Murphys Point Provincial Park is located near the town of Perth about 100 km from Ottawa in Ontario.
Site Review:

There are 2 campground areas at Murphys Point Provincial Park:

• Hogg Bay Campground
• Fallows Campground

Hogg Bay Campground is located close to the water and is where you will find the sites with electrical hook-ups. There are no electric sites at Fallows Campground (except for the barrier-free site).

We had electric site #56 in Hogg Bay Campground.The majority of sites are sloped and uneven- it is a challenge to level your equipment. We originally had site #54 but couldn’t accommodate the incline and asked to switch sites which the park staff were able to do for us. If we had been visiting at a busier time of the year this might not have been possible.

Site #56 still required levelling even though according to the Ontario Parks website it is listed as having “no pad slope”.

Campground roads:

The entire campground is hilly. The roads within the campground are tree-lined and incredibly narrow. It is impossible for 2 vehicles to pass and there is no way for one vehicle to pull over. The incline at the side of the roads makes it so that even a cyclist or a pedestrian would run the risk of falling down the side of the road if they were to step out of the way to let a vehicle pass.

Most of the roads are “one-way”. There are a few directional signs but you might have to refer to your campground map (found inside the park tabloid issued to you at check-in) for clarification on how to navigate up and down the roads of this park.

The trees, the slope and the one-way road direction make getting into and out of the sites challenging especially for the bigger rigs.

Site Quality:

Overall, the site quality, particularly in the Hogg Bay campground, is not great. While there is adequate space between sites, there is minimal visual privacy.

Comfort Station:

There are 2 comfort stations with flush toilets and showers to service all of Murphys Point Provincial Park. One is located in each of the campground areas.

The comfort station for the Fallows Campground is centrally located. The comfort station for the Hogg Bay Campground is not. It is a considerable walk from most of the sites. As a result, the vault toilets (aka privies or outhouses) are utilized more. They are located throughout the campground area. These are unpleasant and they smell. On a hot day in the summer, the latrine odour coming from these things is gross.      I would suggest using the campground map at the Ontario Parks website when making your camping reservation to avoid picking a site too close to one of these.

The comfort station for the Hogg Bay Campground has laundry facilities.

Activities:

Swimming:

The main beach is located in the Hogg Bay Campground. The second beach is located in the Day Use Area. There is no beach in the Fallows Campground. It would be a considerable walk to access either of the beach areas from the campground.

Both beaches are marked with buoys and have gradual drop-offs. The beaches are groomed. There are no lifeguards at the beaches. Change huts are provided at each beach.

Hiking:

There are 5 main trails for hiking at Murphys Point Provincial Park. Some are interconnected.

Point Trail – 5.5 km loop, moderate  

Hike to the tip of the peninsula with stops at the sandy beach and good views of Big Rideau Lake.

Sylvan Trail – 2.5 km loop, moderate

This trail showcases the geology, of the southernmost extension of the Canadian Shield.

Lally Homestead Trail – 800 m loop, easy
You have to drive to the Lally Homestead (3 km from the campground) to access this short loop through an abandoned farm.

Silver Queen Mine Trail – 2 km partial loop, easy, Beaver Pond Trail – 1 km, easy
Drive to the Lally Homestead (parking is available) and across the road is the trailhead for the Silver Queen Mine Trail.

The Silver Queen Mine is a unique activity at Murphys Point Provincial Park. The trail leads to a restored, partially open-pit mica mine. Twice a week during July and August, you can take a tour on one of the park’s two guided hikes. Alternatively, you can drop in during the weekly “Open House” and meet costumed interpreters along the trail. If you want to participate in a tour check out the park’s event board for details. You do have to pre-register at the gatehouse or call ahead because it is limited capacity. A valid Day Use or camping permit is required.

The Beaver Pond Trail provides an alternate route back to the Lally Homestead parking lot and skirts the edge of a flooded wetland.

It is possible to hike from the Hogg campground to the Silver Queen Mine by taking the Lally Homestead Trail. This would be approximately 4km each way. Or you can drive down County Road 21 (turn left at the Murphys Point Provincial Park campground exit). This will take you directly to the parking lot where you can then access the Lally Homestead or the Silver Queen Mine Trail.

McParlan House– 1.8 km easy

From the Hogg Bay Campground, a 1.8 km linear trail leads to the McParlan House. McParlan House is the restored site of an early 1800s sawmill, farmhouse, and later cottage. It is now a registered archaeological site and a neat place to stop and look around.

From McParlan House you can connect to a 6km section of the Rideau Trail. The Rideau Trail is a 387-kilometre hiking trail linking Ottawa and Kingston. 

Biking:

There are no specific bicycle-designated paths within the park but bicycles are permitted along the McParlan House Trail. You can also bike on the gravel section of the Silver Queen Mine Trail. Bikes are not permitted on any other trails though are allowed on the campground roads.

Canoeing/Kayaking:

Canoes and Kayaks can be rented from the Park Store and can be retrieved at various locations throughout the park including the beach area in Hoggs Bay campground. As well as the boat launch area and the park store location itself.

There are interesting paddle routes to enjoy from Murphys Point Provincial Park including a 10 km paddle into the town of Perth and through the manually operated locks. Click here for suggested paddling routes and points of interest.

Boating:

Motorboats are allowed on Big Rideau Lake. They are not permitted on Loon Lake or into Hogg Bay. There is a boat launch within the park.

Fishing:

Fishing for Lake Trout, Small and Largemouth Bass, as well as Northern Pike,  is popular on Big Rideau Lake. An Ontario fishing licence is required and must be purchased in advance. Ontario Parks does not sell fishing licences.

Things to know:

1. The campground is very hilly. There are few level sites. I would normally recommend the Ontario Parks website as a guide when making a site selection, in this case, you should note that when it indicates “pad slope slight” you are looking at a major levelling challenge. Take extra levelling blocks to be on the safe side.
2. There are only 2 comfort stations with flush toilets and showers to accommodate the entire park. Neither of which is particularly convenient for the campsites. 
3. There is a park store for rentals, forgotten items and some souvenirs.
4. No sites have water access or a direct lake view.
5. Cell service and WIFI access are spotty and intermittent. 
6. Murphys Point Provincial Park is situated within a popular tourist destination area. Other provincial parks like Charleston Lake Provincial Park and Rideau River Provincial Park are within an hour’s drive.

Ticks:

Not sure if this is specific to the time of year we visited (May 31) but I must have pulled at least 10-15 ticks off of my dog over the course of the weekend of our visit.

IMO:

Cons:

To be honest, I was distracted by the site quality and the vault toilet situation to be impartial when forming my opinion about this park. The hilly sites and the lack of visual privacy along with the prominently located privies (complete with the odour emanating from them) were negatives.

Pros:

The park is spread out, with above-average water activities to enjoy. The beaches and the paddling are the best features of the park. The trails are interesting with varying degrees of difficulty and the McParlan House and the Silver Queen Mine are unique attractions.

I would only recommend Murphys Point Provincial Park as a weekend destination probably during the spring or fall when attendance is lighter. A lot of people would make this park feel crowded and noisy (and smelly).