Plan Your Trip to Idyllic Killbear Provincial Park

What makes Killbear Provincial Park special? It offers great camping on the shores of Georgian Bay, with paddling, hiking, swimming and unforgettable sunsets over the iconic 30,000 Islands. Serene moments in nature are tempered with Georgian Bay storms: Killbear is a dynamic place. The Park is open early May through early November for camping, as well as January through March for winter camping and activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. There’s also a lodge available for rent to large groups from November through April.

It’s called Killbear because the 1,760-hectare Park is located on Killbear Point—a placename with mysterious origins. Indigenous Anishinaabe people call this landform Makwa Neyoshing (“Bear Point”), perhaps because it serves as a convenient spot for bears to swim to offshore islands on Georgian Bay. Settler loggers in the early 1920s may also play a role in the placename, owing to a bear that was killed (or, by some accounts, killed a logger) at this location. You can learn more about the diverse human and natural history of Killbear Provincial Park at the Visitor Centre.

Central to the UNESCO Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve, Killbear is a popular Ontario Park that’s great for first-time campers and those who make it an annual retreat. This article will help you plan your trip.

Where is Killbear Provincial Park?

Killbear Provincial Park is located 275 kilometres north of Toronto, with easy access via Highway 400. The bustling town of Parry Sound, just off Highway 400, is your last stop for groceries and supplies. About 11 kilometres north of Parry Sound, take exit 241 to Highway 559 and continue for about 20 kilometres to reach the Park gate. Killbear Provincial Park is located 166 kilometres south of Sudbury.

Killbear is serviced by Parkbus during the summer season, offering convenient GTA pickups for those who don’t have access to a vehicle or wish to reach the Park by public transit.

Camping at Killbear Provincial Park

Camping at Killbear Provincial Park is available for tents, trailers and RVs. The Park offers 886 campsites divided into seven campgrounds. There’s a mix of electrical and non-electric sites—all with easy access to amenities like water taps, toilets, comfort stations and laundry facilities, as well as the Park Visitor Centre and Killbear Park Store.

A total of 32 electrical campsites in the Beaver Dams campground are open from early January through the third week of March for winter camping, with access to toilets and showers in the heated comfort station. Killbear Provincial Park does not offer backcountry camping. Other than the Killbear Lodge for group retreats (winter only), there are no cabins, yurts or other roofed accommodations.

Best campsites at Killbear Provincial Park

The best campsites at Killbear Provincial Park depend on your camping style. Waterfront campsites at Killbear are highly coveted for their great Georgian Bay views, but bear in mind they’re often less private than interior sites.

The Beaver Dams campground offers a mix of electrical and non-electrical campsites, including several pull-through campsites for larger RVs and trailers. This campground is home to the picturesque “Sunset Rock” and the famous “Killbear Tree”—a wispy pine that’s a common subject for photographers. There are 20 prime non-electrical campsites near Sunset Rock. A portion of the Beaver Dams campground is also open from January through late March for winter camping.

The Kilcoursie campground offers all electrical sites, with close access to a beach on Georgian Bay. In contrast, the radio-free (quieter) Georgian campground is less proximal to the water. The Killbear Granite Saddle campground is all non-electrical and radio-free; similarly, Blind Bay campground appeals to tent campers with non-electrical campsites. Though very scenic, the Lighthouse Point campground offers a bit less privacy than other Killbear campgrounds.

Killbear Provincial Park camping season and check-out times

The campground is open from the second weekend in May through early November. Selected campsites (32 sites in the Beaver Dams campground) are open for winter camping from early January through the end of March Break (roughly the third week of March). Campsite reservations (up to five months in advance of your arrival date) can be made online or by phone, and are recommended. The check-in and check-out time for Killbear campsites is 2 p.m.

Killbear Provincial Park Reservations

Campsite permits for Killbear Provincial Park can be reserved online or by phone up to five months in advance of your stay. The online reservation portal includes brief descriptions and photos of each campsite to help you choose the best for your needs.

