This sprawling Toronto park is a camping paradise

When people think of glamping (the combination of glamour and camping), the starry skies of cottage country might come to mind.

But, many Torontonians are unaware that they can experience all the amenities of camping right inside our own city, which makes the Rouge National Urban Park one of Toronto's best kept secrets. 

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The rich assortment of natural, cultural, and agricultural landscapes  that cover the areas of Rouge National Urban Park makes it one of the most biodiverse parks in Canada.

With the massive Carolinian ecosystems, unspoiled beaches, endless hiking trails, and some of the region's largest marshes, this sprawling urban park has a little bit of everything. 

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This park is so new that Parks Canada is still in the process of establishing its boundaries.

Once finalized, Rouge National Urban Park will be one of the largest and best protected urban parks of its kind in the world — covering parts of Toronto, Markham, Pickering and Uxbridge. In total, the entire park will be 23 times larger than Central Park in New York City!

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Rouge National Urban Park is also the home of Toronto's only camp site: the Glen Rouge Campground. Recently, Parks Canada introduced the ultra modern oTENTik lodgings that are unique to Canada's National Parks.

These half cabin/half tent hybrids offer all the charm of sleeping out under the stars, without any of the stress or hassle of classic camping. 

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The oTENTik lodgings offer nature lovers the ultimate experience of the comfort of a home, with the experience of the great outdoors - all while at the edge of the city. Nestled on the banks of the Rouge River, these fully-equipped tents come with an already-made campsite.

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Each lodge includes three comfortable beds, lighting, can accommodate up to 6 people, and are only $120/night. Just bring your own sleeping bag!

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To keep up to date with all things Rouge National Urban Park, there's a  free app, designed by the students of the University of Toronto, that will keep you informed about news stories, maps, alerts and events. There's also a page dedicated to COVID-19 related updates.