Highland Pines Campground is located on 8523 Wellington Rd 19 in Belwood, ON. The park is on Lake Belwood (a reservoir on the Grand River), Irvine Creek, and Valley Springs Pond. We most recently visited in August 2023.
The Lakeside portion of Highland Pines was established atop a former tree farm in 1967 by the Vallery Family. Throughout the years, the park has expanded to include a second section along the banks of the Irvine Creek known as "Riverside", and a newly developed section known as "Valley Springs".
Highland Pines was made up by the Vallery Family as the original tree farm was predominantly a Christmas tree farm.
Highland Pines offers:
- swimming at a sandy beach on Belwood
- 3 Olympic-sized swimming pools
- boating in a 100 slip dock and boat launch
- reading and gaming at the library
- numerous playgrounds
- fishing for pike, pickerel, smallmouth, perch
- shuffleboard, horseshoe, basketball, beach volleyball, soccer fields, bocce, etc
- swimming and splashin' at the splash pad
- crafts and events at the rec hall
The two hiking trails are:
- Riverside ~2km easy; this trail walks through woodland alongside the Irvine Creek
- Lakeside ~1km moderate; this trail traverses hills and woodlands in the centre of Lakeside Campground. Hilly with some tough terrain.
Lakeside:
- Drive through the check-in and see sites emerge on left and right. Keep on the road that is beach-bound. The road will curve left, down a hill, washrooms on the left. Continue straight and see the rec hall on the left. Keep left at the junction to go to the docks and boat launch, keep right to go to the beach. Map supplied below.
Riverside:
- Drive in the main entrance. A road on the right leads to the pool parking lot. See the map below for site-finding.
Valley Springs:
- Pass the security gate and continue straight. Turn right after the first parking lot. You'll see the pool, sports courts, and the signature pirate ship playground. If you didn't turn right after the first parking lot, you'll see a pond on the right, sites behind it, and sites on the left. If you continue straight, you'll see the "beach" and a massive dirt pile before seeing the newest camping area in the park, along with an area still being developed. Map supplied below.
Bring lots of friends - lots of amenities for them all to enjoy.
Book a campsite at Lakeside Campground just not in the "F" section - lots of vehicle noise heard.
Meh. The activities are great but I'd rather a nice walk in the woods. It's a 4.3/10.
