Best campsite in Ontario: Rossport R19

Camping on the north shore of Lake Superior. There was eating, too, and cheese, of course!

We have not conducted anything resembling an exhaustive comparison of campsites in Ontario but we are convinced R19 at Rossport Campground on the north shore of Lake Superior is the very best campsite in the entire province.

It's an awesome spot for a campsite, on a point with close to 200 feet of waterfront—a million-dollar view for $33.60* per overnight.

Let me count the ways Rossport R19 is our favourite:

• Spectacular, unobstructed views of Lake Superior.

• Daily call of loons.

• Morning swims in the lake are optional. (Water can be cold. It’s a big lake.)

• Kayak or canoe if you brought one along.

• Less than a five-minute stroll to a comfort station with showers and laundry facilities.

• Steps from a vault toilet.

• Steps from a tap for potable water.

• At the far end of the campground, so almost no traffic.

• Minutes from easy hikes at Rainbow Falls and Whitesand Lake.

• If you’re up to it, hike the 52-km Casque Isles Trail section of the Voyageur Trail that runs between the communities of Terrace Bay, Schreiber and Rossport.

• A 20-minute drive from Costa’s Foods in Terrace Bay, a family-run grocery store and butcher shop where you’ll find the finest prepared meals for cooking at camp plus fresh local fish.

• A 20-minute drive from a Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) retail outlet in Terrace Bay to replenish adult beverages.

• Did we mention spectacular, unobstructed views of Lake Superior?

Rossport Campground, with only 36 campsites (23 with electrical service) is small and, thus, quiet. The much larger Whitesand Lake Campground, with almost 100 campsites, half of which have electrical service, is just a few minutes east on Highway 17. Both are part of Rainbow Falls Provincial Park. The park is 200 km north and east of Thunder Bay, 500 km north and west of Sault Ste Marie.

Rossport R19 has no electrical service which is fine by us as we’re self-sufficient. We actually seek out no-service and tents-only campsites as they are cheaper and often better located in terms of scenery and waterfronts.

The beach at Rossport Campground is a mix of cobble stone and rocky shoreline that offers an ideal spot to explore or simply sit and watch the water sparkle.

Lake Superior is the largest and northernmost of the Great Lakes of North America, and among freshwater lakes, it is the world's largest by surface area and the third-largest by volume. It holds 10% of the world's surface fresh water.

We live on Lake Ontario just east of Toronto but we consider Lake Superior our favourite of the Great Lakes.

Read more about Rainbow Falls Provincial Park, including how to reserve a campsite, by clicking here. Be sure to reserve as far in advance as possible because R19 is a popular choice. R18 is an excellent second choice if R19 is taken.

What a beautiful place to kayak!

What a great place to hike! Fabulous scenery but the hikes can be brutal.

Fabulous rib eye steak from Costa's Foods Ltd. in nearby Terrace Bay

Starting the day with back bacon from Seed to Sausage.

Or start the day with garlic and juniper bacon from Seed to Sausage.

Which raw-milk cheese should we snack on, Vacherin Fribourgeois or Ompah from Back Forty Artisan Cheese?

Thick, juicy pork chops, marinated in oil, garlic and rosemary, from Costa's Foods Ltd. in Terrace Bay.

Succulent chicken breast stuffed with feta and spinach from Costa's Foods Ltd. in nearby Terrace Bay.

Thick slices of butter are key to pan-frying excellent toast at a campsite.

What's a campfire in the evening without a double marshmallow?

Snacking on Chemin Hatley from Fromagerie La Station de Compton.

Fresh salmon from Lake Winnipeg poached in mucho butter with lemon and dill makes for a memorable last supper. (Photo taken at R18 next door to R19.)

What's a meal while camping without potatoes baked in campfire coals?

A mighty fine Crème Brûlée from backpacking meals at MEC.

There's nothing quite like the call of loons in the wilderness.

Memories of the spectacular scenery on Lake Superior will linger . . . and hopefully lead to a return to "our" campsite.

*$48.95 with taxes and online reservation fee.