Thousand Islands National Park

Thousand Islands National Park protects a scattered chain of granite islands and shoreline along the St. Lawrence River in Eastern Ontario, between the city of Kingston and the town of Brockville. It is Canada's smallest national park by mainland area but among the most intricate, made up of more than 20 islands and dozens of islets set in the river where it drains Lake Ontario. The park sits within the Frontenac Arch, a finger of ancient Canadian Shield granite that connects the Algonquin Highlands to the Adirondack Mountains, and the mix of northern and southern species this corridor supports earned the surrounding area UNESCO Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve status.

The park's character is quiet and watery: pink granite shoals, wind-sculpted pines, and pockets of oak savannah rising out of the river, with elegant early-20th-century summer "cottages" (some genuinely castle-sized) visible on privately held islands nearby. Most of the park is accessible only by boat, which keeps it uncrowded even in peak season. Summers are warm and humid, with daytime highs around 25-28°C, winters are cold and snowy with river ice, and the shoulder months of May and September-October bring mild days, fewer insects, and striking maple and oak colour along the shoreline.

The park is not a single contiguous block but a set of mainland access points, day-use areas, and island campgrounds strung along roughly 80 km of river. The main mainland hub is the Mallorytown Landing Visitor Centre, with additional access from Ivy Lea and Jones Creek; the islands themselves, including Grenadier, Georgina, Mermaid, and Beau Rivage, hold most of the campsites and hiking trails.

By Plane

The nearest airport with scheduled service is Kingston Norman Rogers Airport (YGK), about 30-40 km from the park's Mallorytown and Ivy Lea access points, with limited regional flights. Most visitors instead fly into Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW), roughly 130 km northeast, or Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), about 300 km west, both with far more frequent connections; a rental car covers the final leg from either.

By Train

Via Rail's Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor stops at Kingston and Brockville, both within a 30-45 minute drive of the park's mainland access points. Book Via Rail tickets online in advance for the best fares; there is no rail station inside the park itself, so a car or taxi is needed for the last stretch.

By Car / Road

The park lies just off Highway 401 and the parallel Thousand Islands Parkway between Gananoque and Brockville. From Kingston it is about a 30-40 minute drive east; from Ottawa about 1.5-2 hours southwest; from Toronto about 3-3.5 hours east. Roads are well-maintained two-lane highways and the scenic Thousand Islands Parkway, with clear signage to the Mallorytown Landing Visitor Centre and Ivy Lea access points. Intercity coach services stop in Gananoque and Brockville, from which a taxi or rental car covers the remaining distance to the park.

The mainland sections (Mallorytown Landing, Jones Creek, Landon Bay) are reachable by car and walkable via marked hiking trails, but the bulk of the park, its island campgrounds and many day-use docks, is accessible only by private boat, canoe, kayak, or the seasonal Parks Canada shuttle and water-taxi services that run from Mallorytown Landing and Ivy Lea in summer. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the Mallorytown Landing Visitor Centre and from outfitters in Gananoque and Rockport. There is no public transit within the park; visitors without their own boat should book a shuttle or a guided boat tour in advance during peak summer weekends, since capacity is limited.

Natural landmarks

• Landon Bay Centre trails: forested granite ridges with lookout points over the river; free to hike, open dawn to dusk.
• Georgina Island and Beau Rivage Island: classic wind-swept pine and granite island scenery typical of the Frontenac Arch; reachable only by boat.
• Jones Creek: a quiet wetland and forest trail network on the mainland, good for birdwatching, free entry.

Heritage and culture

• Mallorytown Landing Visitor Centre: exhibits on the park's natural and human history, including Frontenac Arch geology and the Indigenous and settler history of the river; open seasonally, free with park entry.

• Views (from park waters) of Boldt Castle and Singer Castle on nearby privately owned islands, early-1900s summer mansions that give the "Thousand Islands" name its storied reputation; the castles lie outside the national park and charge separate admission for tours.

• Camping: reserve a backcountry island campsite (Grenadier, Mermaid, Georgina, and others) through the Parks Canada reservation system; basic sites run roughly CAD 25-30 per night.

• Paddling and boating: canoe or kayak the sheltered channels between islands, or take a guided Parks Canada or private boat tour from Gananoque or Ivy Lea, typically CAD 30-45 per person for a one- to two-hour cruise.

• Hiking: mainland trail networks at Jones Creek and Landon Bay range from easy 2 km loops to longer half-day routes with river viewpoints.

• Swimming and fishing: several island and mainland sites have designated swimming areas; the river supports bass and pike fishing with an Ontario fishing licence.

• Stargazing: the park's low light pollution over open water makes for good night skies away from the mainland Parkway.

There is no restaurant inside the park; visitors typically bring picnic supplies or cook at their campsite, or eat in the nearby towns of Gananoque, Rockport, or Brockville before or after a park visit. In Gananoque, casual waterfront spots serve pickerel (walleye) and other freshwater fish dinners for roughly CAD 20-30, while cafés along the main street offer sandwiches and baked goods for CAD 10-15. Vegetarian options are available at most sit-down restaurants in the surrounding towns, though choices thin out at smaller diners.

Bring drinking water into the park, since there is no potable water source on most islands; boil or filter river water if refilling is unavoidable. In Gananoque and Brockville, waterfront pubs and cafés serve Ontario craft beer and coffee with river views. Tap water in the surrounding towns is safe to drink.

• Budget: backcountry island campsites through Parks Canada, roughly CAD 25-30/night, or budget motels around Gananoque from about CAD 90-110/night.
• Mid-range: hotels along the Gananoque waterfront or in Brockville, roughly CAD 150-220/night.
• Upscale / heritage: the 1000 Islands Harbour Hotel in Gananoque, a boutique waterfront property from around CAD 300+/night in peak summer.

There are no shops inside the park itself; pack in supplies from Gananoque, Brockville, or Mallorytown before heading out. Gananoque's downtown has boutique shops selling local crafts, maple syrup, and Thousand Islands-branded souvenirs, plus bottled Thousand Islands dressing, a popular novelty pickup that takes its name from the region. Prices are fixed; bargaining is not customary in Ontario retail.

• Gananoque (15-20 minutes by car): the main gateway town, with boat tours, restaurants, and lodging.
• Kingston (30-40 minutes): historic waterfront city with Fort Henry and access to Lake Ontario.
• Brockville (20-30 minutes): riverside town with a historic downtown and scuba-diving access to shipwrecks.
• Boldt Castle and Singer Castle (short boat tour from Gananoque or Alexandria Bay, NY): the region's famous island mansions.
• Alexandria Bay, New York, USA (across the river, passport required): the American side of the Thousand Islands, with its own boat tours and waterfront.