Smileys Provincial Park and Campground

Went to check Smiley's Provincial park today for the first time. It is well maintained (only 1 tree had blown over from a recent wind storm that had not been removed). Overall, a great place to take kids biking as most of the roads are flat and has lots of room for both pediatricians and bikers. It is not an overly large park, but still worth while checking out. There is a fairly large white pine that has been hit a few times by lighting and is hollow in the middle which still continues to grow on top a large quartz rock. Pretty interesting to see as the quartz sparkles in the sun light.There is also a small playground for younger kids and lots of picnic tables. I am sure this must be a busy spot in the summer for campers as there are quite a few camping sites equipped with a place to make a fire and cook food. The wooded trails are quite short from what I could see. My guess this park is primarily used for camping and not so much for hiking. Still worth while checking out especially if you have young kids and want a place to camp on the weekend during the summer.

I have been wanting to camp in this provincial park for awhile now, and finally got to spend this weekend there. We were tenting and it was a last-minute booking so I wasn't sure about what the site would be like, but the tenting sites around 6-11 are very large, with trees and in a quieter area of the park. Really enjoyed the park, and would like to try some other spots next time. We stayed at site #9, and I have included photos of the site. A couple of drawbacks: The staff hours have been cut so drastically, there is only staff to sell wood or ice between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm every day. It is self-serve. You do it yourself, including getting the wood, creating your own bundle, and paying for it by filling out an envelope and putting cash in it and dropping it off in a box. The staff doesn't have change, so you must bring cash and have the exact amount you need. No debit machines or credit machines. $5.00 for one bundle of wood, and $2.50 for ice. The bundle loading cradle they have for you to measure is very large in comparison to other campgrounds though, so you get a lot of wood for your $5.00. A Natural Resources truck drives around the entire site on what seemed like an hourly basis at night to keep an eye on the place. It seems they can afford to pay them more than the park staff. The staff everywhere seemed very friendly when they were there. Washrooms could have used a little more love. The hand dryer machine was broken in the women's washroom, but they hadn't put out any paper towel, so you were just on your own to drip dry. There are lots of beautiful trails around the park for hiking or cycling. All in all, the park could use more staffing, but we enjoyed our brief time here. It is a bit out of the way, in a remote area, so I’m not sure if we will be back any time soon. Lots of other great campgrounds in Nova Scotia to explore yet.

Beautiful place to go camping! No cell reception/very little reception means quality time with family, friends etc. Beautiful hiking trails, playground for children and a partially paved roadway. The Meander River runs beside this campgrounds, and under the narrow bridge (this is located just before you turn into smileys) are some honey holes" (my version of deep enough water to swim) to cool off when the sun is scorching (trust me when the sun is out it is hot

Our daughter had her embers (formerly sparks/guides) end of year camp here and loved it. Really peaceful setting with a water feature and clear navigation signs.

I stayed here and it's a miserable experience.The bathrooms are disgusting. The urinals are swarming with flies and ants and larger insects too.The dishwashing station is broken and it reeks of some terrible stench. No water comes from the taps.The mosquitoes here are far worse than at any campsite I've been at. Likewise, the animal life at night is louder than any other campsite: howling coyotes, screaming foxes, and worse. I've never slept more poorly.And while it may not be their fault, the lack of cellphone reception is another notable downside.The only reason I give this campground more than a single star is because of some wonderful fireflies I witnessed.

My kids loves this place because have a great playground. I think it's really beautiful but no have many options to hiking. It's cool for biking and refresh in the river. The campsites are good. Perfect for kids.

Looks like an amazing park! Seems like the kind of river to park a lawn chair in on a hot Summer day. I enjoyed wandering the woodland paths as well. Must be gorgeous in summer!

Such a great spot to camp or picnic. A beautiful slow moving river is there to help cool you off, and loads of walking trails. One of the best provincial parks around!

Beautiful campground with a nice mix of wooded and open sites. Staff were responsive to concerns (eg fixed & cleaned dishwashing station). The river is a wonderful place to cool down during the hot summer days! Lots of wildlife, several short hiking trails- makes for a nice getaway not too far from the city to spend time with family & friends.