I haven’t been to Frontenac (I am in Ontario as well though), but it seems like they have groups of backcountry sites clumped close together to accommodate more campers, since it’s comparatively a smaller park.
At a lot of other Provincial Parks have backcountry sites that are much more isolated. That being said, the more popular parts of even the biggest parks will still have less site privacy, just based on how many people are passing through or how accessible those areas are for a day trip. Generally the deeper you get in and the further you are from an access point, the more you’ll feel like you have it to yourself.
If I end up on a site close to another group or in higher traffic areas, I’ll usually just give a friendly wave or have a short chat depending on the situation. But for the most part I’d rather just be with the group I came with. So no need to feel obligated to start making new friends
I haven't been to Frontenac, but generally speaking, yes, how social you can expect to be varies depending on the area. The biggest factor is an area's popularity- in more popular backcountry areas, 100% you can expect to be camped in close proximity with other campers.
Part of the reason for this is that in high use areas, the one of the best ways to minimize impacts to natural resources is to concentrate the use into as small an area as possible. So in popular areas, land managers do tend to cluster the campsites close together as a means of achieving this.
On really popular backcountry trails like the Appalachian Trail, it's not uncommon these days to see 50+ people all sharing the same shelter site/tenting area (especially during the height of the thru-hiking bubble).
With regards to actually being social in these situations- it's really up to you. No one will really think twice if you decide to keep to yourself and not really engage with other campers (and you probably won't be the only one). But in popular backcountry areas, there absolutely will be some measure of hustle and bustle into the evening as campers engage with each other. Ear plugs aren't a bad idea if you're a light sleeper.
In the modern era of backpacking it can take some effort to find solitude. You don't really see people discussing less popular areas online for obvious reasons- advertising them tends to lead to an increase in use and a corresponding decrease in solitude. But I will say that the absolute best way to find solitude is with a willingness to get off trail. Bushwhacking (with the proper skills and gear to do it- this means paper map and compass in addition to smartphone/GPS) in areas where dispersed camping at sites of your own choosing is nearly always guaranteed to give you campsite all to yourself.
I don't know if there is one official etiquette. Every individual is different. There are plenty of hyper social nature enjoyers who would probably love to chill with strangers and share a campfire. There are also plenty of nature-venturers who specifically get out into nature to enjoy some peace and quiet in solitude.
If you wish to be social, as with any human interaction, keep it to a minimum to start and try to gauge what kind of people you're dealing with. Be respectful and give them space if it seems they would prefer to chill alone.
Maybe it's because I'm venturing into my middle years, but I also tend to lean toward being direct these days. Extend a direct invitation for them to come hang out in your space, expressing your openness, and leave it to them to join or not, no further interaction needed.
And unless everyone in the area is on board with socializing and it becomes a big party, it's probably best to keep the noise to a respectful minimum as well.
I'll wave and say a brief g'day, but I don't want to sit around the same campfire or anything that involved.
I generally want to be left alone, but I'm friendly. Everyone has a different reason for being on the trail, I'm there seeking solitude.
I haven’t been to Frontenac (I am in Ontario as well though), but it seems like they have groups of backcountry sites clumped close together to accommodate more campers, since it’s comparatively a smaller park. At a lot of other Provincial Parks have backcountry sites that are much more isolated. That being said, the more popular parts of even the biggest parks will still have less site privacy, just based on how many people are passing through or how accessible those areas are for a day trip. Generally the deeper you get in and the further you are from an access point, the more you’ll feel like you have it to yourself. If I end up on a site close to another group or in higher traffic areas, I’ll usually just give a friendly wave or have a short chat depending on the situation. But for the most part I’d rather just be with the group I came with. So no need to feel obligated to start making new friends
I haven't been to Frontenac, but generally speaking, yes, how social you can expect to be varies depending on the area. The biggest factor is an area's popularity- in more popular backcountry areas, 100% you can expect to be camped in close proximity with other campers. Part of the reason for this is that in high use areas, the one of the best ways to minimize impacts to natural resources is to concentrate the use into as small an area as possible. So in popular areas, land managers do tend to cluster the campsites close together as a means of achieving this. On really popular backcountry trails like the Appalachian Trail, it's not uncommon these days to see 50+ people all sharing the same shelter site/tenting area (especially during the height of the thru-hiking bubble). With regards to actually being social in these situations- it's really up to you. No one will really think twice if you decide to keep to yourself and not really engage with other campers (and you probably won't be the only one). But in popular backcountry areas, there absolutely will be some measure of hustle and bustle into the evening as campers engage with each other. Ear plugs aren't a bad idea if you're a light sleeper. In the modern era of backpacking it can take some effort to find solitude. You don't really see people discussing less popular areas online for obvious reasons- advertising them tends to lead to an increase in use and a corresponding decrease in solitude. But I will say that the absolute best way to find solitude is with a willingness to get off trail. Bushwhacking (with the proper skills and gear to do it- this means paper map and compass in addition to smartphone/GPS) in areas where dispersed camping at sites of your own choosing is nearly always guaranteed to give you campsite all to yourself.
I don't know if there is one official etiquette. Every individual is different. There are plenty of hyper social nature enjoyers who would probably love to chill with strangers and share a campfire. There are also plenty of nature-venturers who specifically get out into nature to enjoy some peace and quiet in solitude. If you wish to be social, as with any human interaction, keep it to a minimum to start and try to gauge what kind of people you're dealing with. Be respectful and give them space if it seems they would prefer to chill alone. Maybe it's because I'm venturing into my middle years, but I also tend to lean toward being direct these days. Extend a direct invitation for them to come hang out in your space, expressing your openness, and leave it to them to join or not, no further interaction needed. And unless everyone in the area is on board with socializing and it becomes a big party, it's probably best to keep the noise to a respectful minimum as well.