Best Things To Do In Lake Superior Provincial Park: Ultimate Guide
Wondering what the best things to do in Lake Superior Provincial Park are? Look no further! I have put together a complete guide to help you plan your trip activities to this beautiful Ontario Park.
This provincial park is one of Ontario’s largest and most stunning. It is located between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa on the northeastern shore of Lake Superior. This park is full of diverse scenery, including beaches, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, hills, cliffs, canyons and much more!
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In Lake Superior Provincial Park, there are many activities you can do and campground and backcountry camping options. There are also several fantastic hiking trails spread across this 1,550 square kilometre provincial park. Now let’s dive into some of the best activities in Lake Superior Provincial Park.
Why Visit Lake Superior Provincial Park
The short answer is that it is absolutely stunning. The long answer? There is so much to do around this 1,550 square kilometre Ontario Park.
Things like hiking, backcountry camping, kayaking, wildlife photography, picnics, tours, fishing and more! Of course, we will go over the list of the best things to do in Lake Superior Provincial Park shortly.
If you are in Ontario and you are looking for somewhere to spend a couple of days exploring the wilderness, this Ontario Park is a great place to go. It may not have mountains, but it has lovely, diverse scenery and wildlife. With over 150km of canoe routes, 130km of hiking trails, 150+ backcountry campsites and diverse landscapes, you will surely find something to do here.
The park also has a fascinating cultural history which we can learn about at the Visitor’s Centre as well as at the Agawa Pictographs.
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Best Things To Do In Lake Superior Provincial Park
Hiking in Lake Superior Provincial Park
One of the best things to do in Lake Superior Provincial Park is to go hiking. There are eleven hiking trails in this Ontario Park, including the 65km Lake Superior Coastal Trail.
These trails are all unique and vary in stunning landscapes, including beaches, lakes, waterfalls, forests, hills and more.
You will definitely want to bring along some bug spray, especially if you are exploring during the warmer months.
Later in this post, I will go over Lake Superior Provincial Park’s best hikes so you can start planning your trip.
Canoeing on Lake Superior
Kayaking and canoeing are both very popular activities to do in here. There are a total of eight canoe routes in the park, each varying in length of up to 56km.
Commonly, portaging will need to be done on canoe trips. But be careful because the landscape of this park can be rough.
You can find canoe routes along with maps and descriptions through this link.
You can also canoe on Lake Superior, but be careful because the waves can get huge and come out of nowhere. We did this one day and canoed to a small island near Agawa Bay Campground.
Go Fishing
Lake Superior is a massive lake, and I’ve heard it has terrific fishing. There are many places to stop to do some fishing in some streams, rivers, lakes and the coastline.
You can actually catch three different species of salmon here, which is pretty cool, as well as several species of trout. Of course, fishing is better at certain times of the year, and even if you don’t catch anything, you can still enjoy the beautiful view.
Bird Watching
There are over 250 different bird species that populate the beautiful habitats of this beautiful park. There are plenty of excellent bird-watching opportunities due to the different habitats and nature surrounding you.
Bird migration happens during the Spring and Autumn months, so this is an excellent time of year to do some bird watching.
Picnic During Sunset at Old Woman Bay
Old Woman Bay is located in the Northern part of Lake Superior Provincial Park, nearly an hour North of Agawa Bay Campground. It is one of my favourite places to stop to relax, have lunch and enjoy the view. It is especially pretty during the summer at sunset, where I spent hours just sitting, enjoying the sound of the waves crashing.
There is a small parking lot here, which is where I like to set up my grill to cook my food and then bring it down to the beach to eat. You could also pack a lunch instead.
Participate In The Neighbourhood Bat Watch
Yes! There are bats here, and you can participate in the Neighbourhood Bat Watch. I discovered this on my trip to the park in September of 2022.
When you get to the campground, there may be a notice on the Visitor’s Centre bulletin board stating information about the Neighbourhood Bat Watch. You may have bats living at your campsite, and they would love for you to keep watch and track how many bats you see.
