Four Corners Algonquin Frequently Asked Questions

We are moving to a new check-in process, including self serve options, for 2025. Stay tuned for more information in spring 2025.

Check in 2:00 pm to sunset; Check out 10:00 am

We are a dark-sky-friendly site, which means that there is very little artificial illumination after the sun goes down. It is much easier for novice campers and guests visiting for the first time to navigate and settle in before dark, so we kindly ask guests to arrive before sunset where ever possible. However, if you need a different arrangement, please let us know and if we can accommodate your request we will. There will be an extra charge for arrivals after 10:00pm.

If you are planning to drive from Toronto after work, due to traffic congestion you should allow roughly double the amount of time if you leave after 4pm. Expect delays on (long) weekends.

We have a variety of maps posted on the outside of our comfort station (the building with the red roof) for your convenience, and copies of the Algonquin Park newsletter are available at the Quartermaster Shack. We may have some larger maps available to borrow through the Quartermaster Shack as well. The Park provides a digital map of the Highway 60 corridor (https://www.ontarioparks.com/pdf/maps/algonquin/highway_60.pdf). Maps and information about the Township of South Algonquin are available through the local business alliance website at MySouthAlgonquin.ca

Yes! We’ve built a brand new accessible comfort station with individual, private, flush toilets and hot showers. It’s the building with the red roof. A second one is scheduled to open in 2025!

Our bathrooms are fully accessible for people who use mobility devices. We also provide sharps disposal units and complimentary supplies like soap, and feminine hygiene products. (Yes - that’s right. We don’t charge for toilet paper so why would we charge for tampons? In our opinion, that’s how it should be in every restroom.)

Absolutely. You can bring up to the number of people/pets specified in your listing description. That’s one thing that makes us different than a hotel-in-the-woods glamping experience. We are delighted to accommodate family and friend groups for camping events, which makes what we do more of a fun type of “social glamping” than you are likely to find elsewhere. You can bring your kids too (if you want). Ask about our options for group glamping.

At Four Corners Algonquin we encourage you to embrace outdoor dining experiences. Campfire cuisine can be as simple or complex as you want it to be, but it is always, always, always a fantastic food experience. You can bring your own pots, pans and dishes, or rent everything you need to toast smores over the campfire or cook up a tasty outdoor meal at our Quartermaster Shack.

Each of our tent sites comes with its own private propane barbecue. We also have propane barbecues available at the patio located at our outdoor kitchen by the comfort station. In all cases, we supply the propane. Please be courteous - it costs us roughly double the price to fill a propane tank locally compared to a more urban centre, so use what you need and remember to turn the tank off when you are done so as not to empty the tank by accident.

You can either bring your own groceries, or buy at the local Freshmart in Whitney. Stores tend to close early here, though, so make sure you plan to shop before 6pm. Because we are an entirely off-grid, solar facility, we are not able to provide refrigeration. We recommend a Coleman cooler (available for rent at the Quartermaster) and lots of ice. Buying perishables fresh every day at the Freshmart is also a healthy and convenient alternative.

Following the food storage instructions we provide in the orientation is essential. Your safety is determined by previous guests' behaviour, and your behaviour determines the safety of future guests.

Campsites must remain clean and free from waste and debris at all times to avoid attracting animals. You may be surprised to know that an action as small as leaving old paper towels in the firepit to burn later can see mice and other rodents dragging the paper to line their nests, and they typically aim for the tents first because they know how dry and warm they are to begin with.

Garbage needs to be bagged up and either disposed of at our comfort station during the day or stored in your car at night. Take all food products with you when you leave for your daily activities. Bears don't knock - in fact they prefer visiting when you're not home. For this reason and others, the Ministry of Natural Resources considers food left in tents unaccompanied to be a form of 'bear baiting'.

You can rest assured that by following these procedures we have not had any animals become habituated to finding food here as of yet. We would like to be able to tell the guests who come after you the same thing.

If you have never camped before you don't need to go to the trouble or expense of buying camping gear to enjoy your glamping experience here. When you arrive at Four Corners, your glamping tent will be ready and include everything you need for a basic comfortable outdoor experience. We provide the tent, beds, mattresses and so on. All you need to bring is the adventurous and enthusiastic attitude.

