5 campsites with heated cabins and yurts near Toronto

Ontario Parks aren't just summer destinations. On the contrary, many of them are at their most beautiful in the fall and winter when the crowds have thinned out and the landscape lights up with colour before the first snowfall. You have to be brave to sleep in a tent past October, but fortunately there are cabins and yurts to rent that'll keep you toasty during your cold weather adventures.

Here are 10 provincial parks with cabin and yurt rentals near Toronto.

Algonquin Park
Algonquin Park has some of the most amazing rustic cabins out there, most of which were used by the original park rangers. These can be rented through the fall, but are closed during winter because it would be too difficult to trek into them after the first snowfall. There are, however, seven heated yurts at the Mew Lake campground that are open all year.

Arrowhead
Arrowhead Park has one of the most robust selections of cold weather camping options with 10 camp cabins open starting in December. These one-room accommodations feature a kitchenette with a microwave and a barbecue for more substantial cooking. There are gas and electric fireplaces for additional coziness.

MacGregor Point
MacGregor Point is the yurt capital of Ontario Parks with 16 on offer throughout the year. These accommodations sleep six people on two sets of double/single bunk beds. The decor is sparse, but the idea is to get out there to enjoy the beauty of the park, which is located on Lake Huron, through fall and winter.

Silent Lake
Silent Lake is another one of Ontario's Parks that's great to explore in the winter, with 10 yurts that open in mid December. These are arguably nicer than the ones at MacGegor Point as they have wood burning stoves to keep the heat up, but the draw back is there's no electricity of running water.

Kilarney
This is one of the most beautiful places to camp in the fall and winter with two rustic camp cabins and six yurts that are available for rental all year. These are a short hike in from the park office, and offer the ultimate in winter seclusion at a park that's known for amazing stargazing and wildlife-spotting opportunities. If you get lucky, you might even see the Northern Lights.

You can check out the Ontario Parks website for a full list of roofed accommodations and cold weather camping options.

Photo via Ontario Parks.

by Derek Flack via blogTO