French River Provincial Park Camping and Cottages

705-857-2038 or email hartleybay@xplornet.com  -  2870 Hartley Bay Rd., French River, Ontario P0M1A0 View on map 
 Open / Season May 1 – Oct 31. 

Tips on The French River

High Water Levels on The French River

High Water Levels on The French River

Title: Paddling Perils: Hazards and Safety Tips for River and Stream Enthusiasts

 

Paddling on a river or stream can be an exciting and peaceful way to exHigh Water Levels on The French Riverplore nature, but it’s important to be aware of the potential hazards that come with it. From floods and swift water to low head dams, strainers, hypothermia, and foot entrapments, there are many risks involved that paddlers need to understand to stay safe.

 

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Canoe Trip Remote Campsite Meals Made Easy

Canoe Trip Remote Campsite Meals Made Easy

Camping, hiking, and backpacking requires a lot of preparation. Usually, fine dining is not an option. Making quality, varied meals can be difficult, but you don't necessarily need a lot of equipment to make healthy and delicious canoe trip remote campsite meals.

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A French River Perspective

french river paddling perspectiveArguably one of the most frequently paddled waterbodies, the French River offers an incredible maze of channels that lead back to the Georgian Bay Delta. The Northern Ontario river runs along the boundary between Parry Sound District and Sudbury District. It starts at Lake Nipissing in a westerly direction towards Georgian Bay, offering vastly diverse sights and paddling opportunities. 

 

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French River Fires: Then and Now

French River FiresIt’s no secret that the 2020 season was a tad disappointing, and we don’t really know where 2021 is headed… But we thought it would be a great idea to look back to the last time we were impacted by a natural disaster - the Parry Sound 33 forest fire which left  incredible devastation as it swept across the northern coast. 

 

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Loading Etiquette During COVID-19

Hartley Bay Marina has always been a friendly place, where visitors are a part of one big, extended family forged by the sense of community that has been created over many years. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to be extra careful if we want to keep our family, friends, and employees safe and healthy. We have to maintain social distancing guidelines in order to continue operating and providing services to our visitors. Therefore, we ask that all our visitors please follow the etiquette suggestions in this article to help everyone launch within 15 minutes. 

 

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Life Jacket Safety while Boating

Legend Lost - Passionate about Life Jacket Safety

life jacket safety while boatingA tribute to Michael Daniel “Mike” Palmer (June 20th, 1946 - February 29th, 2020)

 

It saddens us to announce the passing of Mike, but it brings comfort to know that his spirit of adventure will live on in each of us as the Palmer family continues to welcome guests to his home, Hartley Bay Marina. His passion for the French River and the safety of the people of Canada was evident when, in the summer of 2019, Mike launched the Life Jacket Campaign.

 

Since 1952, the Palmer family has welcomed families to Hartley Bay Marina on the French River. In this time, they saw a few tragedies, but nothing saddened Mike more than the sixteen boating fatalities that occurred across Ontario in 2019.

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The French River is a Hidden Gem

Visitors to the French River Provincial Park agree that it is a hidden gem amongst provincial parks in Northern Ontario and other regions of Canada. While our country is a wonderful place for outdoors adventure - and maybe we’re just a little bit biased - home is where the heart is. If you’re fortunate enough to call The French River Provincial Park your second home, you will probably agree with the sentiments of other visitors to Hartley Bay Marina.

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Tips for Safe Camping (Without Starting a Forest Fire)

tips safe camping without starting forest fireNothing beats sitting around a campfire, roasting s’mores, strumming a guitar and singing and laughing and reminiscing with friends and family. There’s something about a campfire that warms up weary bones after a long day’s hiking and fosters lifelong memories. However, if you don’t pay caution, a campfire can ruin your trip.

 

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Dreaming of a Spring Camping Trip?

Winter is the time to start planning for the epic trip of a lifetime!

spring camping trip While most of us are sitting in front of the fireplace with hot chocolate and flipping through our phones, looking at pictures of our last camping trips of the season, some die-hards are out there in the snow, donning long johns and drowning out the hypothermia with alcohol… Huge respect to those guys!

 

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Travelling Souls of the Old Voyageurs Channel

Old Voyageurs ChannelIt was a relatively windy day in May. I tried to figure out a great excursion that would bypass the bad gusty spring winds coming off Georgian Bay, funnelling up The French River from the South. Usually, I would try to get out from Hartley Bay Marina to the Bustard Islands on Georgian Bay to hunker down for a few nights this time of year, but not today. 

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