KILLBEAR PROVINCIAL PARK - This Could Be Ontario's BEST Park / Campground!

If you're a fan of windswept pines and huge granite outcroppings and beautiful blue waters, though it looks a little gray from the overcast today, then this is the park for you. In this episode we're at Killbear Provincial Park. What a nice day. We are Terry and Cindy O'Keefe and we've been camping together for more than 40 years and we invite you to join us as we share our latest RVing experiences and adventures. Coming from eastern Ontario, Killbear is about a six-hour drive through some beautiful country. About 30 minutes south of Killbear is the town of Parry Sound. We stopped to do some quick shopping and while Cindy picked up some last-minute groceries, Ranger and I visited one of our favourite food trucks in the area. Should we wait for Cindy? No? We should start without her? Yeah, we don't want them to get caught, do we? No. That's a good idea. Don't tell her that. If she catches us, I'm going to say it was your idea. This is the exit. Good afternoon. How are you today? Excellent, how are you? Good, thank you. Are you just checking in? Yep. Okay, perfect. We're just gonna... Oh, you want to see him? Yes, please. He's very friendly. Okay, you're just going to be checking in at the main office. Okay. It'll be your next day after this one. Perfect, thank you. You're welcome. Because we're arriving here late season, after Labor Day, all the individual campground offices are closed and you do your check-in here at the main office. So, just a quick tip if you're arriving here at Killbear and you need water. Here in the parking lot of the main office... I'm just going to turn the camera this way and just see where that escape trailer is up there with the blue. He's just pulling out now. There's actually a water fill right there and, of course, there's a dump station. Two lanes, very modern, and it also has two water fills. Killbear has seven different campgrounds with 880 sites. On this visit, we were staying in our favorite campground, Harold's Point, which is radio and generator free. When there's lots of trees, you've got to make sure the slide will open and the awning and it just fits. You can just make out the back of our truck there. That's our campsite. This is why we love Killbear so much. So, Killbear is definitely our happy place and we've been camping here for decades. Now, in July and August, it can be very busy, but come September, it is so peaceful and beautiful. And while it is a wonderful natural setting to relax in, there's also lots to do. There are five trails to hike, including our favorite, Twin Points. You come up. Mommy can't handle you and that steep rock. Good boy, you stay here. Boy, he's flexible as hell. Show off. You beat me, Ranger. Wow, isn't that beautiful? We were sitting here one year and that big water snake came up out of the water with the fish in its mouth. We made it. Hey, Ranger, is that a good hike? Yeah? Okay, let's go. Lookout Points Trail also has some great views, or you can try the Shoreline Clammer, where the shoreline between Harold's Point and Granite Saddle Campgrounds makes for an exceptional hike. And on any of these hikes, you should keep a sharp eye out for deer, bears, and even Massasauga rattlesnakes. Yes, the eastern shore of Georgian Bay is one of the few locations in Canada you might encounter a venomous snake. Now, on a couple of occasions, we have encountered them. They're very timid and really just want to be left alone. And in the rare occurrence that a bite does occur, the Perry Sound Hospital does have anti-venom kits. And just a bit more on trails, there's also the Recreation Trail, a groomed path for cyclists and hikers to share. It runs along the six kilometre main road through the park. Afternoon, folks. How you doing, guys? And you can take the Recreation Trail to Kill Bear's Visitor Centre. Good morning, how are you doing? Good, how are you guys? Excellent. We're allowed to touch these, are we? Yeah, yeah. Oh, it's much softer than I expected. Yep, yep, it's snake-hard slimy, so... Here you'll find great displays that include some of the local inhabitants. Hello, my name is Rita. And I don't want to get bit by. A vial of anti-venom cost approximately $825. An average treatment will require at least 12 vials. Oh, that's interesting. Fishers are the only animals that regularly hunt porcupines. I think we've met this one's relatives. There's also information on the history of the park and area. Spring, summer 1901. You are allowed to touch this too, by the way. Get a pair of nice boots for $3.50. Okay, so that is really freaky. That bear, he watches you as you move and turns. That is so neat. I'm taller than a bear. You're taller than that bear, because I've seen bears here that are taller than you. And in the Visitor Centre, you'll also find the park gift shop run by the Friends of Kill Bear. And if you'd like to help support the Friends of Kill Bear and the great work they do, you can donate your empty alcohol, wine, and beer bottles at most of the park's garbage and recycling drop-offs. Kill Bear has four kilometres of beaches, including the main beach, a two-kilometre stretch of sand that runs from the day-use area and Kilcorsie Campground to Beaverdams Campground. There are also numerous other pocket beaches, including at Harold's Point, Granite Saddle, and Lighthouse Campgrounds. And accessed via Harold's Point Campground is an area many refer to as the Jumping Rocks, where the brave can take a leap of faith into the cool waters of Georgian Bay. You'll also find two pet beaches where your best