Rideau River Provincial Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Situated on the historic Rideau Waterway and featuring beautiful campsites equipped with different amenities to give RV vacationers the ultimate camping experience, Rideau River Provincial Park is a wonderful destination for RV camping holidays. Located 40 km (25 miles) south of Ottawa, along Highway 5, Ontario, this provincial park offers amazing recreational opportunities for RV campers of all ages including boating and canoeing on Rideau River, hiking along the Shoreline Trail, fishing for walleye, muskie, and bass, bird watching, swimming, photography, wildlife viewing, Discovery Program, and many more.
Facilities and amenities for RV campers to enjoy/use at Rideau River Provincial Park include RV campsites with electric hookups, restrooms with showers, water taps, pit/vault toilets, laundry facilities, garbage station, wheelchair accessible areas, playground, dump station, firewood, picnic areas and shelter, boat launch, telephone, swimming beach, changing houses, cabins, group sites, and parking lots.
Rideau River Provincial Park, established in 1963, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located at a height of 89 m (292 ft) above sea level.
Due to its proximity to Ottawa, Rideau River Provincial Park is a great base for exploring Canada's capital city.
RV Rentals in Rideau River Provincial Park
Transportation
Driving
Located 40 km (25 miles) south of Ottawa, along Highway 5, Rideau River Provincial Park is a simple drive-in park easy to access by RVs, trailers, and other motorized vehicles. The roads within the park are paved, so RV campers can get around the park easily and access the various sites of interest without difficulty. There are no driving restrictions within Rideau River Provincial Park.
Parking
There are six parking areas in Rideau River Provincial Park, so RV campers have options for parking their rigs while on vacation at the park. Two parking areas are located around the East Campground, one at the camp cabin site in the southwestern end of the park, and three at the group campsites in the northeastern part of the park. Overnight parking is available for RV campers at the park.
Public Transportation
There are no direct public transportation services to Rideau River Provincial Park.
Campgrounds and parking in Rideau River Provincial Park
Campsites in Rideau River Provincial Park
Reservations camping
West Campground
West Campground in Rideau River Provincial Park features 85 pet-friendly campsites available for RVs and tents. One campsite in the campground is equipped with electric hookups for RVs, while 84 campsites do not have RV hookups. RV length limit in the campground is 25 ft (8 m). Amenities in the campground include water taps, pit/vault toilets, restrooms with showers, wheelchair accessible areas, and garbage station.
East Campground
East Campground in Rideau River Provincial Park features 101 pet-friendly campsites available for RVs and tents. 76 campsites in the campground are equipped with electric hookups for RVs, while 26 campsites do not have RV hookups. RV length limit in the campground is 32 ft (10 m). Amenities in the campground include water taps, pit/vault toilets, restrooms with showers, laundry facilities, garbage station, wheelchair accessible areas, playground, dump station, access to trailheads and waterfront, and parking lots.
Seasonal activities in Rideau River Provincial Park
Off-Season
Discovery Program
Rideau River Provincial Park offers a Discovery Drop-in program for RV campers to enjoy while on vacation at the park. Through the program, campers get to use various materials and equipment to explore the park, discover the natural features of the park, and observe the flora and fauna in the park.
Swimming
Located next to the East campground in Rideau River Provincial Park is the Main Beach, a sandy beach available for RV campers to take a dip and enjoy the park’s waters. The swimming area in the beach is marked with buoys. No lifeguards are available at the beach, however, amenities such as picnic tables, picnic shelter, flush toilets, and change rooms are available.
Birding
Waterfowl, osprey, and Great Blue Herons are bird species that are commonly seen in Rideau River Provincial Park along the banks of the river. As a result, bird lovers take a stroll along the shores of Rideau River with or without their binoculars to enjoy the sight of these beautiful bird species in the park.
In-Season
Fishing
Rideau River Provincial Park is very popular among RV campers that love to angle for muskie. At the park, RV campers are also offered good opportunities to catch other fish species like bass, panfish, and walleye. Moreover, at the Park Office, there’s a fishing rod and reel loaner program called Tackleshare that RV campers can participate in to enhance their fishing experience at Rideau River Provincial Park.
Hiking
Hiking in Rideau River Provincial Park is an activity well loved by RV campers. No RV camper misses out on the opportunity to hike on 1.5 km (0.9 mile) linear and easy Shoreline Trail along which wildlife such as frogs, turtles and Great Blue Herons can be seen by the river banks. In addition, campers enjoy cycling in the park. Although there are no dedicated bicycle trails in the park, cycling is permitted on the park’s roadways.
Boating/Canoeing
Rideau River Provincial Park offers interesting boating and canoeing opportunities for RV campers across many fascinating points of interest to explore in the park. Boaters in the park can venture upstream on Rideau River to Burritts Rapids lockstation, or downstream to Long Reach lockstation, enjoying the trip to, and adventure through the locks. Besides, paddling on the Rideau offers many amazing exploration opportunities, such as a 7 km (4 mile) paddle up Kemptville Creek. There are lots of paddling routes within and near the park for RV campers to explore on their canoes and kayaks at the park.
