Autumn is a fantastic time to head outdoors and camp under the stars. The weather is cooler, which is great for sleeping. The scenery is even more stunning thanks to the changing colour of the trees. And, all of those pesky bugs are done for the year. Not to mention, one doesn’t have to be some sort of telecom ninja to secure a decent campsite. It’s easy.

But where to go? Here is a list of 10 of our favourite and Canada’s most gorgeous camping areas this time of year.  

Get out there.

Looking for some of the best fall surfing in Canada to go along with some incredible camping and hiking? Head to Juan de Fuca Provincial Park on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island. The park sits on the Pacific coastline of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The entire area including the nearby Jordan River offers some of the best surfing conditions come fall.  Beyond surfing, the incredible Juan de Fuca trail offers fantastic hiking, and Botanical Beach is one of the richest tidal areas along the West Coast.

Looking to extend summer as long as possible? There might be no better place in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia than Cultus Lake. The centre of camp life at this park is a large, and warm freshwater lake surrounded by scenic mountains. There are four campgrounds at Cultus Lake from which visitors can indulge in great fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, and hiking.

In the Rocky Mountains, fall means larch trees, and one of the best and most accessible areas for camping and checking out larch trees is at Kootenay National Park. This beautiful area has incredible hiking to the tune of some 200 kilometres of trails including everything from short walks and day hikes to multi-day hikes not to mention fishing, wildlife viewing and hot springs. Check out the Rockwall Trail from alpine larch viewing. Camping opportunities include frontcountry campgrounds, backcountry and oTENTik cabins.

Yes, Canadian Rockies gems Banff and Lake Louise are overrun with tourists basking in the glow of Canada’s cherished Rocky Mountain views. But, come September and October, the crowds thin considerably allowing visitors some peace and quiet to enjoy these remarkable places, not to mention nabbing a campsite is much easier — even the most sought after gems at Castle Mountain and Johnston Canyon. Enjoy fantastic hikes, such as Sentinel Pass, to see the gorgeous golden larch trees.

Alberta’s Kananaskis Country is gorgeous any time of year, and Canyon Campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park is incredibly scenic. The small campground on Lower Kananaskis Lake offers access to hiking and mountain biking trails and paved bike trails. Not to mention, the campground offers stunning views of the sheer rock faces of the Opal Mountain Range.

Looking for the ultimate Ontario fall colour spectacle, Killarney Provincial Park is it. This beautiful 645-square-kilometre northern Ontario gem on the wild Georgian Bay Coast pops with pink granite, jack pines and big bold colours while the La Cloche Mountains’ white quartzite ridges call for exploration. Enjoy backcountry paddling, hiking, and fishing. Killarney offers a variety of camping options including frontcountry, backcountry and cabins.
 

Ontario’s most popular and legendary park opens up considerably following Labour Day weekend. Peak fall colours transform this already-gorgeous area into a kaleidoscope of vibrant shades and hues from mid-September to early October. And one of the best places to be is the Canisbay Lake Campground. This area on the shores of Canisbay Lake is just off Hwy. 60 and features a 242-site campground, as well as canoe-in sites, surrounded by a beautiful deciduous forest making it a stunning camping option for fall.

This beautiful area, one of the largest parks in North America, might be famous for its ski hill and killer Iron Man triathlon, but the camping is also incredible and open until mid-October. The entire park, the first in Quebec, includes 400 streams and lakes and six rivers and is a paddler's paradise. It's also an ideal location for anyone keen to observe wildlife, hike, or simply bask in gorgeous fall colours. For camping, options include frontcountry camping, canoe camping, yurts, cabins, and ready-to-camp sites, so there is something for everyone.  For an original and exciting way to check out the fall colours, try via ferrata at the park.

This Nova Scotia park sits atop sea cliffs overlooking the Bay of Fundy home to the world's highest tides.  And it doesn't get much more dramatic than that. On the other side of the park is the Annapolis Valley, and it makes for a double-whammy of beauty when autumn rolls around and the trees take on bright, beautiful colours. Park amenities include 92 open or wooded campsites, including 36 sites with electrical and water services. Hiking, beachcombing and clam digging are just a few of the activities available here.

This beauty of a park in New Brunswick offers a rare mountain hike up to the top of Mount Carleton, the highest in the province, overlooking gorgeous Acadian woods that come alive in the fall. Hiking is the thing to do here, and the 11 trails offer everything from a short wheelchair-accessible walk to strenuous mountain hikes. The park offers a true wilderness experience and is even certified Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. There are a few camping options available including some larger, more secluded sites along Nictau Lake, as well as four backpacking sites partway up the Mount Carleton trail.