If you don’t have or don’t want to bring your own equipment, our Quartermaster is stocked full with everything from sleeping bags, pillows and blankets, to games and crafts. We even include soap and towels in the kitchen. To borrow equipment visit FourCornersAlgonquin.MyTurn.com and make a reservation. If you place your order at least the day before you arrive, we will prepare everything and deliver it to your tent in time for your arrival. Orders placed after 12:00pm on day of arrival may be subject to delays.

For sure! This is easily the number one request we get. Fires are permitted between 6pm and midnight in designated locations. Remember that campfires, like children and pets, should be supervised at all times. Due to local fire bylaw regulations, please don’t build fires outside of the firepit, try to make the firepit larger or change the shape of it. The firepits are compliant as they are, and any changes cause a risk of injury and fines.

You may forage for fallen wood but please don’t cut down live trees - they won’t burn anyway. You may want to purchase firewood through the Quartermaster Shack, which we will deliver right to your site for you. Please do not transport firewood more than 50km to our site as per ministry regulations - it encourages the spread of disease. Please don't take wood off the property for the same reason (unless you brought it with you). Emerald ash borers have devastated the Ontario Elm tree population. We don’t want to be ‘patient zero’ for a similar infestation in the Algonquin region.

Please don't try to burn plastic, cans, or glass in the fire pit. Use the garbage for those items instead.

No problem. We have a nightly ‘Fire Buddy’ program. We’ll be happy to give you a

lesson at sundown. Or, we’ll do it for you if you prefer. Let us know you need a hand.

We will post information about any fire bans on site and on our website, however, the

details posted at southalgonquin.ca (including the fire bylaw document) are considered

the final word.

This is a wilderness campground, located beside the largest wilderness preserve in the province, and there are hazards and risks inherent to both the location and activities related to camping. Our tents are not secured or lockable which makes

theft an additional risk – please store all valuables inside a locked vehicle. By making this booking, you acknowledge that you understand and accept these hazards and risks.

Children must be supervised at all times, and we recommend doing all activities in groups of two or more people. We are happy to act as a checkpoint if you let us know what your itinerary is.

If there is an emergency, please call us at 613-637-2000. Someone is on-call 24/7. We have basic onsite fire suppression capabilities, and a protocol for alerting emergency services if there are injuries while on our property. Our community has local 911 services, but we encourage you to call us first so we can start the process - we can be at your location usually in less than 2 or 3 minutes and we can help them find you. It takes nearly 10 minutes to relay 911 calls and deploy the trucks. Everyone working together is your fastest option for help.

Some of our tents are pet friendly. Remember that your furry friends may be new to camping and it is common for animals to behave differently when camping than they might behave at home. For the safety of your pet and other guests, pets must be leashed and in the care and control of a competent adult at all times. Small dogs may be at an increased risk due to animals such as fishers or martins who may consider them prey. If you choose to bring your pets, we urge you to keep your pets inside the tent with you while you sleep, and do not leave them unattended at any time.

We don’t interfere with your use of the campsite as long as you’re respectful of your neighbours with noise and behaviour, and as long as you keep a clean camp. Smoking is not permitted inside the tents and we ask you to be extremely cautious with the use of flames/cigarettes/matches/combustible fuel at all times to avoid injury and/or damage to the property.

We kindly remind you that open flames, candles, incense, insect coils or smoking are NOT permitted inside the tents please. This is a personal safety and property damage issue, and may impact future guests' enjoyment of the space. It can be extremely difficult and expensive to repair. (Yes, we can tell. Right away.) You're welcome to enjoy any of these activities outside your tent. If you’d like more information on this policy, please ask.

There will be noise. Some of our sites are naturally noisier than others (for example, more susceptible to highway traffic noise or the noise of our permanent neighbour businesses, and our pet friendly sites may have dogs barking). We also rent to groups, and obviously, the more people who are here, the noisier things will be. However, we ask all guests to remember that this is a family friendly campground and there may be children playing or sleeping, so please be kind to your neighbours with regard to drinking, loud conversations and music, especially after 10pm. If you are sensitive to sound, please let us know before you book and we’ll help you find something suitable either at our facility or at one of our colleagues’ facilities.

We occasionally see situations where behaviour is highly disruptive, illegal or presents a serious risk to the safety of that individual or other guests or pets. We always try to discuss the issues with the guest first, but in extreme cases where such attempts fail to correct the behaviour, guests may be required to leave, without refund or credit.