Ingonish Beach Campground

Overview

Note: Due to COVID-19, the visitor experience at Parks Canada places will be different than it has been in the past. The health and safety of visitors, employees and all Canadians is of the utmost importance and Parks Canada will follow the advice and guidance of public health experts in resuming visitor access and services. We encourage all visitors to practice physical distancing while visiting Parks Canada places.

Parks Canada’s network of protected places is large and diverse. Visitor access, services, and even opening dates may vary across Cape Breton Island and Canso depending on local circumstances. Please visit pc.gc.ca/ns and follow Parks Canada’s social media channels for information and updates on the status of all Parks Canada places.

Camping: On July 13, Cape Breton Highlands National Park will be accepting new camping reservations for Broad Cove, Ingonish Beach and Chéticamp campgrounds. We will not be offering oTENTik or equipped camping sites this year, however, RV and tent sites are available for advanced booking. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are not able to accept walk-in reservations. 

Visitor Centres: Starting July 20, our visitor reception centres in Ingonish and Chéticamp in Cape Breton Highlands National Park will open. In late July, select programs and additional visitor services will be available as well. 

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This small, open campground, located by the village of Ingonish Beach, is your gateway to fun-filled family camping. Just a 10 minute walk to beautiful Ingonish Beach with ocean (supervised in July and August) and freshwater swimming, hiking, tennis courts, soccer field and playground. During the shoulder season, you can pay at the nearby visitor centre or by self-registration if the centre is closed.

Location: Cape Breton Highlands National Park, 1 km from the eastern entrance of the park. The campground is a sparsely wooded, quiet campground that is just a 10-minute walk to a sandy saltwater shoreline and freshwater lake beach. Ingonish Beach Campground has 51 tenting sites with fireplaces, 5 equipped tenting sites and 4 oTENTiks. Many amenities located close by in the village of Ingonish Beach. The Park is open year-round but full visitor services are only available from mid-May until mid-October.

Campground services:

• Washrooms with hot showers and flush toilets
• Potable water
• Kitchen shelters with picnic tables and wood stoves
• Group fireplaces
• Firewood
• Nearby: laundry, camping supplies, internet, groceries, gas station, restaurants

Activities:

• Swimming in ocean or freshwater lake (surf guards in July & August)
• Golf at the world-class Highlands Links
• Soccer field, tennis court, playground and canteen at beach
• Nearby in Ingonish: whale tours, craft shops
• Visit with Parks Canada mascot, Parka, explore programs and BioBlitz. 
• Nearby: daily guided coastal walks and adventure night hikes, square dancing (applicable fees) mid-June to mid-September, geocaching.

There are several walking/hiking trails, including:

• Freshwater Lake – an easy walk around the lake -great for strollers.
• Franey Mountain – it’s a climb but the reward is a panoramic view from the top.
• Middle Head – walk on a stubborn rocky headland between two bays.

Facilities / Services

• Wheelchair-accessible
• Bilingual staff available
• Pets welcome (except in oTENTiks and Equipped Campsites)

Amenities

• Flush toilets
• Showers (Free)
• Unserviced
• Cooking shelters
• Open sites
• Shaded sites
• Swimming (lake)
• Swimming (ocean)