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If coming to Canada this summer, Kakabeka Falls is a must-see destination
Thunder Bay is a must to have on your vacation list this season; and the best place to make base camp while touring the region is Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park.
It’s one of the must-see attractions of northern Ontario, a natural wonder drenched in beauty and historical significance. At 131 towering feet, Kakabeka Falls is nothing short of spectacular and the campground that encompasses it is a short drive from all the “must-see” attractions of Thunder Bay - a place the first tourist undeniably labeled the most divine region of the north.
At present, the urban center of Thunder Bay remains one of the most culturally rich areas in the north. The city hosts its own orchestra, professional theatre, world-class film festival and some of the most distinctive dining establishments in the province of Ontario. But it’s the surrounding landscape that holds the real treasures. Ouimet Canyon is just a short drive from the campground at Kakabeka and offers an incredible hiking experience, especially if you add on the neighboring Eagle Canyon Adventures, which offers a walk across the canyon via Canada’s longest suspension footbridge.
On the priority list, however, is a visit to Fort William. This place is beyond amazing. Rated as the largest reconstructed fur-trading fort in the world, it comes complete with 42 buildings, costumed interpreters acting out the daily life of people like famed fur-trading merchant Simon McGillivray, and optional hands-on family activities such as Paddle into the Past where the entire family dresses up as voyageurs and paddle around in a replica birch bark canoe.
Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park is also a major drawing card on its own. Apart from having the largest curtain of white water plunging over a slab of northern granite, the campsites themselves are spacious, the beach is awesome and the extensive network of hiking trails follow the same pathways used by natives, explorers, voyageurs and missionaries.
Without question, the Thunder Bay region remains as the most divine of northern Ontario.
Did You Know?
Kakabeka is an Ojibway word for “thundering waters”.
Come treat yourself to bird’s eye views of the falls and gorge that was carved from the precambrian shield by receding glaciers. From the viewing platforms and trails you can witness the continuation of that geological evolution today as the fast flowing, thundering waters continue to erode a rock face that pre-dates man.
Over a century ago , the Thunder Bay tourism promoters thought they had to exaggerate just a little to bring people. In 1870, the Weekly Herald claimed potatoes grew so large that if a man was hungry he just had to carve off a chunk. The Weekly Times Journal followed up in 1900 by stating it was “free of mosquitoes.” And in 1901, one immigration agent declared the air so pure that it cured hay fever, insomnia and malaria.
The falsehoods were definitely unnecessary. The first visitors quickly fell in love with the place, and even forgave the tourist agents who made the dubious claims.
Nearby and Interesting
Ouimet Canyon, often called Canada’s “Grand Canyon” for its 100 meter sheer cliff walls, is just down the road from Sleeping Giant. There are walking trails and platforms allowing for indescribable views of the canyon. Near Dorion, you’ll find the country’s longest suspension foot bridge at Eagle Canyon.
Ontario’s Provincial Stone is Purple Amethyst and is mined in open pits throughout the area. If you look closely you may even find some for yourself.
Fort William Historic Park at Thunder Bay is the largest fur trade post in the world and a visit to Fort William is a step back in time to the days of the Voyageur, the commercial carriers of yesterday.
Thunder Bay is a modern City of 125,000 people and has a number of attractions including, the Centennial Conservatory, Chippewa Park and wildlife exhibit, the International Friendship Gardens and more. This is lakehead country. It is the terminus for Great Lakes commercial vessels. Western Canadian wheat, oil and other cargo arrive for transport to Eastern Canadian destinations and beyond. Thunder Bay harbour is a place of constant action with the loading and unloading of ships, trains and transports going on around the clock. The grain elevators are an amazing sight reaching like fingers into the sky along the harbour front.
Follow in Famous Footsteps
Paul Shaffer, Late Night with David Letterman's band leader, hails from Thunder Bay. Shaffer’s 21 plus years of show business experience includes the music industry, television and movies. While being highly recognized for his award-winning musical talents, Shaffer has also done some acting.
Shaffer is a proud Canadian, who's now immortalized by a street named for him in Thunder Bay. Keep your eyes peeled - Shaffer still maintains connections in the area and visits occasionally.
Campfire Recipe - Cabbage Carrot and Onion Stir Fry
Ingredients:
1 small head of red cabbage
1 small red onion
2 medium-sized carrots
1 cup pre-cooked white rice
Sauce:
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 Tbs. corn starch
1 cube vegetable bouillon
1 cup water
1 Tbs. olive oil
Directions:
Add bouillon cube, corn starch, and spices to 1 cup boiling water. Heat and stir until sauce thickens and then set aside. Lightly grease a frying pan with oil. Add chopped cabbage, onion and sliced carrots. Fry over medium heat until vegetables are softened slightly (5-7 minutes). Pour sauce over veggies and heat throughly. Serve over cooked rice.
Naturally Green
While being green may come naturally, keeping things that way takes work. Since the mid 1980s, Ontario Parks has been looking for ways to look green, think green and most importantly – be green.
For more than 30 years, a number of our provincial parks have used solar and green technologies to provide hot water. And those gas-guzzling eight-cylinder trucks that rumbled down park roads for decades are being replaced with more energy-efficient vehicles. In a pilot project, staff at some of our parks are using electric vehicles... and many already use good old-fashioned pedal-power. It’s the perfect way to get around our parks.
Going green is becoming a matter of practice. Our annual Parks Guide – and most park tabloids – are printed with vegetable-based ink, on recycled paper. Environmentally-friendly cleaning products are the norm. And compact fluorescent light bulbs are standard in many of our parks. These bulbs last 10 times longer, use 66% less energy... and provide the same amount of light!
Share a Tale or Say It with Photos
Sure, we'll give you a glimpse of what you can expect on your northern adventure, but the best stories and photos are always first hand.
It might be a story of the lake trout which got away, a picture of the incredible Northern Lights, or even a poem about that first time you heard the call of a loon!
For a chance to have your story or photo featured in an upcoming issue of the Insider, email us your story or photos today! Everyone who makes a submission will also be entered into a monthly draw for great parks gear!
