Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park Photo: Kristopher Kinsinger kkinsinger / CC0
Canada › Ontario

Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park

ByWilderness Experts

Fast facts

  • Designation: a signature site park
  • Size: about 145 square miles (375 km²)
  • Routes: six canoe routes for beginners to experienced paddlers
  • Gateway: Peterborough, and the park office in Bancroft
  • Managed by: Ontario Parks

The landscape

Kawartha Highlands lies on the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, a rolling landscape of small lakes, wetlands, forests and bare rocky barrens. It is semi-wilderness within easy reach of southern Ontario’s cities, with dark night skies. Loons, beavers, black bears and white-tailed deer are common, and the barrens are home to rare turtles and snakes.

Best time to go

The park is open year-round, but canoe camping runs from May to October. Summer weekends are busy. September is quieter, with colour and fewer bugs. Winter visits are for experienced winter campers only.

We have no photo gallery for Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park yet. If you have been, share a photo and we will credit you.Sign in to share a photo

Getting there and around

Several access points sit off Highway 28 north of Peterborough and other local roads. Each has limited parking and facilities, so arrive with your permit and plan. From there, paddlers follow the canoe routes to reserved campsites across a web of small lakes and portages.

Things to do

Canoe camping is the main activity, from a first overnight close to an access point to multi-day loops through the park’s interior. A few short hiking trails, fishing for bass and pike, and stargazing fill out a trip.

Staying safe

Ontario Parks asks visitors to use life jackets, plan their trip and be ready for uneven backcountry terrain. Wind can build quickly on the larger lakes. Portages are rocky and can be wet. Black bears are present, so store food properly. In severe weather, campsites marked with a blue “Emergency Use Only” sign can be used temporarily; notify park staff as soon as you can.

Know before you go

Parking at access points is limited, and cans and glass bottles are banned. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm reservations, fire bans and access-point conditions with Ontario Parks before you go.

Navigation
Coordinates
44.7075, -78.2408
Magnetic declination
11.0° W (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

82 places in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park

A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.

Getting there 1

Airstrip

On the trail 41

Trailhead

Campgrounds

Sights 40

Lakes

Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).

Trip types
Weekend backpackingCanoeing & kayakingBackcountryStargazing

Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →

Terrain
LakesForestWetlands
Key hazards
Wind on open lakesCold water in spring and fallBlack bearsRough portages and uneven terrainTicks
Best seasons
Summer, Early fall
Difficulty
Easy to moderate
Access / trailheads
Access points off Highway 28 north of Peterborough, and off Highway 507 and county roads, all with limited facilities and parking.
Water
Lakes; filter or treat all water.
Cell / satellite coverage
Patchy. Carry a map and a satellite messenger.
Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
Emergencies: 911 (Ontario Provincial Police lead search and rescue).
Permits & regulations
Backcountry campsites are reserved by site. Interior permits can be printed at home within 14 days of arrival or picked up at the park office in Bancroft. Cans and glass bottles are banned.
Leave No Trace
Camp only on reserved sites, pack out everything (no cans or bottles), store food from bears, and stick to designated portages.
Conditions by month

October This month

Average high56°F(13°C)13°C(56°F)
Average low38°F(3°C)3°C(38°F)
Rainfall3 in(76 mm)76 mm(3 in)
Daylight, mid-month11 h 3 minSunrise 7:27 a.m., sunset 6:30 p.m.

What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.

Plan a trip here →

Averages for 1981–2010 from Environment Canada climate normals, measured at the Peterborough Trent U station, 22 miles (36 km)36 km (22 miles) away at 650 feet (198 m)198 m (650 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.

Before you go Conditions, permits, fire bans and closures change constantly — we summarise and link out, but always confirm with the managing agency first.
Official park website → Last verified 2026-09-21

Nearby parks

Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.

Looking for somewhere closer to home?
See every park and monument within a day’s drive of where you are.

Destinations near me →