Ontario Travel: Hiking & Waterfalls on the Lake Superior Circle Route - Thunder Bay, Ontario

Instead of going directly to Thunder Bay, the first time Ontario circle route traveler should take a brief detour to first visit Kakabeka Falls, about 15 miles west of Thunder Bay on Hwy. 11/17. If you have a little more time to spare, stop at Fort William Historical Park.

Get Acquainted with 2011 Passport Regulations - There are new requirements for motor travel between the United States and Canada.

Kakabeka Falls on the Kaministiqua River that eventually flows into Lake Superior at Thunder Bay, Ontario.

At 138 feet, Kakabeka is the highest waterfall in the Lake Superior basin. There's a nice handicapped accessible hiking trail with a view of the waterfalls and a self-guided nature trail. 

Go Here for info on Kakabeka Falls Provencial Park and Camping in Thunder Bay Area

Thunder Bay - Boulevard Lake & Centinnial Park

The Current River enters the city from the north and flows into Boulevard Lake. The lake is surrounded by 650 acres of parkland with picnicking facilities and recreational trails sprinkled throughout.

Just upstream from the lake is Centennial Park, with 147 acres located along the shores of the river. The park also features a logging museum, a 1910 style bush camp, and a children's small animal farm.

Thunder Bay - Port Arthur Park

View of the "Sleeping Giant" from Port Arthur Park in Thunder Bay. Nice walking trails throughout the park.

We enjoyed an early morning stoll in the mist:

After our walk, we treated ourselves to fresh coffee and ice cream at this terrific ice cream parlor in the park pavillion.

Visiting Thunder Bay. Across the highway from the park is the pagoda of the Thunder Bay Tourism Office with brochures and help on restaurants, lodging, and many things to do in the Thunder Bay area.

More on things to do and see in Thunder Bay

There are three municipal golf courses in Thunder Bay plus a few private courses open to the public. Possibly the top golf course in Thunder Bay is the Whitewater Golf Course situated along the Kaministiqua River.

In the fall of 2011 we visited Thunder Bay over a weekend hoping to catch some nice fall color. We re-visited Boulevard Lake Park and Marina Park, did some golfing at Whitewater Golf Course, visited Fort William Historical Park, found some neat places to eat, and enjoyed getting re-acquainted with the city. At our Scenicpathways.com blog, you can see our article and pictures on our fall color Thunder Bay visit.

Fall Color & Things to See and Do in Thunder Bay

Terry Fox Monument & Tourist Information Centre

A little north of Thunder Bay on Hwy. 11/17 is a memorial site for Terry Fox, a Canadian hero who, though disabled with an artifical leg and stricken with cancer, embarked on a marathon coast to coast run for cancer research. He managed to cover 3,339 miles before the progress of the disease forced him to end his journey near the site of the monument.

The site offers a nice view of Lake Superior and the Sleeping Giant peninsula, a rose garden, picnic areas, and a Visitor Center with information on Fox's courageous battle against cancer . . . as well as lots of general tourist information of things to do in the Thunder Bay and North of Superior region.

- Thunder Bay Visitor Bureau

- Thunder Bay Events

Northeast of Thunder Bay heading towards Nipigon

Continue north of Thunder Bay on Highways 11 & 17. After you pass the junction with Highway 527, the road turns in a more easterly direction. By the way, if you are heading north on 527 towards Armstrong for a canoe or fishing trip in the Wabakimi area, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the highway surface. But be sure to fill up on gas in Thunder Bay because there's very few places enroute and Armstrong is a small town.

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