You can find more information about the Neighbourhood Bat Watch here!
Agawa Canyon Tour Train
The Agawa Canyon Tour is something I have discovered this year, and I really wish I had the time to do it while I was there.
The tour leaves from Sault Ste. Marie and takes you on a four-hour train ride to Agawa Falls. Here you will have 90 minutes to explore and hike the area, take pictures and enjoy the view before your 4.5-hour train ride back to Sault Ste. Marie; a total time of 10 hours!
Okay, so this tour doesn’t leave right from Lake Superior Provincial Park, but it takes you to a beautiful place. And something about a train ride in the fall just seems so enchanting.
This tour costs $150CAD and usually runs from August to mid-October. Find out more information about the Agawa Canyon Tour here.
Admire the Indigenous Agawa Rock Pictographs
Please note that this trail closes each year around mid-September. Dogs are not permitted on Agawa Rock Trail for cultural and safety reasons.
We will definitely touch base on the hike itself, but one of the most incredible things to do in Lake Superior Provincial Park is to go admire the Agawa Rock Pictographs.
These pictographs are one of the most famous in Canada and is considered an Indigenous archaeological site and is an active sacred site to the Indigenous communities. Please respect these historical paintings and refrain from touching or making your own “art” on the rocks.
The paintings on the rock include moose, a mythological creature, sea serpents, people canoeing and more!
The Misshepezhieu is my favourite painting on Agawa Rock and is a spined, horned animal also referred to as the Great Lynx. This creature is said to be the spirit of water which can help work with the Indigenous or against.
You definitely have to check this out for yourself!
Backcountry Camping
There are a few very long hiking trails and canoe routes in Lake Superior Provincial Park that offer backcountry camping. There are around 200 backcountry campsites available which is pretty amazing!
Towab Trail is a fantastic place to go backcountry camping. This is a beautiful but long hiking trail that takes you right to Agawa Falls. I will share more information on this trail later in this blog post.
Check Out The Visitors Centre
The Visitor’s Centre has all kinds of information regarding the park, including maps, an information desk, pamphlets, a notice board etc.
Here you can also learn about the history and culture of the park, the ecosystems, Lake Superior, and it has a super cool interactive display that showcases all of this!
The Visitor’s Centre is located at Agawa Bay Campground.
Stargazing – Lake Superior Provincial Park Dark Sky Preserve
On a clear night, step outside your tent or camper and look at the magical night sky. In 2018, Lake Superior Provincial Park was certified as a Dark Sky Preserve.
From the centre of the park especially, you are a decent way away from civilization. There is minimal light pollution here, so you can see an infinite amount of stars scattered in the night sky.
Best Hikes in Lake Superior Provincial Park
Towab Trail
Towab Trail is, in my opinion, the best hiking trail in Lake Superior Provincial Park. It is just over 20km and is an out-and-back trail rated as difficult. This trail takes you to the best waterfall in Lake Superior Provincial Park, again, in my opinion.
I would definitely have to agree with the fact that this trail is difficult. The start of this trail is relatively easy, but the middle third of the hike is pretty hard, with many ups and downs and difficult terrains. The trail gets easy for a bit again, but the last kilometre is really tough until you get to Agawa Falls.
I did a complete guide on hiking to Agawa Falls if you want the full deets! Or you can watch the vlog below from my YouTube Channel!
Agawa Rock Pictographs
Please note that this trail closes each year around mid-September. Dogs are not permitted on Agawa Rock Trail for cultural and safety reasons.
This short 0.8km trail takes you to the famous Agawa Rock Pictographs. It is a loop trail and is rated as moderate. This trail is one of the best hikes in Lake Superior Provincial Park because it teaches you about some really cool Indigenous history and culture.
Once you get to Agawa Rock, there is a rock ledge you have to walk along to see the paintings on the rock face. Be careful, though, because it is easy to slip and fall into the water, and big waves can randomly come in and wash you off the ledge. There are ropes and a floatation device to help you if you end up unlucky. See photo above for all the pictographs you can see on Agawa Rock.
