Charleston Lake Provincial Park is located between Brockville and Kingston in Ontario.

Site Review:

Charleston Lake Provincial Park has 235 campsites in 3 campground areas:

• Meadowlands
• Bayside
• Shady Ridge

Each campground area has both electric and non-electric sites with most of the electric sites being in the Bayside campground.

You should note that the electric sites in the Meadowlands campground cost $46.90 CAD per night, whereas in both the Bayside and Shady Ridge campgrounds an electric site is $51.13 CAD per night. I presume the difference in price is because the Meadowlands campground is the furthest away from the lake and is not considered a premium site

We had site #369 in the Shady Ridge campground and site #355, also in the Shady Ridge campground, the second time we visited.

The quality of sites varies. Some sites have water access and are quite private while some sites are close together.example of a large site. example of a private site

Some are what I would consider too close to the vault toilets. I always make sure when I’m booking a site at a provincial park to check the location of the toilets and their proximity to a camping site. The stench from these things on a hot summer day can make for an unpleasant camping experience.

All sites are sandy which does make things messy. Consult the Ontario Parks website and consider the details they give for each site. I have generally found the descriptions to be accurate.

Each campground area has a main comfort station with flush toilets, showers and laundry facilities.

Activities:

Swimming/Beach:

There are 2 main beach areas:

which are sandy and groomed daily.

The beaches do become busy during the summer months with lots of families but luckily there are other options for swimming. You could boat/canoe/kayak out to any of the dozens of islands and swim off the shores. There are even some rocks that are excellent for jumping.

Should note that the bay where the beaches are located is called Running’s Bay and you are prohibited to have motorized boats in this area.

To access the Day Use beach area from the parking lot you will need to descend some steps. There are change house facilities available for use adjacent to the parking area.

There is a pet-friendly beach located just north of the Shady Ridge campground beach. (You can see the path to it from the parking area beside campsite 315A).

There are no lifeguards at any of the beaches.

Hiking:

There are trails suitable for hiking. They range from easy to difficult.

Depending on which trail you choose to hike, you’ll pass through wetlands, and forests and cross over boardwalks. A popular trail is the Sandstone Island Trail where you can see a rock shelter used over 1200 years ago.

Another popular trail is the Tallow Rock Bay Trail. It is a 10 km loop and is considered difficult but does give you the best variety of landscapes and picturesque views.

Canoe/Kayak:

Charleston Lake Provincial Park is a great place for canoeing/kayaking. Many routes are available. You should have a full topographic map (available from the Park Office or the Gatehouse) if you are heading out on a major excursion.

I just went on a few short paddles. I went to Slim Bay. Once you pass under the bridge there are no motorized boats allowed.The bridge is part of the Tallow Rock Bay trail.

You can arrange for canoe and kayak rentals at the Discovery Centre. Pick up your paddles, PFDs, and safety kits at the time of rental. Retrieve the canoe or kayak from the storage area at each beach.

Boating/Fishing:

There is a boat launch located at Boathouse Cove. Which is at the end of the main road that joins the various areas of the park. Parking is available.

Fishing is permitted. Charleston Lake is one of the Ontario provincial parks that participate in the Tackle Share program. You can arrange to borrow fishing equipment for free. 

Ontario fishing licences are required. These need to be purchased prior to your arrival. Ontario provincial parks do not issue fishing licences. There is a fish cleaning station free for use at the boat launch area.

Discovery Centre:

The Discovery Centre at Charleston lake Provincial Park is open from the end of June to Labour Day. Here you will find hands-on interactive displays and naturalist staff to answer questions.

Things to Know:

1. Wood and ice are available for purchase at the gatehouse.
2. There is no store within the park to purchase forgotten items.
3. Charleston Lake Provincial Park is located in the midst of a busy summer tourist region and there exist many options for day trips to explore the surrounding area. Bon Echo Provincial Park is approximately 2 hours away, but if you are touring the area you can use your valid park permit to enter any other provincial parks for Day Use.
4. The sanitation dump station has been redone and is easy to access from the Shady Ridge and Bayside campgrounds. To access from the Meadowlands campground use the trailer turn-around near the road to the Day Use Area.

IMO:

We were only at Charleston Lake Provincial Park for a short stay as part of a larger road trip. The canoeing/kayaking looks excellent. (Update: we did visit a second time for a longer stay and I really enjoyed the kayaking.)

I will definitely be incorporating Charleston Lake Provincial Park into a future road trip and will be sure to allow more time to appreciate the area further. I recommend Charleston Lake Provincial Park as an RV Place to Go.