Six Mile Lake Provincial Park

Six Mile Lake Provincial Park is located conveniently off of Highway 400 about 10 km from Port Severn in Ontario.Six Mile Lake Provincial Park has 220 campsites in 6 campground areas. While this might sound like a big park- it really is not. Some of the campground areas have less than 10 sites. It is easy to walk around and access all park amenities. Some of the campground areas are more desirable than others. Only 3 campgrounds can accommodate larger equipment and have electrical hook-up.

Site Review:

Lakeview Heights Campground:

• some sites have water access.
• relatively close to boat launch, dock, beach and equipment rental.
• About 6 sites can accommodate larger equipment as well as have electrical hook-up.

Birch Campground:

• Good beach access
• close to the dock
• close to the boat launch and equipment rental.
• Quality of sites overall is poor
• Some sites very uneven and can have varying degrees of pad slope.
• All sites in this campground area are listed as “noisy” on the Ontario Parks website.

Pine Campground:

• The sites here tend to be pretty open with only a couple that have a mix of sun and shade.
• The sites are level for the most part.
• This campground is the closest to the highway and is noisy.
• Only 6 sites are reservable.
• The rest of the sites are first-come-first-serve.
• The Pine campground area is the furthest from the lake.

We stayed on site # 36 in the Lakeview Heights campground. This is a premium site and the rate per night is more because you can walk down to the water and access the lake from it.There are 2 comfort stations within the park equipped with flush toilets and shower facilities.

Activities:

Swimming:

There are 3 beaches at Six Mile Lake Provincial Park with areas marked off by buoy lines for swimming. There are no lifeguards.

The Birch beach and the Day Use beach are pretty much right beside each other with the Maple beach being a bit deeper into the park.

The beaches are groomed, however, the water outside of the buoy lines is pretty weedy. 

Boating:

Boating is a big activity in this area due to the park’s proximity to Georgian Bay as well as to the Trent-Severn Waterway. There is a boat launch within the park if you want to enjoy Six Mile Lake.

Six Mile Lake does not connect to Georgian Bay or to the Trent-Severn Waterway.

Fishing:

Fishing can be enjoyed on the lake or from the dock. There is a wide variety of sportfish species available to anglers. Bass fishing offers most of the action, as both smallmouth and largemouth bass are found throughout the lake. An Ontario Fishing Licence is required and must be purchased from a vendor outside of the park. Ontario Provincial Parks do not issue fishing licences. Six Mile Lake Provincial Park sponsors a Learn To Fish program which teaches new anglers how to fish in Ontario. The 2-hour session combines a teaching lesson with an hour of supervised hands-on fishing. This is a free activity and you are provided with a temporary licence to participate.

Hiking:

There are 3 named hiking trails at Six Mile Lake provincial park. All are considered “easy” according to the park’s website.

David Milne ( a celebrated Canadian artist) was inspired by the views he saw here

Canoe, fireplace and fuel, Six Mile Lake, Muskoka, Ontario. 1933

The David Milne trail was named on his behalf.

Canoeing/Kayaking:

What I like Six Mile Lake Provincial Park best for is the canoeing and kayaking. The lake is calm with lots of sheltered bays.

It is also a good starting point for the Gibson MacDonald canoe route- for those looking to go on longer ventures.

Canoes, kayaks and pedal boats are available for rent from the park store and can be obtained at the main beach.

Attractions Nearby:

Big Chute Marine Railway:

The Trent-Severn Waterway in Ontario is an interconnected series of lakes, rivers and manmade canals running 386 km connecting Lake Ontario with Georgian Bay/ Lake Huron. There are 44 locks within the system.

A unique feature of the Waterway is the Big Chute Marine Railway located at lock #44. Here boats are taken out of the water and carried across the land secured in individual cradles. The change in elevation is about 60ft. It is the only marine railway of its kind in North America.

Boat rentals are available from various vendors in the area if you wanted to rent your own and enjoy a bit of the Waterway.

Even if boating is not your thing, it is still entertaining to watch the boats go through. The Railway can accommodate boats up to 35ft and as small as canoes and kayaks.

The Big Chute Marine Railway is located about 10 km from Six Mile Lake Provincial Park in Honey Harbour Ontario.

Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh:

Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh is located about a 30-minute drive from the park. I mention this destination because it affords a different twist on the traditional wine tour.

Cranberry wines are delicious and at Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh, there are numerous activities, tours and wine tastings to enjoy. I like going in the fall when they are harvesting, but the place can be enjoyed all year round. They really cater to visitors and there are a variety of things to do. It is a great day trip if you are thinking of something extra to do when visiting Six Mile Lake.

Things to Know:

1. The park is located very close to highway 400 and traffic noise is an issue for most of the campground areas.
2. Six Mile Lake does not connect to the Trent-Severn Waterway or to Georgian Bay.
3. Wood and ice are available for purchase at the camp store.
4. Leashed pets are allowed.
5.  An Ontario Fishing Licence is required to fish at Six Mile Lake and must be obtained prior to arrival. Provincial Parks do not issue fishing licences.
6. Provincial parks within an hour’s drive of Six Mile Lake include: Oastler Lake Provincial Park, Awenda Provincial Park, and Bass Lake Provincial Park.

IMO:

Basically, I found Six Mile Lake Provincial Park to be ok. The lake is calm and is great for canoeing and kayaking. The park offers plenty of rental options in this regard so it’s definitely the place to go if you want to try these activities out.

I was less impressed with the quality of the sites. While they are large for the most part, and some do have lake access, overall I found them to be rocky, uneven and lacking privacy.

The location of Six Mile Lake Provincial Park is convenient. It is about 1.5 hrs from Toronto and in the heart of boating country. The park has more of a “cottage vibe” than a “wilderness feel” because while ‘outdoorsy’ it does not feel remote.

I think Six Mile Provincial Park is a good RV Place to Go if you are only planning a couple nights, want a quick camping fix, and maybe to play on the water.