Killbear day-use tickets, also known as Daily Vehicle Permits, can be purchased up to five days in advance online (recommended for weekends and in July and August) or at the Park office for $12.25 per vehicle. 

Things to do at Killbear Provincial Park

There’s much to do at Killbear Provincial Park in all seasons of the year. If Instagram is any indicator, watching the sunset is a major activity at Killbear Provincial Park. Indeed, the Park offers western exposure to the islands and open waters of Georgian Bay, making it a great destination for photography. There are many other activities to keep you busy at the Park.

Canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding

Georgian Bay makes Killbear Provincial Park a paddler’s paradise, with 12 kilometres of coastline and three islands to explore. Remember, Georgian Bay is aptly described as an inland sea: be honest about your skills, choose a seaworthy craft, wear a PFD and leave a float plan with a loved one. Check the weather in advance and monitor conditions closely while you are out on the water. The western side of Killbear Point is screened by islands, offering more shelter from wind and waves. You can launch from any of the Park’s beaches.

Beaches

Beaches are a big attraction at Killbear Provincial Park. In fact, all the Park’s campsites are located within a short walk from great beach swimming. A two-kilometre crescent of sand extends from the Day Use beach near the Park’s western boundary eastward along the Kilcoursie and Beaver Dams campground. Smaller “pocket beaches” exist on both sides of Harold Point and Granite Saddle, as well as at Blind Bay in the north end of the Park. There’s a designated on-leash dog beach adjacent to the Day Use beach, as well as an off-leash dog beach on the east side of Killbear Point, near the group camping area. Check the park alerts webpage for beach postings indicating elevated levels of bacteria in the water.

Hiking trails

Killbear boasts four trails for hiking, ranging from the 800-metre Lighthouse Point Trail to the six-kilometre (one way) Recreational Trail. All of the trails are noted for their spectacular and unique scenery and views of the rocky shoreline, beaches and offshore islands. Check out the easy 1.6-kilometre Twin Point Trails to learn more about Killbear’s geology or the 3.5-kilometre Lookout Point Loop for greater insight into local ecology.

Cycling

Cycling is allowed on the six-kilometre Recreational Trail (gravel and dirt surface). Bikes are also great for navigating campground roads in Killbear Provincial Park.

Cliff jumping

Thrill-seekers highlight cliff jumping at Killbear Provincial Park, however this activity is not sanctioned or approved by Ontario Parks staff. Killbear visitors jump at their own risk from the rocks at Harold Point, which rise out of the waters of Georgian Bay in a series of ledges. Be sure to check the water thoroughly for adequate depth and hazards before taking a leap.

Animals at Killbear Provincial Park

There tends to be less diversity of wildlife immediately adjacent to Georgian Bay, but that isn’t to say Killbear Provincial Park is devoid of wildlife! The Park exists at the intersection of Northern and Central Ontario, with large mammals like white-tailed deer, moose, coyotes, foxes and more. Don’t forget your binoculars and pick up the Park bird list at the Visitor Centre. The area is noted for its reptiles and amphibians, including a wide range of frogs, snakes and turtles.

There are black bears at Killbear Provincial Park. While most bears prefer to avoid encounters with humans, some can become habituated by receiving human food at camping areas. It’s important to store your food properly (locked in a car) to avoid negative encounters. Be an ethical wildlife-watcher and do not feed or approach any species of wildlife. It is also forbidden to cut wildflowers, shrubs, trees or any live vegetation.

General information

• Stay tuned to the Park’s Facebook page or check out the Ontario forest fire info map to see if there is a fire ban at Killbear Provincial Park.
• To avoid moving insect pests, you must purchase firewood at Killbear Provincial Park or from a supplier located close to the Park.
• There’s a level 2 EV charger located in Killbear Provincial Park.
• Cell service at Killbear Provincial Park is generally excellent, with data capabilities to support web browsing and streaming. WiFi is available in the Killbear Visitor Centre.
• Blackflies, mosquitoes, deerflies and horseflies are the most common biting insects at Killbear Provincial Park. Mosquitoes and blackflies are prevalent from late May through early July, depending on precipitation. Deerflies and horseflies can be a nuisance in hot, humid weather in July. Ticks are occasionally observed, so it is important to check yourself daily.
• The Killbear Park Store sells Ontario Parks merchandise, snacks and souvenirs.
• Visit the Friends of Killbear website to learn more about what makes the area unique, as well as to learn about opportunities to support this non-profit advocacy group.
• Killbear Provincial Park suffered serious flooding during intense thunderstorms in July 2025. Road damage has since been restored to ensure access to the Park.

