Booking & Rates
Booking Our Facilities
Visitors are welcome to self-explore the trails at Elbow Lake. We request that you park at the outer main gate, and walk in to enjoy the trails. Cycling is permitted on the gravel road, but not on any of the trails. No motorized vehicles are permitted.
Please note that access to the facilities including the buildings, developed waterfront (sand beach, docks), and canoes is limited to outreach programming guests and registered users of group facility rentals.
If you are interested in staff-led outreach programming or booking our facilities for an overnight conference or retreat please send an email to Elbow Lake Bookings. All users of facilities at Elbow Lake are asked to be familiar with the guidelines listed in the User’s Guide for Elbow Lake. In addition to providing key information about the facility, including helpful tips on how to plan and what to pack for your visit, this guide also outlines the rules we expect all patrons to abide by.
As an educational institution, we regret that the ELEEC is unable to host visitors for individual private recreational use. A variety of accommodation options exist within the local community for those seeking a vacation or retreat destination.
All inquiries and bookings are to be directed to the Elbow Lake Operations & Maintenance Coordinator.
Rates
To support teaching and learning, and environmental outreach and conservation, the ELEEC offers an affordable rate for educators and conservation partners visiting the Elbow Lake property for purposes consistent with our Mission. A competitive rate is provided to other organizations seeking a unique venue for their next conference, retreat or workshop.
All visitors booked to the ELEEC are granted access to washrooms and kitchen space, most often in the Pavilion but occasionally directed instead to the Day Lodge; basic facility amenities such as on-site parking and waterfront use (fully-equipped canoes, beach) are included with the cost of use. Additional amenities may be available upon request; fees apply.
Various additional levels of day use fees are offered:
-
- Day Use building rental is the preferred option for groups leading their own agendas (e.g., retreat, meeting, conference, field course, teacher-led class visit).
- Full Program is intended for individuals participating in ELEEC educational outreach programs (e.g., high school class visit), and includes a full day (4-5 hrs) of ELEEC-led curriculum-based programming in biodiversity exploration.
- Single Program offers up to 2 hours of staff-led programming, from interpretive hikes, to canoe instruction, to educational outreach – a perfect diversion for your group’s Elbow Lake visit. Visitors booking a Single Program are granted basic facility amenities during the program. A Single Program can also be added to a Day Use or Overnight booking.
- A facility tour can be booked by individuals and groups prior to their first ELEEC stay. Staff will be happy to show you the various buildings and amenities, and answer any questions you might have about your upcoming or potential visit.
For those staying overnight, the cabin rate includes use of the Pavilion on the shoulder days of their stay; additional fees apply if programming or additional building space is desired. While multiple groups may be hosted on site at one time, a “full facility” booking of 10 cabins guarantees exclusive use of the ELEEC by that group – outside users are denied access to the facility during that time.
A non-refundable 20% deposit is required to hold all overnight and building-based day use bookings.
Prices do not include HST.
Winter Operating Season
(October 15 to April 31 annually)
Cabins | Day Use Fees | Firewood | Campsite** | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Per Night) | Pavilion | Day Lodge | Rec Hall | Nature Centre | (Per Bag) | (Per Night) | |
Queen’s University / Registered Charity | $95 | $125 | $72 (No water but heated) | $34 | FREE (upon request) | $8 | $30 |
Other | $105 | $143 | $72 (No water but heated) | $44 | FREE (upon request) | $8 | $30 |
Summer Operating Season
(May 1 to October 14)
Cabins | Day Use Fees | Firewood | Campsite** | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Per Night) | Pavilion | Day Lodge | Rec Hall | Nature Centre | (Per Bag) | (Per Night) | |
Queen’s University / Registered Charity | $70 | $105 | $60 | $28 | FREE (upon request) | $8 | $30 |
Other | $90 | $118 | $72 | $33 | FREE (upon request) | $8 | $30 |
* Staff Cabin is an additional $15/night due direct access to bathroom and kitchen facilities in the cabin.
** 2 campsites available with a maximum of 3 tents per site. $10/tent for additional tents elsewhere (prior approval required).
Outreach Programming Fees
Day Use Fees | With Overnight Rental | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full Programming **
(4-5 Hours) | Single Program or Outdoor Interpretive Tour (2 Hours) | Day Use, With Amenities | Self Use, No Amenities | Full Programming | |||
School / Class / Other | $14/student, $0/teacher | $8/student, $0/teacher (min fee $120) | N/A | FREE upon registration | $10/student, $0/teacher | ||
**minimum fee $200 for Full Programming & Cancellation Policy
Rentals and Services
Rental | Cost |
|---|---|
Canoe Instruction (ORCKA Certified Instructors) | Cost varies depending on course, please contact us for more information |
Snow Shoe Rental (day rental) | $10/day rental |
Audio/Visual Equipment Rental | $20/day rental |
Additional Information
Cancellation Policy
A minimum of seven (7) working days notice is required for cancellation. If the ELEEC is notified of the cancellation less than seven working days in advance of the scheduled visit, a cancellation fee of $50 will be charged or the 20% deposit for facility rentals is retained.
Education staff will make contact by 7:00 am the morning of your trip, if we need to re-schedule the program in case of inclement weather or cancel due to severe weather. There will be no charge for a cancellation made due to severe weather conditions.
The Summer season runs from May 1 until October 14, and the Winter season runs from October 15 until April 31. Check in time is 4pm and check out time is 11:30am. Please let us know if you wish to arrive earlier and/or leave later, as additional fees apply. The higher costs in winter reflect the additional cost to heat individual cabins plus the main Pavilion – as a result, only bookings of four cabins or more will be considered during the Winter season.
Camping
Camping may only be permitted as supplemental accommodation during “full facility” bookings, or by users requiring a campsite for teaching purposes (e.g., outdoor education, scouts groups). Because ELEEC doesn’t normally maintain campsites, these must be requested at least one week in advance of your visit, after which time the full campsite fee is non-refundable.
Our Campsite policy is as follows:
- Tents only – no hammocks, trailers or other wheeled accommodation.
- Set up after 4 pm and take down by 11:30 am unless otherwise noted.
- Maximum six (6) persons and/or three (3) pieces of shelter per campsite.
Firewood Policy
Protecting the ecological integrity of the Elbow Lake property is of utmost priority, and this goal defines our Firewood policy. Because the spread of many harmful invasive species – Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) in particular – is facilitated by the movement of wood, we do not permit firewood to be brought onto the property; as a nature reserve, no species – tree wood included – can be taken off the property. While small deadfall (fallen twigs, branches) near the communal firepit may be collected for kindling, larger deadfall is not to be taken. The wood sold at ELEEC is harvested from dead/hazard trees within the bounds of the facility, and is of high quality.
Cleaning Fees
Should staff be required to attend to housekeeping matters resulting from the carelessness of guests (e.g., garbage left behind, unclean cabin, dogs brought into non-pet-friendly cabins), a minimum $50 Cleaning Fee will be applied to the final invoice. The ELEEC is for all to share – please do your part to leave the facility as clean as you found it.
