Crown Land in the Rideau Lakes

12 crown land sites 8 fishing spots 8 campgrounds

The Rideau Lakes are the heart of the Rideau Canal — the UNESCO World Heritage waterway that has linked Ottawa to Kingston since 1832, the oldest continuously operated canal in North America. Westport sits under Foley Mountain where Upper Rideau Lake meets the big water, and the public land here is parkland more than crown land: Murphys Point Provincial Park on Big Rideau Lake 17 km north, Frontenac Provincial Park's backcountry 18 km south, and Silver Lake, Sharbot Lake and Charleston Lake parks within 35 km — the first true crown-land block, Crotch Lake Conservation Reserve, lies 40 km northwest. What the region lacks in free camping it repays in water: Big Rideau lake trout, celebrated largemouth and smallmouth bass, and nearly thirty campgrounds within an hour. This page rounds up the region's public land, fishing spots, campgrounds and road trips.

Map

Crown Land Nearby

🌲
MURPHYS POINT PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
17 km
🌲
FRONTENAC PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
18 km
🌲
SILVER LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
22 km
🌲
Area C
General Use Area
23 km
🌲
SHARBOT LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
27 km
🌲
Area B
General Use Area
27 km
🌲
CHARLESTON LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
33 km
🌲
CROTCH LAKE CONSERVATION RESERVE
Conservation Reserve
40 km
🌲
Gananoque
Provincial Wildlife Area
40 km
🌲
Crotch Lake
Enhanced Management Area
41 km
🌲
HUNGRY LAKE CONSERVATION RESERVE
Conservation Reserve
43 km
🌲
PUZZLE LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
45 km

Nearest Fishing Spots

🎣
Mulvilles Bay
1 km
🎣
Little Bay
2 km
🎣
Westport Sand Lake
2 km
🎣
Big Bay
4 km
🎣
Tommy Lake
5 km
🎣
Upper Rideau Lake
5 km
🎣
Spectacle Lake
5 km
🎣
Grady Lake
5 km

Nearest Campgrounds

🏕️
Sunnyside Family Retreat
Westport
5 km
🏕️
Rideau Mac Resort
Portland
10 km
🏕️
Indian Lake Marina and Campground
Elgin
12 km
🏕️
Canoe Lake Campground
Godfrey
13 km
🏕️
Pine Haven Cottages and Campground
Perth Road Village
14 km
🏕️
Irwin’s Cabins Inc.
Godfrey
15 km
🏕️
Skycroft Campground Resort
Elgin
15 km
🏕️
McGowan Lake Campground
Maberly
19 km

Road Trips Nearby

🚗
Road Trip Kingston to Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County
75 km
🚗
Road Trip Ottawa to Kingston – Rideau Canal
Kingston
190 km
🚗
Road Trip Toronto to Kingston – The Thousand Islands
Kingston
260 km

Crown land by city in the Rideau Lakes

Kingston Brockville Belleville Cornwall

Explore the region

Thousand Islands Land O' Lakes Prince Edward County

Frequently Asked Questions

Very little — this is cottage and parkland country, and the shorelines are overwhelmingly private. The nearest substantial crown block is Crotch Lake Conservation Reserve, about 40 km northwest near Ompah; closer to the lakes, public land means the provincial parks.

Realistically no — plan on the parks and campgrounds instead. Murphys Point, Frontenac (backcountry sites), Silver Lake and Charleston Lake all offer camping, and nearly thirty private and municipal campgrounds sit within an hour of Westport, several less than 12 km away.

Big Rideau Lake holds lake trout in its deep basins, Upper Rideau and the canal lakes are outstanding largemouth and smallmouth bass water, and northern pike, walleye and crappie round it out — all under Zone 18 rules with a valid Ontario fishing licence.

Yes — the full 202 km Ottawa-Kingston route is navigable, with Parks Canada lockstations at Narrows and Newboro right on the Rideau Lakes. Boats pay lockage and mooring fees, and paddlers can camp at designated lockstation grounds along the way.

Offline maps around Rideau Lakes

Public land near Rideau Lakes 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

A valid Ontario fishing licence (with an Outdoors Card) is required on every lake, and Zone 18 rules apply — Big Rideau's lake trout have a winter closure and tight limits, and bass season opens later than the panfish. The provincial parks charge day-use and camping fees, Parks Canada charges lockage and mooring on the canal, and there is effectively no crown land for free camping near the lakes — the nearest is Crotch Lake, 40 km northwest, where the standard rule applies (free for Canadian residents, 21-day limit, paid permit for non-residents of Canada). Respect private shorelines when landing.

Explore the interactive map

Open Full Map Camping in South Eastern Ontario All Fishing Spots All Cities & Regions