Marten River Provincial Park

Marten River Provincial Park is located about 56 km north of North Bay Ontario.

Marten River Provincial Park has 192 campsites (110 with electrical service) but has the feel of a much larger park. The towering pines, winding waterways and rocky outcrops provide the backdrop for a great northern camping experience.

Site Review:

The sites are generally private and nicely spaced apart. There are 2 campground areas:

• Chicot Section
• Assinika Section

We stayed on site #6 in the Chicot Section the first time we visited. It has access to the water, is private, and affords a partial view of the river.

We stayed on site #135 in the Assinika Section the second time we stayed. It also has water access and a nice view of the river while we had our campfire.

Site Quality:

Site #6 is a good site but the better site is site #2. It is large, with electric hook-up, and is relatively flat. It has access to the river and a good view, while still offering nice tree coverage for privacy. Site #2

Marten River Provincial Park has only about a dozen sites that have direct river access and even fewer with a view. Sites #135- #141 in the Assinika Section have both a view and river access, they are open and can accommodate the larger rigs. There isn’t any discernible difference between the quality of sites between the 2 campground sections.

Both areas have boat launches, a beach, and a comfort station.

Comfort Station:

I don’t generally dwell too much on bathroom issues because we have one in our RV, but the comfort station situation at Marten River Provincial Park does warrant a bit of discussion.

If the park’s comfort stations are something you rely on, then the first thing you should note is the distance you have to travel to get to them. I was trying to get to the one in the Chicot Section and even though I could see it between the sites I couldn’t get to it without passing through someone’s campsite. There is no path (not one I could find at least) to get to it. You had to walk around or be that rude person who cuts through someone else’s space. We visited during the July long weekend when all sites were booked, so cutting through an empty site wasn’t an option.

My advice is to know your route in advance! However, knowing your route might not be enough. The two comfort stations have only 2 unisex toilet rooms in them and 2 shower rooms. You could get there and then have to stand in a line.

The comfort station in the centre of the park is larger and more what you would expect from a provincial park, however, you are likely going to have to drive to it.

Vault Toilets:

So that leaves you with vault toilets (outhouses). These are spread generously throughout the park, but when we visited in July they were rank! The stench was gag-worthy! We had one of the cooler Canada Days that I can remember, so what it would be like in the full-on heat of the summer I shudder to imagine.

I would highly recommend that when you are booking your site that you look at the Ontario Parks campground map carefully so you can avoid booking a site that’s too close to one of the vault toilets.

Activities:

Marten River Provincial Park is the perfect example of “Wilderness” camping.

Hiking:

There are a couple of trails in the park that are accessed from the Assinika Section. They are fairly rugged and many times you cannot even see the trail because of the vegetation overgrowth. Proper footwear is definitely recommended.

Swimming:

Marten River Provincial Park has 3 beach areas. They are small and there is nothing particularly special about them, but would serve the purpose on a hot day. There are no lifeguards.

Biking:

You can bike along the paved roads within the campground. The campground is very hilly and an easy bike ride it is not.

There is also a linear dirt trail that takes you through the forest to a spot on the river. To be honest, this is fairly underwhelming as far as bike trails go. It’s a couple of kilometres long each way. The trail ends at the water. There is no clearing or even a picnic table. It just stops. You turn around and head back.

Fishing:

There were a lot of people fishing from the rocks near the bridge. Fishing would probably be better from a boat though. Marten River is reportedly good for pike, pickerel, whitefish, bass, lake trout and panfish. There are 4 boat launches in the park. They do not have a paved entry just sand. I would recommend them only for smaller boats.

Canoeing/Kayaking:

Marten River is great for a nice paddle. We could easily put our kayaks in from our site, but you could also put in at any of the boat launches or from the beaches.

Marten River Provincial Park does rent canoes and SUP boards. Ask at the gatehouse for details. Also, right next door (a very easy walk from the main gate) is Land O’ Lakes Lodge they also rent various watercraft for use on the river. You can even rent an aluminum boat with an outboard motor. You have to have a boater’s license (aka Pleasure Craft Operators card). Once you take the test online you would then be immediately licensed for life. The cost is $49.95 CAD plus tax. All motorized boats require the operator to be licensed no matter how small the motor is, or how old the operator may be.

Museum:

A unique feature at Marten River Provincial Park is the replica of a 19th-century logging camp. There is a small visitor centre with an indoor theatre and a schedule of times when you can take a guided tour through the camp. There is no extra charge and is something a little different to do.

Things to Know:

1. Wood is for sale at the main office along with a couple of souvenir items, but that’s it. North Bay is 56km south and Temagami is about 40kms north. It would be best to not forget anything essential.
2. Some of the campground roads are very narrow with tight turns. Many are one way and there is NO ROOM for cars to pass. Follow the arrows.
3. Consult the Ontario Parks website carefully as part of your trip planning process giving careful attention to site size and pad slope. There are a lot of uneven sites due to how hilly the campground is.
4. I was surprised at how good the cell service was despite the remote location. Some of the best sites with a view and good WIFI signal would be #134, #135, #135a, #137a, #139, #140 and #141

IMO:

• the privacy of the sites was excellent
• enjoyed kayaking on the river
• liked the logging camp. It was well done and allowed you to appreciate the history of the area.
• Finlayson Point Provincial Park is about half an hour north along Highway 11.
• an excellent place to unwind and relax and have a “wilderness” camping experience.

I can get past the bathroom situation because I didn’t have to use it and would stay here again if I was in the area. I would recommend Marten River Provincial Park as an RV Place to Go.