I won’t go into too much detail about the pictographs here since I already covered them early in this blog. It is definitely worth the stop, and you won’t have to spend much time here. This trail is located a few minutes North of Agawa Bay Campground.
South Old Woman River Trail
This stunning hike is a 2.6km route that is rated easy, although you do have to watch your step as the trail has lots of rocks and roots all over the path, making it a little tough to walk on. This loop trail takes around 45 minutes to an hour to complete, or if you’re like me and like to take 100s of photos, it will take you a little longer.
This trail features enchanting forests, small falls, and rivers and is especially beautiful during the fall season. There are also sections where you have to cross the river by hopping from rock to rock.
The trail is located just across the highway from Rabbit Blanket Lake Campground.
Pinguisibi Trail aka Sand River Trail
Sand River Trail is another one of the best hikes in Lake Superior Provincial park and one of my favourites as well. I have done this one several times and enjoyed it each time.
This trail is a short 3.5km, easy, out-and-back trail, and it only has an elevation gain of 124 metres. It is a fairly popular trail, so you can expect to see other people on your adventure. You can expect to spend approximately an hour exploring this trail.
You can find directions to the trail here.
Peat Mountain
Peat Mountain Trail is one that I haven’t had the chance yet to do myself. It is a long 8km, moderate loop trail with an elevation gain of 398 metres.
This trail is highly trafficked during the high summer season but tends to have fewer people during the spring and autumn. There are campsites along this trail available for backcountry camping.
It is a perfect hike to backcountry camp at Foam Lake and watch the sunrise from the top in the morning. Or, you can summit in the evening to watch the sunset and hike back down to the campsite for the night.
The trailhead starts at Rabbit Blanket Lake.
Lake Superior Coastal Trail
This coastal trail is a whopping 60.2km, has an elevation gain of 1695 metres and is rated as hard. It is a point-to-point trail that takes around 17 hours to complete, and it runs along a portion of the beautiful coastline of Lake Superior Provincial Park.
On this hike, you will experience amazing views along the diverse landscapes of forests, cliffs, beaches, coves and other beautiful scenery!
You can do this trail as a backcountry backpacking trip. Or you can do the trail in chunks. Access points include Agawa Bay, Katherine Cove, Orphan Lake, Sinclair Cove etc.
Later we will cover backcountry and campground camping, where you can find the link to reserve your campsites.
I won’t post a link to directions to this trail since there are several access points, but you can learn more about it on this website.
Best Time To Go To Lake Superior Provincial Park
Lake Superior Provincial Park can be beautiful any time of year. However, Summer and Autumn would be my top picks for the best time of year to visit.
Summer has warmer days, but more people. Campsites tend to get booked up much more quickly, so you need to plan in advance. The lake is slightly warmer and slightly more bearable to swim in. The bugs, however, are terrible on some of the hiking trails.
Autumn has fewer people, you can likely book more last minute, and there are less bugs, BUT it is colder. Still worth it, though, because Ontario is exceptionally magical during the Autumn months. September and early October are usually the best.
How To Get To Lake Superior Provincial Park
By Car
The easiest way to get to Lake Superior Provincial Park is to Drive. To get there from Wawa, you just have to head over to the Trans-Canada Highway/ON-17 South. To get there from Sault Ste. Marie, head north on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Make sure to fill up your tank in either Wawa or Sault Ste Marie. There are few gas stations in the park, and they are a long way away, so keep an eye on your gas tank.
Shuttle Service to Lake Superior Provincial Park
There are also shuttle services, which are perfect for anyone without a car, or anyone planning on backcountry camping, doing the Lake Superior Coastal Trail, or doing one of the canoe routes. You can contact Twilight Resort or Naturally Superior Adventures to learn more about their services.
Lake Superior Provincial Park Map
Lake Superior Provincial Park is pretty big, and sometimes it is hard to get cell reception. A map of Lake Superior Provincial Park could be helpful for your adventures. Here you can find an interactive map of the park, as well as some PDFs you can download to help you navigate.
