Algonquin Park -- Mew Lake

I've stayed at Mew Lake twice now. I don't have super strong feelings about it either way, but it has yurts, so that's very nice when you're camping with non-campers, small children, and/or during the shoulder seasons when it's cooler and you want to make use of the heater.

The Campground

I think there are ~100 sites in all at Mew Lake, including two accessible sites with direct access to the comfort station and seven yurt sites.

The comfort station has gendered bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks. There is also a unisex accessible bathroom and individual (gender-neutral) showers. There are also, apparently, laundry facilities, but I've never really paid enough attention to see where.

Firewood (and kindling) is sold at the camp office although fires may be restricted at certain times depending on weather conditions, so it's good to have a back-up method of cooking just in case. Outside firewood is not allowed due to risk of spreading Emerald Ash Borer and other invasive species.

From the campground you have easy access to the eponymous Mew Lake as well as the Old Railway Bike Trail (which may be hiked or biked in the warmer months and skied, fat biked, or snowshoed in the winter). The trail connects Mew Lake to several other campgrounds as well as the Two Rivers Store a short distance to the east.

The Sites

The sites seem pretty "standard" based on what I'm used to when camping. Small relatively flat, clearings with a few trees on two or three sides and one side open to the road/vehicle path through the campground. There's not a huge amount of privacy, but there are enough trees that they don't feel completely open either. Each site has a picnic table and a fire pit (with ring and grate).

The Yurts

I've stayed in yurt 36 both times I've been there. As far as I can tell, it is identical to the other yurts on the campground... except Yurt 39. Yurt 39 is fancy!

The basic yurt set-up is an 8-sided vinyl structure with a sturdy aluminum frame. The door is the same aluminum frame + vinyl as the rest of the structure with a simple lock. You get a key on a lanyard when you check in.

There are mesh windows that can be covered with clear vinyl on one side and opaque vinyl on the other. (So you can have open window, closed window, and "drawn curtains".) The "curtains" are quite effective at blocking the light and the yurt stays pretty dark when you've got everything closed up.

There is a basic electric heater mounted on one wall and a fluorescent shop light that can be turned on with a rather industrial looking switch. The light is plugged into one of the two outlets in the yurt's receptacle and the switch controls the whole receptacle so if you want to have something plugged in (and powered) while the lights are out, you'll have to unplug the lights.

The yurt is also furnished with a very simple table -- looks like a folding card table -- and six white plastic stacking patio chairs. You can't actually fit all six chairs around the table. Even four would be a struggle. But you do get six chairs. There's also a plain aluminum shelf above the table.

The beds are arranged as two sets of double/twin bunk beds against opposite walls. Double bed on the bottom with a twin above. They come with vinyl-covered mattresses, but you're responsible for supplying your own bedding/linens and pillows.

The yurt is slightly elevated, so there are (two) wooden steps up to the door. There is also a separate open-sided wooden shelter off to one side for the barbecue. (Barbecues are only furnished May-Thanksgiving.) Propane is provided for the barbecue. As is a grill cleaning brush. If you ask at the camp office (between May and Thanksgiving) they will also deliver a Rubbermaid tub full of other cookware and utensils to your campsite. If I recall correctly, it comes with a pot, a pan, a kettle, lifter, tongs, knife, cutting board, plates, bowls, mugs, and cutlery.

Yurt 39

I have not actually stayed in Yurt 39 yet. It is definitely an upgrade from the other Mew Lake yurts though!

Yurt 39 has a full deck built onto it with a couple of deck chairs and a ramp (for full wheelchair access). The barbecue shelter on this site is built right into the deck. The doors and windows appear to have much more structure to them and use actual glass and frames like you might see in a house. Rather than an electric heater, this yurt has a fireplace! (I believe the fireplace uses either propane or natural gas.)

I'm sure there are further upgrades and luxuries inside, but as I have not actually managed to stay in this yurt yet, I don't have the full details.