At first glance, you might not think there is much to Keewaydin. However, if you take a minute to explore this park, you might just be surprised by its incredible beauty. There is much more to this park than meets the eye, like gorgeous hiking trails, beautiful stone structures, and amazing views of the St. Lawrence River.
Camping
While it is not the smallest state park in the Thousand Islands, it is pretty close. Keewaydin State Park has 47 campsites. The sites are all out in the open and without much privacy. A few sites overlook the water, but you aren’t on the water. There is a trail leading from the campground to the Riverside Trail. The campsites at Keewaydin will accommodate any camping style, from tent to RV. This is an excellent place to use as a “home base” while you explore the Thousand Islands.
Swimming
Unlike many of the state parks, Keewaydin State Park has a pool, making this state park an excellent summer destination. The pool is gated for safety and there lifeguards posted when the pool is open. There is also a playground and picnic pavilion near the pool.
Hiking
There are numerous hiking trails at Keewaydin, and while all the trails are beautiful, my favorite is the Riverside Trail. This is a gorgeous scenic trail that, as the name suggests, runs along the river. What makes this trail so exquisite, besides the unobscured view of the St. Lawrence River, is all the masonry structures along the trail, such as pavilions, buildings, and stone staircases. It’s breathtaking. There are also the gorgeous rocky shorelines typical of the Thousand Islands.
The water here is incredibly clear, with a greenish-blue color that reminded me of the ocean. As you get closer to the marina, the water gets deeper but is still as clear as the shallow area. You can see straight through to the bottom.
Tip: If you are looking for a great location for wedding photos or senior pictures…this is it! The scenery is stunning, and stone masonry adds almost a medieval flare to the surroundings.
Boating & Fishing
The marina at Keewaydin has multiple boat slips, both electric and non-electric, for seasonal and transient visitors. There is a concrete ramp for launching.
Regardless if you are fishing from the shores of Keewaydin or from a boat on the St. Lawrence, the fishing is excellent. Fishermen will find bass, both small and large mouth, Rock bass, black crappies, bluegills, pumpkinseeds, bullhead, yellow perch, northern pike, walleye, and muskellunge.
Getting to Keewaydin State Park
Have you camped at Keewaydin State Park? What did you think of it? What Thousand Islands state park have you visited? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.