The Group of Seven painted extensively around the Killarney Provincial Park, so it is not a surprise that Killarney Provincial Park is the "crown jewel" of the Ontario Parks system.
The scenery at Killarney Provincial Park is breathtaking. The George Lake is exceptionally clear and unpolluted likely due to the fact that Killarney is classified as a wilderness park under the Ontario Parks system. The mountains are just as beautiful, showcasing the wild Georgian Bay Coast of pink granite and the La Cloche Mountains' white quartzite ridges. Please let me assure you that words do not do the beauty of this park justice.
Killarney is primarily a backcountry park with a network of maintained portages, hiking trails and campsites. It has 218 backcountry campsites and 128 car camping campsites. There are 3 car camping campgrounds: George Lake A, George Lake B&C and George Lake D. There is only 1 comfort station offering hot showers, flush toilets and a laundry mat. It is located within the George Lake B&C campground. All the campsites that are close to the beautiful water are far away from the comfort centre. Please be prepared to drive to the comfort centre to shower. There are outpost flush toilets all around the campgrounds.
It is a lot of fun to hike in Killarney. There are 6 hiking trails:
- La Cloche Silhouette Trail is a loop trail that is 80km long. It is mainly for backpacking.
- The Crack is a linear trail that is 3km long one way, so the whole trail is 6km round trip. It is rated as a difficult trail. As a matter of fact, calling it a trail is pushing it. The first 2km is flat and the last 1km is semi-rock climbing. I had to use my hands to climb down on the return trip.
- The other 4 trails range from 2km to 4km long. They are rated from moderate to difficult.
A camping trip to Killarney will not be completed without exploring the beauty of George Lake. Canoeing and kayaking is a breeze here because the lake is relatively calm except under bad weather. The scenary is, as mentioned, breathtaking. Even if you don't usually do water sports, I highly recommend doing it for a morning. There are outfitter stores that rent canoes and kayaks, and they post ads on board and park newsletters. Many people enjoy the small beach as the water is clear. Fishing is also a popular activity.
If you love camping, you won't regret the long drive from Toronto to Killarney. Site reservation can be done via internet and by phone. It is exceptionally difficult to get a site. I usually resort to camping during midweek instead of during weekend. read more