Peterborough 
Get to the heart of Kawartha Lakes with a day or an overnight camping trip to Emily Provincial Park. This peaceful campground and day use park are on the south shores of Pigeon Lake and River, which, to the north, connects to the Trent Severn Waterway.
The boating opportunities, the park’s scenery at any time of year, and the numerous other recreational opportunities make Emily Provincial Park a must-see destination in Peterborough County. Plus, it only takes about 20 minutes to drive to the park from the city of Peterborough! Whether travelling from Peterborough, the south, or the north, a trip through Kawartha Lakes to Emily Provincial Park will have a lot to offer any type of trip.
Travelling to the Kawarthas and Peterborough County
A Kawartha Lakes road trip (or boat trip!) is one of the must-experience adventures in Ontario. The Kawarthas are a chain of lakes which assisted in the creation of the Trent Severn Waterway, an accessible canal that is also a National Historic Site. With the Trent Severn Waterway central to the region, and cutting across much of southern Ontario, this makes the region as convenient to explore by boat as it is by car.
Plus, the Trans Canada Trail, a multi-use pathway, also crosses through the region to make the Kawartha Lakes convenient to explore on foot, bike, or horseback. Emily Provincial Park is an ideal stopping ground for any type of exploration in the area, with its own large campground and the surrounding lodges, hotels, and cabins. Access the Trent Severn Waterway with a quick drive up the shores of the park’s Pigeon Lake, or via boat, and begin one of Ontario’s must-experience boat trips. Similarly, access to the Trans Canada Trail is only a short drive or bike ride south from Emily Provincial Park.
The decision on when to travel to Emily Provincial Park to explore Kawartha Lakes will affect the type of scenery you encounter during your travels. During the spring and summer, expect a display of lush green forests and the blooming of wildflowers. During the fall, the trees around Emily Provincial Park and the rest of the Kawarthas transform the scenery into a fall wonderland with bright reds, oranges, and yellows, all around the lakes.
Day Trip or Beach Trip to Emily Provincial Park
Emily Provincial Park is within a short enough drive from cities like Peterborough, Barrie, or the GTA to make it an ideal day trip destination for locals. Whether Emily Provincial Park is the final destination on the day trip or a stop along a longer road trip, there are many reasons that make it an ideal day trip or beach day spot.
- The warmer summer months make the sandy beach area an attractive place for cooling off, floating, paddling, and other beach fun. During the day, make time to explore the lookout and marsh trail, the scenic campground roads, or the day-use park.
- Even when it is too cool outside for a dip in the water, the lake still lends itself to many boating opportunities or fishing.
- And during the fall season, Emily Provincial Park is a colourful display of different leaf colours to create gorgeous scenery for a picnic, boat ride, or nature walk.
- General picnic snacks, drinks, or sweets are sold from the park store. Find several more picnic foods to the south in Omemee.
The Kawartha Trans Canada Trail & More Hiking Trails
The Trans Canada multi-use trail crosses the Kawartha region to the south of Emily Provincial Park. With this trail, campers have foot, bike, or horseback access to areas like Kawartha Lakes, Omemee, and Peterborough.
- The two short trails within Emily Provincial Park provide access between the campgrounds and the day use area, or between the campgrounds and the beach. There is also a trail from the Circle Campground which leads to a beautiful lookout area over the water. Part of the trail is a wooden boardwalk which leads over a marsh, where there are great opportunities for birding.
- Explore the other side of the Pigeon with the Emily Tract trail. This 3km interpretive trail has locally made artwork lining the paths, as well as panels that describe the area’s flora and fauna.
Camping at Emily Park & More Nearby Lodging
Campers have a few different options for the types of campsites available at Emily Provincial Park’s four campgrounds. The Cedars campground is the tent-only loop with non-serviced sites. The remaining three campgrounds, Hilltop, Hill, and Circle, are open to all types of camping equipment like tents, RVs, or trailers, and provide electric hookups. No matter where the site is, all campers will have a picnic table and fire pit, and a bit of privacy from the trees. Larger groups may also take advantage of the park’s two group campgrounds: one fits up to 20 people, the other up to 50. Plus, all campers also have access to the Park Store for groceries or firewood, and comfort stations with showers, laundry, and flush toilets.
- Discover more accommodation and lodging options at nearby hotels, cottage communities, or resorts. Some of the closest to Emily Provincial Park include Fee’s Landing Resort & Marina, Pinewood Cottages & Trailer Park, or the Beaver Narrows.
The Pigeon River & Trent Severn Waterway
Pigeon River and Lake are part of the Trent-Severn Waterway, which crosses most of Central Ontario from east to west. The canal’s Pigeon Lockstation is on the far north and opposite end of the lake from Emily Provincial Park, making it an exciting journey to reach the Waterway. The entire lake/river is open to paddling and boating as well, with two boat launches within Emily Provincial Park.
- Find one boat launch next to the beach and swimming area, and the other boat launch next to the day-use area. The Emily Provincial Park day use area is also the location of the boat rental shop, where they provide canoe and kayak rentals with PFDs included in rentals.
- Beyond boating, the area has a few other activities to offer around the lake shores. Emily Provincial Park has a sandy beach beside the campground, which is separate from the day-use area. However, there is still a parking lot next to the campground beach, and other amenities like washrooms and picnic tables. The day-use area to the north is where everyone can access the park store, a playground, and more picnic space.
- As with most bodies of water in the Kawartha region, Pigeon is home to some excellent fishing opportunities. Take a shot at a catch that could include walleye, muskie, largemouth, or smallmouth bass. On top of boat rentals, the park store also offers live bait and tackle.
Planning Your Trip – Emily Provincial Park
What: The relatively small Emily Provincial Park sits on the far south end of the large Pigeon Lake, where it narrows to become the Pigeon River. This puts Emily Provincial Park central to the larger Kawartha Lakes and Highlands region of southern Ontario. Emily Provincial Park is open from spring to fall each year for camping, boating, fishing, paddling, and swimming. Pigeon Lake is part of the Trent-Severn Waterway, with the canals located.
Location and how to get there: 797 Emily Park Rd., Omemee; 25km west of Peterborough via ON-7 & Trans Canada Highways
Best time to go: May to October
Cost: camping $19.56-$59.33 per night
Vehicle Admission Day Use: $15.50
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