friend, i.e. Ranger, can cool off. If the weather changes, and it often does in Georgian Bay, downtown Parry Sound is only about a 25-minute drive away, with some great dining choices, shops, and you can take a boat tour of the 30,000 islands. If you arrive at camp and realize you need something, you don't necessarily have to drive into Parry Sound. There are two camp stores near the park. The first, the Kill Bear Park Mall, is about a kilometre from the park gate. It offers basic staples, gifts, and clothes, firewood, ice, fuel, and canoe rentals. And a few kilometres down the road, the Detour store is well-stocked with groceries, gifts, great ice cream, firewood, ice, and they have canoe rentals. Both stores are definitely worth visiting. Did we mention yet that Kill Bear is beautiful? Your phone or camera is most likely to get a workout here. One lone pine tree that has stood against the harsh Georgian Bay winds for decades, somehow having taken root in crevices of the granite surrounding it, has become one of Canada's most photographed trees and a symbol of Kill Bear. But the years, winds, and winter ice are taking a toll, and the tree is struggling, now supported by poles erected by park staff. You will find the tree in Beaver Dam's campground, and it's also here that something kind of cool happens almost every night. Campers from around the park gather on what has been nicknamed Sunset Rocks to, you guessed it, watch the sunset. Harold's Point near the Jumping Rocks is also a great sunset viewing location. So before we end this episode, we wanted to touch briefly on the camping and campgrounds at Kill Bear over the decades we've stayed in them all, and wanted to share these high-level observations. But keep in mind, you know, our tastes might not be everyone's. For us, we like privacy, trees, interesting rocks, and if it can be topped off with a nice view, even better. And that's one of the things we like so much about Kill Bear. Every campground has a lot of nice sites offering a lot of what we like. Kill Corsi has some right on the beach, and many sites there have electricity. Beaver Dams also has a great beach and large sites. We find the sites in Georgian that are closer to the lake to be a bit wet, but those uphill past the Comfort Station are unique with interesting rock formations. Harold's Point Campground is one of our favorites. There are sites right near the Three Pocket Beaches. Most sites have electrical hookups, but there is a loop for dry camping. Granite Saddle has a few of the prettiest sites in the park overlooking the lake, but the sites along the road into Granite Saddle aren't nearly as nice. The Lighthouse Point Campground underwent a huge transformation a few years ago when the park was forced to remove thousands of ash trees because of the damage caused by the Emerald Ash Borer. But the campground has recovered beautifully. There are some great sites here now, many that are a direct waterfront. And now half of Lighthouse Point sites have electricity. Finally, Blind Bay only offers dry camping. Some of the sites are a little bit smaller, but it's still a fantastic campground. As we mentioned, Kill Bear is a very popular park in July and August, which is why we tend to visit it in the shoulder seasons. And that also means that we can stay for more than seven days, which has become the limit for some of the popular parks in July and August. Our last visit in September was for 11 nights, a time frame that challenged us to stretch the capacity of our holding tanks. But washing dishes outside is a small price to pay for such an amazing campground. And why isn't your husband helping you with the dishes? Because he cooks all the meals. That's a pretty good trade-off. I don't like anyone doing the dishes, even at home. I like to do them. I'm very particular. That's also okay with me. We've made some amazing memories there. Do you have a favorite? Absolutely. All the years that we spent camping with family and friends, never forget it. What's your call? I need to see yellow. I unfortunately think you're right. For me, I'd have to say the animal interactions that we've had at Kill Bear have been very interesting. We've had deer bedding down behind our campsite. I'm not crazy. There you are. You just disappeared there. I thought you must have laid down. We've had great blue herons hunting chipmunks walking right through the site. And we've had more than our fair share of bear encounters. The very first time we were camped in Blind Bay Campground on a hill. We were tent camping at the time. It was about 10 30 at night and the kids were barbecuing some hot dogs over the campfire. And I was sitting with my head back and my eyes closed. And I heard this loud noise. It was something very big running up the hill right to our campsite. It immediately snapped into my mind. That's a bear. And I put my hands on the arm of the chair to stand up and push myself up. And of course, didn't realize that our dog at the time was asleep right where my feet went. I stepped right on him. He screamed. So I get myself back in my chair, flip the chair over backwards and the bear ran right past my head. Can't make this up. It's true. When we reviewed Algonquin Provincial Park, we said that it was a gem in the Ontario Provincial Park system. And I have to say that when it comes to Kill Bear, this is the crown jewel. We absolutely love it here. Cindy would tell you this is her absolutely favorite park. And for me, it is tied with, you know, Agawam Bay and Lake Superior Provincial Park as our favorite. And it is definitely, definitely worth a multi-day visit.