When the season winds down at Horseshoe Lake Camp and Cottages, the work doesn’t stop. For Krystal, the park’s operations manager, the off-season is a time to prepare for next year. That means more than upkeep. It means planning activities and reviving traditions that keep families coming back.
Krystal first came to Horseshoe Lake nearly two decades ago with her friend’s family. She kept returning—sometimes tent camping, sometimes staying in one of the cottages—because the place had gotten under her skin. Over time, she became friends with the owners, Steve and Deb, and even worked a season doing housekeeping and office work.
Her ties deepened in 2019 when she and her husband were married at the park. Soon after, Horseshoe Lake became more than her favorite getaway.
”Last year, Steve said, ‘You love the park, and I need someone to help me run it,’ “ Krystal recalled. “He offered me the job, and I quit my corporate accounting job to come here. I was a controller and inventory manager before. I don’t have much background in campground management, but I love it. Steve does the outside stuff, and I keep the inside going.”
Even before stepping into leadership, she had been investing her vacation days at Horseshoe Lake. That loyalty mirrors what many guests feel: once this park becomes part of your story, it’s hard to let it go.
Horseshoe Lake sits on 100 acres in Sequin, Ontario, with cottages and cabins for rent, tent and RV sites, and more than 160 seasonal sites. Families return year after year, often arranging their stays so they can camp side by side.
“We have seasonals who have been here for over 30 years,” Krystal shared. “Having the same seasonals here, you become family with them. They’re almost like chosen family.”
Much of Horseshoe Lake’s close-knit feel can be traced back to Steve and his wife, Deb, who ran the park together for many years. During their time, the campground hosted multiple events that rallied the community around a cause.
“They actually did Campers for Cancer for several years,” Krystal said. “They raised quite a bit of money doing that. They did events and an auction. It was quite the spectacle.”
Deb has since passed away, and over time, some of the traditions she helped build were lost in the day-to-day work of running the park. Now, Krystal is determined to bring that spirit back in new ways.
”This year we did Halloween in the park,” she said. “The seasonals lined the roads, the kids dressed up, golf carts were decorated, and we did a little trick-or-treating parade. It got everyone involved, seasonals, transient campers, everyone. It was always a big attraction, and we’re excited to start it again.”
New traditions are taking shape, too.
”We started cornhole tournaments, and that was a big turnout. We had 40 plus teams,” Krystal remembered. “One of our seasonals ran it, which was great. We also hosted a local band under the stars. It was wonderful.”
While activities help build community, a park’s layout can shape the guest experience, too. And Horseshoe Lake makes sure visitors can find what they’re looking for.
With its mix of wooded seclusion and lakeside bustle, Horseshoe Lake offers options that fit nearly every camping style.
”If what you’re looking for is seclusion, we have a corner of the park for that,” Krystal explained. “If you want to be social with lots of kids around, we’ve got that, too. There are pockets for everyone: retirees, young families, and everyone in between.”
Her own favorite? “I personally like the no-cell-phone camping,” she laughed. “I’m tucked in the corner where reception is spotty.”
The flexibility is part of the draw. Guests can choose how connected—or disconnected—they want to be, from fishing and kayaking on the lake to quiet corners in the woods.
“There is a spot for everyone in this park,” Krystal said. “I like that a lot.”
As guests head home for the winter, Krystal shifts her focus to the year ahead.
“Horseshoe Lake has been such a small piece of Muskoka that it’s kind of a hidden gem,” she said. “We don’t do much advertising. Everything has been word of mouth. So that’s something I’m trying to change.”
She’s also thinking about how to stay top of mind for returning guests. “When their vacation turns over and they have their days allotted to them in January, I want them thinking of Horseshoe Lake rather than somewhere else,” she explained.
Part of her off-season plan is to gather ideas from other parks and industry resources. One of her first stops? CampLife’s blog.
“I was looking at CampLife’s blogs just last week to see what other campgrounds are doing,” Krystal said. “And I’m probably going to visit some other parks to draw ideas from them. But CampLife’s blogs were actually the first place I looked.”
Krystal is exploring fresh ideas and the technology that can help put them into practice. Among the strategies on her radar:
She also sees how CampLife's tools fit into the picture. “CampLife has just made everything so much easier,” she said. “The system is wonderful. I even check it as a guest sometimes, and it’s never been an issue. Your team is so wonderful and so helpful. Everyone was so helpful in getting me acquainted with the system.”
For Krystal, the value is clear: if the systems take care of the busywork, she can focus on the guest experience.
This winter, Krystal may not be in the office every day, but Horseshoe Lake—and its guests—will stay at the center of her plans. With the help of seasonals and a fresh perspective, she’s ready to revive past traditions and add new events that will continue to make the park a special place to spend the summer.
“I want Horseshoe Lake to be that place where families not only vacation, but also connect with each other, year after year,” Krystal said.
At CampLife, we’re proud to support parks like Horseshoe Lake. Like Krystal, we believe the best ideas don’t stay in one park. By sharing stories like this, we hope to give owners practical ways to build loyalty, plan events, and keep their parks thriving.
If you’d like to see how CampLife can give you more time for the moments that matter—and get stories and insights from other parks delivered straight to your inbox—we’d love for you to sign up for our emails and keep exploring the CampLife Blog. And if you have questions about what CampLife can do for your park, reach out anytime. We’re here to help.
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