difficulty: Easy
We did this trail with the kids a few years back.
And while it does touch on the Elora Gorge Trail, I really did like the viewpoints at the beginning of this trail.
The Trailhead for this hike can be found off the parking lot closest to the Pines Pavilion in the day-use area.
At the start of the hike, you will find the iconic Hole in the Wall.
A staircase will take you partway down the gorge and through an opening in the rock to a small viewing platform.
Right beside it, you will find a huge tree with its roots exposed. We couldn’t resist stopping for a photo.
The view from the platform was mostly blocked by trees, but we did watch a family launching their tubes into the river.
Expect this spot to be crowded since it’s close to parking and the picnic area.
But once you move past it, the trail becomes much quieter.
Crossing the High Level Bridge will give you one of the best views of the gorge from above.
Once on the other side, the path turned into a paved road because the fence-side trail wasn’t maintained.
By the end of the loop, you end up crossing back over the river to rejoin the main trail pretty close to where you started.
7. Explore the Town of Elora
As I mentioned earlier, the town of Elora is one of my favourite small towns to visit in Ontario.
Not only are there a ton of things to see, taste and do in Elora, but it’s a great place for families with kids of all ages.
In fact, we have been taking the kids here since they were little, and as teens, they STILL look forward to visiting.
And given that the town is only a 5-minute drive from the campground, there really is no excuse for not stopping in.
From quaint little boutiques, amazing restaurants and cafes, a small movie theatre, and incredible events and markets, Elora is amazing no matter what time of the year you visit, and no matter what your interests are.
Is Elora Gorge Conservation Area Accessible?
We found the comfort stations at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area to be accessible.
They allowed for barrier-free access to both flush toilets and showers.
While the Concession stand was also barrier-free, the Tubing Registration was not.
During our walks through the campgrounds, we also did not notice any designated barrier-free campsites.
Are Pets Allowed at Elora Gorge Conservation Area?
Yes. Dogs are welcome at Elora Gorge 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 Splash Pad area.
Is There Winter Camping at Elora Gorge Conservation Area?
Unfortunately no. The Elora Gorge 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 Elora Gorge Conservation Area and can’t wait to go back.
We really enjoyed the awesome hiking and biking trails and the full hookups at our campsite.
We also loved the fact that we were close to town, so we could enjoy all that beautiful Elora has to offer.
Our only regrets were that we didn’t book a longer stay, and we didn’t get to go tubing!
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