Camp Big Canoe is An Experience Like No Other!

We've been at our own private Hart Lake in Muskoka for over 50 years. Children ages 6-16 love the enthusiastic and creative magic of camp that our safety conscious, caring and well-trained staff deliver. Campers experience the challenges and rewards of outdoor living at our 240 acre wooded site. We offer an unforgettable summer with canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, camping trips, music, crafts, games, campfires and more. 

High School credit programs are offered for 14-16 year olds in our leadership programs.

Our families say their campers come home more confident, more responsible, and excited for the next summer!

Lifelong friendships await!

The Our Kids review of Camp Big Canoe

Camp Big Canoe began in 1931 as Camp Ahshunyoong, founded by the York County Boys’ Work Board. It was a product of its time, though grew and developed considerably through the years. It moved twice and in 1965 ownership was transferred to the United Church of Canada, which has run the program ever since, having moved to the current location on Hart Lake in 1968. One thing that has remained since the very beginning is the goal of providing a place of community and belonging, a place where young people can grow and learn together into a shared set of values. It reflects the tried and true traditions of camping, including camp craft and tripping. The site is extensive, and if you have an idea of what an overnight camp should be, this is it. The facilities have been updated over the years, and the site maintained in such a way as to keep a close interface with the surrounding natural environment as well as the camp’s long-standing traditions. A wealth of all-camp programs during the evening are a plus, bringing everyone together for active events as well as three campfires per session. Cheese House is the camp’s take on talent night, and it provides something of a touchstone for the programs; it's an opportunity for campers to get out of their comfort zones presenting songs and skits to the group as a whole, and likewise being supported and encouraged by the group. In so many ways, that and the other programs are precisely what camping is all about.