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Lake Superior Provincial Park
There’s something distinctive and unusual about the autumn colours at Lake Superior Provincial Park. The park contains two of Ontario’s forest types – the Boreal and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence. The dark green coniferous trees of the Boreal offer a dramatic backdrop to the southern hardwoods and their leaves of scarlet reds, deep purples and golden yellows. Add this palette to the rolling hills of Algoma and the rugged shore of Lake Superior and you have a fall landscape like no other.
The park itself has the best of both worlds. All three campgrounds are conveniently close to the Trans-Canada Highway (17) and most offer modern amenities (Note: Of the three campgrounds, Rabbit Blanket is open the latest – until October 28th). With more than 1,500 square kilometres, there is much to explore. One day you’ll be viewing Aboriginal pictographs along Superior’s coastline, the next you’ll be hiking to some majestic waterfalls. Or, drive to Sault Ste. Marie and board the Agawa Canyon Tour Train. You’ll be dazzled by the brilliant autumn colours. It’s a rarity to have such a dramatic and wild landscape, so accessible.
This park is also a haven for hikers. Apart from having sections of the Coastal Hiking Trail that follows along the pebble beaches and rich woodlands of Superior, there are ten hiking trails to experience the park’s diversity. The most popular trail, Agawa Rock, passes though a narrowing chasm to reach the extraordinary Native rock paintings on giant vertical slabs of granite directly above the wave-pounded shoreline of Superior (Note: Due to lake surges, this trail closes early in the fall so if you can’t see it this year, make sure it is part of your plans for next year). Another highlight is the Sand River; you can hike up to the first waterfall in 15 minutes or continue on to see two more falls. Orphan Lake Trail is the most diverse park trail; moderate in length and difficulty it is a favourite for visitors. Nokomis overlooks the cliffs of Old Woman Bay. More demanding trails, such as Awausee and Peat Mountain, offer incredible views of the Algoma’s fall colours. For a truly “Superior” experience, hike a portion of the Coastal Trail from one of several access points; some sections are more demanding than others.
Special Insider Offers
Discover the many special places in and around Lake Superior Provincial Park with your free Canadian Geographic Trans-Canada Ecotour Guide (value $14.95). Get 2 for 1 admission at the Canadian Bushplane Museum in Sault Ste. Marie.
Click here for details on these special autumn getaway offers.
Ask an Expert
Marion and Andy Baxter, along with their three children and dog, have clocked more hours canoeing along the coastal waters of Lake Superior than most families could ever dream. But when asked about their favourite end-of-the-season paddling getaway, they point inland.
According to the Baxter family, a relaxing day paddle on one of the inland lakes is a perfect solution if you’re a little apprehensive about dealing with the winds and waves out on Lake Superior.
The Fenton-Treeby Lake route, located at the north end of the park, offers a 16 kilometre loop for canoeists through six lakes, all connected with short portages (150 metres or less). It makes an ideal day trip. But the Baxter’s overall favourite, and much more relaxing choice, is Mijinemungshing Lake (Mijin Lake for short), also located at the northern end of the park. The lake offers 40 km of shoreline and several islands to explore. You can also arrange for rental canoes or kayaks to be available at the access point.
Mijin Lake is perfectly situated between the transition zone of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence and Boreal Forest regions of Ontario. This means you’ll view an ever changing landscape as you paddle. It’s an amazing place, with hilltops crowned with patches of hardwoods such as maple and yellow birch and low lying areas forested in spruce, balsam poplar and white birch. Because of this contrast, the fall colours are extraordinary.
Did You Know
About the mid point of the park and along the Lake Superior shore is a place called Gargantua. There are few remnants of the once thriving fishing village, dating back to 1871. Just out from the deteriorated docks of Gargantua Harbour, the barely submerged skeletal remains of the 150-foot wooden tug Columbus can be seen. In 1909, the ship caught fire at the docks and was pulled out to the harbour and left to sink there. A lighthouse was built on the island at the mouth of Gargantua Harbour in 1889, and was tended by three generations of the Miron family. The light was dismantled in 1948, and now a solar-powered automatic beacon has taken its place upon the bleak rock. Today, Gargantua is an access point to the Coastal Trail and coastal paddling.
Perhaps Gargantua’s most famous visitor was Sir Sandford Fleming, who devised the world’s system of time zones. He stopped here in 1875, while on a steamship headed for Thunder Bay.
Famous Footsteps
Bill Mason’s all-time favourite place was Lake Superior. The legendary canoeist, artist and filmmaker worked on a number of his award-winning films here, including: Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes, Path of the Paddle, Song of the Paddle and Waterwalker. However, most noteworthy and memorable was Paddle to the Sea (1964). It was his first film with the National Film Board, nominated for an Oscar, and was the piece of work that firmly established Mason as one of Canada’s foremost filmmakers.
The story was derived from a classic children’s book written by Holling Clancy Holling. It followed the tale of a tiny canoe, and its passenger named Paddle, carved by a boy from Lake Nipigon who releases it during the spring thaw to let it travel the waterways of the Great Lakes – starting with Lake Superior.
Paddle to the Sea was rated as one of the top films to be borrowed from public libraries since its release right up to the 1980s and was labeled by critics as one of the most powerful statements about environmental ethics.
Wildcard
Today, Lake Superior Provincial Park is a well-known destination, but in its early years the road from Sault Ste. Marie only reached Montreal River Harbour. In 1960, the Trans-Canada Highway was extended to Wawa and finally opened the entire park to car travel.
Recipe - Napa Cabbage Salad
Ingredients:
1 small head of Napa cabbage
1 package of Ramen Noodles (oriental flavour)
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
Dressing (made at home and placed in a sealed container):
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Directions:
Shred or coarsely grind Napa cabbage. Add sesame seeds and uncooked noodles (broken up into small pieces) with flavouring. Mix in dressing.
Nearby and Interesting
Stop and take a “gander” at Canada’s largest Canada Goose. Located in Wawa, this huge monument welcomes visitors to this friendly community, one of the most entertaining geo-caching locations in Ontario.
For excellent open air wildlife viewing, visit the Chapleau Game Preserve, the largest game preserve in the world. Home to an amazing diversity of wildlife such as moose, bear, timber wolf, mink, pine marten, lynx, otter, bald eagles, osprey, blue heron and loons, the preserve is a true treasure for all nature lovers and recreation enthusiasts.
In Batchawana Bay, shop at Agawa Indian Crafts and Canadian Carver for wonderful Christmas gifts.
Be sure to visit Sault Ste. Marie, a beautiful waterfront city located at the Heart of the Great Lakes, home to many quality attractions such as:
Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Other nearby interesting places and activities can be discovered on the Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association website.
Share a Tale or Say It with Photos
Peter wrote in from Georgetown about his annual father and sons Ontario Provincial Park camping trip. He admits, "taking four boys camping by myself in the early years was a lot of work, but the memories we all have are sure to last a lifetime." This year they went to Earl Rowe Provincial Park.
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!
