Bon Echo Provincial Park Jun 16-20, 2012

We really enjoyed our trip to Bon Echo.  We arrived on a Saturday and on Sunday, many campers left.  It was very quiet and peaceful.  We were camped in the Fairway area.  Our site was #381 and although on a corner we had lots of privacy.  It was large and level and near enough to a water tap that we could fill our unit with water using our hose.  Bonus!   Hildebrandts were across the road and down a bit in site #380 and although their site was lower, they were happy with it.  It was quite close to the comfort station.  Curtises were in #298, again a corner site but with some creativity, they situated the motorhome to give themselves lots of privacy.  Pauline was happy with her 2 hammock trees and even Fred (the tree) did not interfere with the awning....very close!
Other good sites in that area are 399,397, 379,378 (a bit low),376,377, 382.  Despite the time of year there were few mosquitoes and we did not even need our dining tent.  Lots of red eyed vireos.
Other good sites in the same camping area (Fairway), are 304,306,308,309,317,318(Curtis),320, 321,289,290,292.  For whatever reason, there seemed to be more mosquitoes in this area which is closer to the a river and the lake.

One day we had a visitor to our site (I had left out the garbage in a bag on the tree)

I also looked at some sites in the Sawmill Bay camping area and found some nice ones - 106, 107,130,131,132.  These are all pull through sites.  The only disadvantage is that they back on the main road exiting the park and therefore might be rather busy, and noisy.  Especially site 132.

Bass Lake Provincial Park

Bass Lake Provincial Park - August 13-17, 2012

This is an ok park located just west of Orillia and on Bass Lake.  There are three campground areas - Lakeview, Hilltop and Eastside.  There is a lovely beach area with a small playground.  Unfortunately these are located down a hilly area and hence we drove. 

We were camped in Eastside. 

 

Our site was # 33 and other than being quite shady, it was fine.

  

Curtises were next to us in #34 - this site for privacy from 36 required driving in.  

Hildebrandts were on the other side of us in #31 - this site was quite dark with lots of trees.  Burrs were around the corner in #21, a site large enough for their 5th wheel, sunny and fairly private.  They liked it.

Here is a list of acceptable sites -
8,10 - both very shady
11, 12 - shady
14,16,18,19
20 - sunny and fairly private
38,39,40 - all very nice with 40 the best
42,44,(quite nice), 46 (very shady)

Site 46

Site 44

6 and 27 would work only as a double site
140, 144 (sloped down a bit)
143, 145
157,
167 (open)
102, 104 both very nice
107, 114, 124

Avoid 168,166,164,162,  (all very open) and  160, 158, 154, 152, 150, 148, 146 all sloped down at the back.
Also avoid 1,2,3,4,50,49,48

Emily Provincial Park, July 13-18, 2012

Site 63

This was our site #63.  It was very large but the hydro was on the wrong side of the site for us so we decided to drive in rather than back in.  It was very private with a secluded fire pit. 

Site 65

This would have been Curtis' site #65.  It was large as well with a large shade tree in middle near the back of the site.  Very private on 3 sides, open at the front but if  one drove in with the awning opening towards the back of the site, it would be very nice.

Site 65

Site 65 again shows the fire pit and the big tree which would serve as a hammock tree when paired with a second tree just in the undergrowth at the back of the site.

Site 65

Site 65

Site 64

 Site 64 - another site one would have to drive in to to access the hydro properly.

Site 61

Site 61 beside us is a good site, private on 3 sides with an open front and the hydro is on the proper side of the site.

Site 59

Site 59 is huge and would probably get TV reception.  Again private on 3 sides with an open front.

Site 58

 Site 58 should be set up properly for hydro.  An OK site.  

Site 59

Osprey

Two young osprey at the nest

The above sites are in the Hill Campground.  Avoid sites 79, 81, 83, 87, 88, 90,92, 94 and 96.  These are very small sites with NO privacy.  They are literally stuck in the middle between 2 very close roads.  Because of this, I consider all sites from 79-107 to be unacceptable. 
Another camping area within the park is the circle campground.  This is a huge area with some very nice sites.  I would avoid sites 242 - 275 because of nearness to county road 10 and therefore can be quite subject to road noise.
Here  is a list of good sites -
272 - big and sunny, 262 - hammock trees.  These could be noisy as stated above.
295 - shady, drive-in, very nice, 293 - shady, hammock, 292 - sunny, 288 - huge and shady, 287, 283 - shady
172,169
191 - hammock trees and shady, 192 both of these a bit slopy
205 - drive-in, 204, 206, ( 207,208 ) open between these two, 209 very nice, 199 drive-in, 200 nice
221 ok, 231 and 233 good  together or separate.

This is a nice park, easy to get to, 401 to 35-115 to county road 10.  It is close to Peterborough and Lindsay.  About 3 hours from Puslinch, no more.