The Philippe Lake campground is an important attraction in Gatineau Park. It was built in the late 1950s and, apart from a few renovations, the campground facilities are now quite dated.
Over the next few years, the NCC will be working to modernize the campground. The project will improve the quality of the experience and reduce the area’s overall environmental impact.
The latest on the project
Developed in partnership with Algonquin College
In the summer of 2023, we began installing new, ready-to-camp units in partnership with Algonquin College. Students constructed straw and clay wall panels. The combination of straw and clay helps regulate air temperature inside the ready-to-camp units, thus reducing energy consumption for heating and air conditioning.
Impact of the work
Spring to fall 2024
Campsites and ready-to-camp units in the Philippe, Taylor and Renaud lake sectors are not accessible to the public. These sectors of the campground will also be closed overnight from April 15 to mid-November 2024 (9:30 pm to 6:30 am).
Trail 50 is partially closed. A detour via Trail 73 is in place. Please note that a section of the trail is steep. A rope has been installed to facilitate passage. Bikes and dogs may have difficulty getting through.
The work has no impact on camping at La Pêche Lake.
Planned improvements
The modernization of the Philippe Lake campground includes the following improvements:
- new ready-to-camp units
- improved campsite quality, safety and privacy
- better access to electricity and drinking water
- animal-proof food lockers
- new amphitheatre, multi-use pavilion, kitchen shelter and camp store
- renovations to existing buildings
- more accessible campground
- improved signage
Process and timeline
Winter 2021–2022: Design phase
Fall 2022: Demolition and removal of some infrastructure
- Demolition of buildings, such as the old camp store, wood shed, amphitheatre and Woodsia Yurt
- Removal of trees to prepare for work in spring 2023
Spring–fall 2023: Excavation work for construction of the new buildings
Spring–fall 2024: Construction of the new buildings
About the site
The campground at Philippe Lake offers basic amenities: campsites with picnic tables, washroom facilities, a camp store, nature interpretation sites, and boat and bike rental services. The NCC is renewing the campground’s facilities and amenities to improve the visitor experience and reduce the area’s environmental impact.
The Philippe Lake campground rehabilitation project has a forecasted cost of $20,100,000. Between 2018 and 2023, the NCC received $228.6 million in federal funding for critical repairs of high-impact and high-value assets.