Crown Land Near Brockville

12 crown land sites 8 fishing spots 8 campgrounds

Brockville is the old river town at the downstream end of the Thousand Islands, where Highway 401 hugs the St. Lawrence between Kingston and Cornwall. Public land here is modest and mostly protected wetland: Brockville Long Swamp Fen Provincial Park, a day-use nature reserve, lies 13 km inland, Charleston Lake Provincial Park and its granite backcountry sit 28 km northwest, and the Kemptville District crown lands — the closest block where you can actually pitch a tent for free — begin about 31 km away, with Murphys Point Provincial Park 48 km up toward Perth. The river itself is the draw: McDonald Bay and Maitland Bay are 4 to 8 km from downtown, Buells Creek Reservoir is a 5 km bass pond inside the city, and Centre, Graham and Temperance lakes lie 13 to 16 km inland. Campgrounds cluster around Mallorytown, 11 to 20 km west along the parkway. This page rounds up the closest public land, fishing spots, campgrounds and road trips around Brockville.

Map

Crown Land Nearby

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BROCKVILLE LONG SWAMP FEN PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
13 km
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CHARLESTON LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
28 km
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Kemptville District Crown Lands
General Use Area
31 km
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Area C
General Use Area
47 km
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MURPHYS POINT PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
47 km
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Gananoque
Provincial Wildlife Area
50 km
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RIDEAU RIVER PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
52 km
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DUPONT PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
56 km
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Mountain
Provincial Wildlife Area
58 km
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FRONTENAC PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
66 km
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Area B
General Use Area
67 km
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SILVER LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
75 km

Frequently Asked Questions

Not much within city limits — the Leeds and Grenville countryside is farmland and private shoreline. The nearest provincial land is the Long Swamp Fen nature reserve 13 km inland, Charleston Lake Provincial Park is 28 km away, and the first general-use crown land where free camping is allowed is the Kemptville District block about 31 km northeast.

The St. Lawrence is the main event — McDonald Bay is 4 km from downtown and Maitland Bay 8 km, with bass, pike, walleye and muskie in the channels. Inland, Buells Creek Reservoir sits 5 km away and Centre, Graham and Temperance lakes are 13 to 16 km out; 17 mapped spots lie within 25 km.

Only on crown land, and the closest is the Kemptville District block about 31 km away, free for Canadian residents up to 21 days at one site (non-residents of Canada need a paid permit). Closer to town you are looking at private campgrounds around Mallorytown, 11 to 20 km west, or reserved sites at Charleston Lake Provincial Park.

About 28 km to the park centroid, roughly a half-hour drive via Athens. It is the closest place near Brockville for backcountry-style canoe-in campsites and lake trout water on Shield granite.

Offline maps around Brockville

Public land near Brockville runs well past the last cell tower. Export the area as a geo-referenced PDF and read it in BorealMaps to keep your GPS position on the map when the signal drops.

Try PDF Export How geo-referenced PDF maps work

Regulations

Fishing anywhere around Brockville requires a valid Ontario fishing licence and Outdoors Card; the St. Lawrence River falls under Fisheries Management Zone 20 while the inland lakes toward Athens are Zone 18, and the two carry different seasons and limits. Charleston Lake and Murphys Point are operating provincial parks with day-use and camping fees, reserved through Ontario Parks, and Long Swamp Fen is a non-operating nature reserve with no camping. On the Kemptville District crown lands, camping is free for Canadian residents for up to 21 days at any one site, with a paid permit required for non-residents of Canada. Respect posted fire bans and stay off the private islands and shoreline that make up most of the river.