Brant Conservation Area — Hotel in Brantford

Park was much larger than expected. With several hundred campsites. We usually manage to explore the entire park when we camp, and we just couldn't do it here. It was too big. Highly recommend bringing bikes if you have them.

Most (not all) seasonal campers with RVs appear to be at Maple Grove. Was pleasantly surprised that the campsites were spaced apart. And most of the sites are quite spacious (but there's some small ones so, read site details carefully). When it says average privacy, it can have decent privacy. Most sites are surrounded by trees on all three sides. There's even some sites completely within the woods. Decent tree cover on most sites, as well. Not all sites have a fire ring but will have a pit of some sort. Campsites by Grand River tend to have poor privacy.

Gate sells firewood, ice and worms for fishing. Not a fan of the on-site firewood. Most of what we got was more like kindling. Make sure you inspect the cords if you purchase on site.

Park has movie nights on a projector on Saturdays in the summer. It was great! Movie was clear. Sound was good quality. Kids really enjoyed it. When you hit the division point, go left until you hit the stop sign with the dumpsters. Turn right. Keep going until you hit the washroom at the end of the road. I'm telling you this because we got lost trying to find the movie. 😂

PLENTY of playgrounds. It was a great place for the kids to meet and play with other kids. Really kept the kids entertained and happy. Kids made plans to meet up daily in the morning and evenings, and all through the day.

We camped nearly a week in the summer. North Hawthorn. Midweek was very quiet. We barely had any neighbours. But as soon as Friday hit, boy, did the park fill up. And there's nothing wrong with that. As previously mentioned, park is huge. Plenty of space for everyone.

Lots of access points into Grand River. Grand River Rafting Co. is also on site if you're interested in taking the 2.5 hour raft down from Five Oaks. Hourly kayak, tube, canoe and paddle board rentals are also available. No swimming in the river, but there is a huge swimming pool. Entry is extra ($2 per person). Gets very busy on the weekend but for us, wait wasn't very long.

I think they really took to heart the criticisms about their washrooms because they cleaned them every morning even when there were barely any campers. My only criticism was the pool changerooms. The entire time we camped at the park, those washrooms had no toilet paper and only one dispenser had hand soap. And there was a porta potty by the public picnic area and parking lot by Grand River where the urinal was overflowing with urine. It was utterly disgusting. But, everywhere else we went was relatively clean. But they tend to forget to empty the feminine hygiene bin. 😬

Water levels at the dam were low. We got to walk through one of the tributaries and catch toads. There's unmapped trails that lead to nowhere. But lots of mapped trails that are quite long given how big the park is.

You can hear the nearby train track occasionally. There's also a nearby local airport. Wouldn't say it bothered us too much. Loud parties that went well past quiet time were more of an issue but the park rangers came by regularly to shut that down.

We had a great time overall. Staff were great! Will return...

So, Brant Conservation Area is honestly one of those spots where you can just show up and do pretty much whatever you feel like outdoors. It’s right in Brantford, not far from the Grand River, and it’s kinda perfect if you’re into a mix of relaxing and a little bit of adventure. First off, the big thing here is the water. They’ve got this huge pool that’s more like a mini waterpark with splash pads, slides, and all that fun stuff. Families love it, but even if you don’t have kids, it’s still a solid place to cool off on a hot day.

Then there’s the camping. You can bring your tent, park your trailer, or even just come for the day. People light up their campfires, grill some food, and it’s got that whole summer vibe going on. The sites are pretty spacious, so you don’t feel like you’re crammed in with strangers.

Fishing? Yep, you can do that too. The Grand River runs through the area, so grab your rod and try to catch something while you’re chilling on the shore. If fishing’s not your thing, you can just walk or bike along the trails, spot some wildlife, and breathe in that fresh air that makes you forget about work and city stress for a while.

Oh, and if you’re into group hangouts, there are picnic areas everywhere. People bring their soccer balls, frisbees, and it just feels like one big backyard party.

Basically, Brant Conservation Area is where you go when you want a day (or weekend) of pure chill, with just enough things to do so you don’t get bored. Simple, easy, and a good time every...

first time camping here! Maps are very detailed and easy to follow. Staff were able to respond to questions asked and easy to reach during business hours through phone call. My only suggestion would be to add more garbage bins nearby sites so it would be more convenient to throw away trash from camping. Another suggestion is to have plugs that are available for normal outlets as well for every camping site because not everyone who is camping owns a RV. We camped at #207 and the outlet only had RV. Using the converter would require rent. We were lucky the lady near us allowed us to use some of the sockets of the outlet on her designated site outlet. Outdoor pool has admission for each person for an affordable price and is maintained well, which we liked. The washrooms near us were cleaned well and there are water stations nearby sites and washroom areas. There was also a shower cubicle. Another suggestion would be to please fill in the potholes that are very deep on the way to some sites. Otherwise, very thankful and happy with our stay here 😊

P.S. They sell ice, wood, and worms for fishing at the office by the entrance. Please be sure to bring your own food when you arrive. Nonetheless, they give you a pass that you can scan on the entrance if you want to exit and shop for food outside and bring it back to the...