Missinaibi Provincial Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Located within the largest wildlife preserve in the world and featuring large lakes, scenic waterfalls and awesome whitewater, Missinaibi Provincial Park is an RV lover's hidden gem in northern Ontario. The area in and around Missinaibi Provincial Park has significant Indigenous roots with the fur trade and logging all occurring within the park. The history of the park is also still on display thanks to over 100 Indigenous pictographs at the Fairy Point site on Missinaibi Lake.
The park is mostly known for being part of the Chapleau Crown Game Preserve, which is the world’s largest wildlife preserve. There are so many natural features in the park and thanks to its 500 acre size you will have endless opportunities to explore the park via hiking or canoe trails. Missinaibi Lake is also a fantastic fishing destination and there are unparalleled opportunities for lake trout, walleye and northern pike. Other popular recreational activities include birding, boating, hunting and swimming.
Despite the park being very large, there is only one small campground that is available for RV lovers to call home during their trip to the park. The campground has 35 sites, is quite primitive and does not have electrical hookups, water hookups or flushing toilets. Since the campground is so small we recommend you reserve a site before you arrive. Peak season at Missiniabi Provincial Park runs from May until October.
RV Rentals in Missinaibi Provincial Park
Transportation
Driving
Missinaibi Provincial Park is located in northern Ontario in a very remote area of the Provence. The main entrance to the park is located in the town of Chapleu and features one entry and exit point that is serviced by a local street.
One of the great things about visiting Missinaibi Provincial Park is that it is super remote. However, this can also present its own challenges. It's advisable to stock up on the supplies and amenities you will need to enjoy your stay at the park before you start your drive to the park as there are no cities located off ON-101. Besides Chapleu there are no other towns located nearby and you will have to travel around 62 miles (100km) to make it to Foleyet. The closest city is even further, with Sault Ste. Marie being over 228 miles (368 km) to the south-west.
To access the park you will have to travel for 50 miles (80km) along a gravel logging road to the north of Chapleau which might be too much for larger RV's. One of the great things about staying in the park is that if you run out of supplies you can call ahead to the park office and they will bring what they can in to you the following day when they make it to the camp.During the winter the park does close as the snowfall is extremely heavy. If you want to visit the park near the off season we recommend calling ahead to make sure it is still open as it is a very long way to drive to find out that you can't access the park!
Parking
There is plenty of parking available at Missinaibi Provincial Park.
Public Transportation
There are no public transport options to take you to Missinaibi Provincial Park.
Campgrounds and parking in Missinaibi Provincial Park
Campsites in Missinaibi Provincial Park
Alternate camping
Barclay Bay Campground
The Barclay Bay Campground is the only RV-friendly campground within Missinaibi Provincial Park and was built in a fantastic location right near the most popular beach within the park. The campground is known to be very primitive yet well maintained and features a total of 35 RV sites.
None of the sites at Barclay Bay Campground are equipped with any services and those in the campground are also quite limited. There are no hot showers, flushable toilets or playground and the park office is located over a mile away. Despite this you do have pit toilets, a dump station and the lake to cool off in if you need to wash yourself. The campground is also pet friendly but you may struggle to get cell phone service on all of the major providers within the campground due to its remoteness.
Since the campground is quite small we recommend that you book a reservation in advance before you begin your journey to the park. If you don't book a reservation there still may be sites available on a first come, first served basis but we would advise against taking that risk since the park is so far out of the way. During the winter time the campground is closed so camping is available from May until October.
Seasonal activities in Missinaibi Provincial Park
In-Season
Swimming
There is no better way to spend a hot summer day than by cooling off at the park in the pristine waters of Missinaibi Lake. Since the lake is so large there is an endless amount of spots to explore that you can swim in, however if you are looking for the easiest place to swim we recommend the uncrowded sandy beach within The Barclay Bay Campground. Here you will have room to sunbathe, walk along the beach or just relax at once you have finished your swim. Please note that there are no lifeguards on duty at the park so swim to your abilities.
Boating
As you could imagine with a lake so large that boating would be a very popular activity. Motorboats are allowed on Missinaibi Lake and they are also permitted seasonally on some sections of the river. The park is also a big canoeing destination with multiple trails for you to explore throughout the waters. The Missinaibi River itself is one of the longest and most famous of the canoe routes in the Hudson Bay watershed so you should take a look for yourself at how cool it is. Please note that there are rentals available but you need to contact the park before you arrive in order to book them.
Picnicking
Another popular summer activity at Missinaibi Provincial Park is to pack a picnic and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of the lake. The sandy beach area within the Barclay Bay Campground is a fantastic spot for a picnic and we recommend choosing a spot here if you want to picnic. Since the park is so remote there are none of the usual picnic facilities such as BBQs and shelters so your picnic will be a more primitive experience.
Off-Season
Fishing
If you love to fish then trust me, you will love your stay at Missinaibi Provincial Park. The lake is known to be an incredible fishing destination that attracts people from all over (some even flying in!) to try their luck at landing the big one. Throughout the year you can expect to find species such as walleye, northern pike, lake whitefish and small-mouth bass and also some lake trout due to the deep, cold waters of the lake. There are no fishing supplies available at the park so remember to pack your own if you want to cast out a line.
Hiking
With a park so large it is no surprise that there are many hiking trails available for you to explore during your stay. The most popular trail is the Borasso Logging Camp Trail. Here you can visit the remnants of a logging camp that operated in Baltic Bay back in the 1950s. Please note that to access this trail you will have to canoe for some parts so it is not recommended for those who do not have a watercraft.
Birding
Bird lovers will be pleased to know that The Missinaibi River flows through the boreal forest, which is known worldwide as the”Songbird Nursery” of North America. In spring and summer you can expect the boreal forest to be brimming with birds that are raising their young, including warblers and flycatchers. You really shouldn't miss this chance as it is one of the best places to see and hear all of these birds in their breeding colors, and singing their territorial songs.