Do I Need a Park Pass?
You can purchase your day-use pass or pay for your campsites through this link or stop by the park office and pay there. Reserving a campsite online in advance for backcountry camping, as well as camping at a campground, is definitely recommended during the high season since the campgrounds can get booked up pretty quickly.
You do not need to purchase a Day Use Pass if you have a campsite reserved, it comes with it.
Daily Vehicle Permit is about $12CAD, but you can also purchase Seasonal or Annual Permits that are between $60-$100CAD. Camping permits vary in price as well, which you can also find through the link above.
Lake Superior Provincial Park Camping
Backcountry
Backcountry camping is an excellent experience in Lake Superior Provincial Park. There are a ton of backcountry campsites in the park, and Ontario Parks states that there are around 200.
These campsites are spread throughout the park along the canoe routes and hiking trails.
Best Campgrounds in Lake Superior Provincial Park
My favourite campground in Lake Superior Provincial Park is Agawa Bay Campground. It is more central in the park and less than an hour away from the handmade craft store, gas station and restaurant.
Some other campgrounds are Rabbit Blanket Lake Campground in the northern part of the park, and Pancake Bay is further south, located in Pancake Bay Provincial Park.
There are a variety of campsites for people who are just sleeping in a tent, as well as campsites available for people who need electricity hooked up to their camper or trailer.
Lake Superior Provincial Park camping reservations can be booked here.
Can You Camp At Old Woman Bay?
There are no camping options for Old Woman Bay, but Rabbit Blanket Lake Campground is nearby and an excellent option for those of you who want to spend more time at the incredible scenic view of Old Woman Bay. Agawa Bay Campground is about a 40-minute drive away from this scenic viewpoint.
Where to Stay Near Lake Superior Provincial Park
If you want the full Lake Superior Provincial Park experience, camping is your best bet. You can camp in a tent, trailer, van, campervan, whatever you have.
Or you can stay at one of the following hotels nearby.
Voyageur’s Lodge & Cookhouse is located in Batchawana Bay, just south of Lake Superior Provincial Park. There is a small restaurant here as well that offers some breakfast, lunch and dinner options as well as delicious desserts.
There are several room options, and their prices vary. Click the link above to find out more. They are closed during the colder months.
Sunset Shores Resort is another excellent option that offers cabins, overnight RV sites, and tent camping. They also provide laundry, clean water, wifi and more. They are open from May 1 until late October.
Are There Bears In Lake Superior Provincial Park?
Yes! There are most definitely black bears in Lake Superior Provincial Park. Bear Spray is a must, especially if you are one or two people exploring alone. Black bears can be unpredictable, so keep a safe distance and be sure to learn about bear safety. Bear safety is different for each species.
Is Lake Superior too Cold to Swim in?
Lake Superior is extremely cold due to its volume and size and is still very cold, even during the warm summer months. However, you can swim in it! But take it from me, they aren’t kidding when they say the lake is super cold – I’ve swum in there before but not for very long.
There are several beaches along the coast of the provincial park, including Old Woman Bay, Agawa Bay Campground and Katherine Cove.
Where To Eat
I am definitely mentioning this again since it used to be one of my favourite restaurants back when it was a full restaurant. Now it has changed, and you just order at the counter and take it to go or eat outside.
They offer a variety of meal options and offer some breakfast, lunch and dinner options, as well as delicious desserts.
Wrap-Up: Best Things To Do In Lake Superior Provincial Park
And there you have it! My full guide including the best things to do in Lake Superior Provincial Park. From backcountry camping to canoeing to fishing, you are sure to be kept busy with the variety of activities and sights to see in Lake Superior Provincial Park.
Related Posts on Lake Superior Provincial Park
Agawa Falls Hike – A Complete Guide
Lake Superior Provincial Park Camping Itinerary
Thank you for stopping by, and happy adventuring ♡
Krista x.
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