Operation Explorations: REVIEW Algonquin Trails Camping Resort, Dwight, Ontario

Algonquin Trails Camping Resort is located at 2883 Hwy 60, in Dwight Ontario.

It was far from a "resort" but it was a wonderful, natural, wilderness camping experience. When you read "resort" in a name you automatically think (at least I do) it will be an upscale campground and if that is what you are looking for you will be disappointed with this place.

VALUE 3/5
At $46 a night it's more expensive then visiting Algonquin Provincial Park and at least at the provincial Park there is some prestige that goes along with the price tag. Algonquin Trails price is the same if you are in a big rig or a pop up trailer. You do have a pool for use here which is a nice bonus to cool off in on a hot summer day. If the pool was in better condition with lounge chairs and a "resort" feel I wouldn't have a problem rating this higher.

SITE QUALITY 3.5/5
Although our site was level where we parked it, the site itself was full of tree roots sticking up causing the occasional trip and was sloped. Our site was what I'd call a companion site so a friend camping with you could park the other way and have your awnings opened up together. A great feature but when an older couple parked there for the weekend it was a bit awkward to be staring into their camping area as they sat outside reading. Our site also was full of ants, I mean lots of ants everywhere. Sure Ants are natural but a site with full ants nests should have something done about it. We did have a large pull thru site with electric and water. All the sewer sites are for seasonal campers.

FACILITY FUN 3.5/5
We thought this place was great because we loved all the natural exploring that went on here. The kids had a blast finding, toads, frogs, turtles and even a snake. There was a playground which was very old and the kids hung out there but they didn't really play there. There was also a fenced in toddler area with little tikes houses and small climbing and ride on toys. Kids did have the freedom to run around and just be kids which was great and earns points in my books. The pool was fun despite the cooler temperature. It's advertised as a heated pool but what that really means is the greenhouse like room heats up like a sauna while the water temperature is a constant 68. Not what I call a heated pool. The kids enjoyed it though. There is a run down basketball court and a volleyball area which I can't imagine ever gets used. There is a large field available for bigger games like soccer or baseball. There is also a pretty nice mini golf available for a fee.

NATURAL SURROUNDINGS 5/5
I loved the natural feel of this park. Very wooded, mature trees. It felt like you were camping in the middle of the forest and not in a crowded RV park. The walking trails were overgrown but with 100 acres there is a lot of room to walk around, on and off trails. Lots of wildlife present.

BATHROOMS 4/5
Despite them looking out dated they were in pretty good shape and very clean. The owner is quite militant on their upkeep. The metal shower and toilet stalls held up nicely to the test of time if you could see past the colour.

STAFF 4/5
Despite reading other reviews before we went saying the owner was "grumpy" we did not witness this at all. Basically the campground is run by a one man show. He keeps the park at low capacity to keep his workload down basically and he has some "rules" he expects you to follow. If you follow the rules you will have a pleasant experience so read the rules on the website before you go to make sure you are OK with them because he WILL enforce them.

LOCATION 5/5
This location is about 15 minutes from Algonquin Provincial Park entrance, 15 minutes to Huntsville and 5 minutes to Dwight beach for swimming, boating and fishing abilities. We also loved the town of Huntsville.

OVERALL 4/5
To some that may seem high after visiting. I justify the 4 because natural settings are very high on our list of priorities. It is not a typical resort so don't expect a Disney type atmosphere or you will be disappointed. It is a very quiet, peaceful and pleasant park to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. It's also a place where kids can be kids and they aren't told to stop running and quiet down every few minutes.

*** As a word of caution...they do offer large pull thru sites but when you are driving through the park the branches may overhang and scrape your trailer. At one point when we left I had to hold back some branches going around a corner to prevent scratches.