Cycling Lake Superior
Eight Days of Cycling and Camping in Northern Ontario
A bike trip for people who prefer cycling alone and roughing it to high-end organized tours.
The route of this self-contained cycling tour of the Lake Superior region can be hard, physically as well as mentally. You will share some stretches of road with logging trucks. Early September is the best time to go as the scorching days of summer are over, but that means the nights could get chilly. Odds are you will get dirty, wet and most likely bug bitten. But being surrounded by the beauty of this region, not to mention a ride aboard the Agawa Canyon train, will make it worth every minute.
Day One: The River
The tour starts in Mississagi Provincial Park and from there you spend the day cycling on a quiet tree-lined road along the beautiful Little White River. You camp the first night in Wharnclyffe, in an ugly private campground with a crappy shower. Unfortunately, it's the only one around but the good news is the rest of the campgrounds are in Provincial Parks, which means excellent facilities and beautiful surroundings.
Day Two: Welcome to "The Soo"
The next day is a long but lovely ride from Wharnclyffe to Sault Ste. Marie through forests, small towns and farmland. If you have the time, take the next day off to have a look around town. There are some interesting tourist attractions including an excellent Bush Plane Museum where you can actually stand inside a massive water bomber.
Day Three: All Aboard
The third day takes you from Sault Ste. Marie to Lake Superior Provincial Park, starting with a 3.5 hour ride aboard the Agawa Canyon train, followed by 60 km of cycling to the park. Buy your ticket, store your bike and gear in a boxcar and find a window seat. You will travel 274 km north to the small town of Hawk Junction. Enjoy the unspoiled lakes, waterfalls, rock cliffs and other eye-candy that make up this spectacularly rugged region.
Once you disembark you cycle along a quiet road, past lakes with floatplanes tied up at docks. You continue through the town of Wawa (with its giant goose statue) and into Lake Superior Provincial Park and camp in peaceful Rabbit Blanket Lake Campground.
Day Four: Enjoy the View
The next day you head towards Agawa Bay and enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery on the tour, like Old Woman Bay, a lovely beach set among high rocky cliffs typical of this area. The campground is on the shore of Lake Superior where, Mother Nature permitting, you will end your day watching one of the beautiful sunsets this area is famous for.
Day Five: Watch for Moose
Heading towards Pancake Bay the next day, you'll find yourself on rolling hills with some fairly long ascents, followed by a fast and fun descents. When you arrive in Pancake Bay Provincial Park, try to get a campsite that looks out onto a white sand beach that stretches forever.
Day Six: Last "New" Day Before Heading Back
As you head back to Sault Ste. Marie the next day, watch for a waterfall on the Chippewa River where a sign marks the spot as the "half way point" of the Trans Canada Highway. If you arrange for someone to pick you up in The Soo, this is your last day. If you head back to Mississagi, where you started, follow the same route as the first two days. Just make sure you stop by "The Canadian Carver" where you can buy either a very authentic or a very tacky souvenir to remind you of your eight tough but glorious days on the road in Northern Ontario.