Killbear Provincial Park map

Several convenient maps of Killbear Provincial Park are available to download online.

Killbear Provincial Park weather

Killbear weather is influenced heavily by Georgian Bay. The waters tend to be ice-free by late April to early May, though Georgian Bay warms more slowly than inland lakes and may create a cooler microclimate in May. Summer weather can be hot and humid, with regular thunderstorms. Cooler temperatures return in late August and early September, with occasional bursts of summer-like conditions in early autumn. The leaves change, and the risk of frost arrives in late September. Early winter can be somewhat milder than inland areas until ice forms on Georgian Bay, with an abundance of lake-effect snowfall. Check out Environment and Climate Change Canada for detailed weather forecasts and historical conditions.

Accommodations near Killbear Provincial Park

The town of Parry Sound has a wide range of accommodation options within a half-hour drive of Killbear Provincial Park. Just to the north of Killbear, check out Snug Harbour Resort and Jacknife Cottage Resort, both located on Georgian Bay.

Shopping near Killbear Provincial Park

Parry Sound is your best destination for shopping near Killbear Provincial Park. This small city offers a wide range of grocery stores and box stores, as well as specialty stores. Downtown Parry Sound features many unique local stores on James Street. White Squall operates an outdoors store in Parry Sound as well as a paddling centre in Carling Township, minutes from Killbear Provincial Park.

Things to do near Killbear Provincial Park

Visit the town of Parry Sound for shopping, dining, golf and more—including a variety of Georgian Bay tours with the Island Queen Cruise. The village of Nobel is your nearest source for gas.

Autumn at Killbear Provincial Park

Killbear Provincial Park remains busy through Labour Day, into September and through Thanksgiving, when cooler days and the changing seasons make for unique camping and outdoors experiences. Visitors in September may experience beautiful weather and the bird migration, where millions of songbirds depart their Ontario nurseries for southern destinations. Early October often marks the height of fall colours. More variable weather towards the end of the camping season in late October often brings tremendous Georgian Bay storms. The Park closes in early November.

Winter at Killbear Provincial Park

Killbear Provincial Park offers a range of winter activities, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter hiking. Visiting the Park in winter gives a unique perspective on Killbear’s seasonal cycles. Avid cross-country skiers can keep tabs on snowfall and grooming operations on the Park’s 15 kilometres of trackset trails (4.7 kilometres are available for skate-skiing) on the Ontario Parks Snow Report. There are also approximately 7.5 kilometres of snowshoe trails at Killbear Provincial Park.

A portion of Killbear’s Beaver Dams campground is open for winter camping from early January through mid- to late-March. Thirty-two electrical sites are available, with a heated comfort station with running water, toilets and hot showers.

Equipment rentals

Rent canoes, kayaks and paddleboards from White Squall in Carling Township, minutes away from Killbear Provincial Park. Rentals are also available at Swift Georgian Bay in Waubeshene.

Programs and events

Passionate nature interpreters are the lifeblood of Killbear Provincial Park’s Discovery Program. You can sign up for a guided hike or take in a presentation at the Park amphitheatre or Visitor Centre throughout July and August to learn more about Killbear’s rich natural and cultural history, including Georgian Bay’s rich community of reptiles and amphibians. 

Have a wild time at Killbear

There’s little wonder why Killbear Provincial Park is a beloved outdoor destination in Central Ontario. Located just north of Parry Sound, the Park captures the best of the UNESCO Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve with unbelievable scenery, drive-in camping and a variety of outdoor activities at all times of year.

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