Pukaskwa National Park

The longest undeveloped stretch of Lake Superior's northern shore. Start at Hattie Cove to watch the sunset from South Headland Trail, or hike to the White River Suspension Bridge, with granite headlands and northern forest all around.

Pukaskwa National Park lies on the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario. Covering about 1,878 km², it is Ontario's largest wilderness national park and the longest undeveloped stretch of Lake Superior shoreline. The park displays classic Canadian Shield landscapes: pinkish-grey granite headlands, bays alternating between pebble beaches and sand, and northern forest of black spruce and white birch. It is home to moose, black bears, wolves and a small number of woodland caribou. The park is co-managed with the Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, and the visitor centre and trails feature extensive interpretation of Anishinaabe culture.

There are two levels of exploration. The first is the road-accessible Hattie Cove area, which has the visitor centre, campgrounds, South Headland Trail, Horseshoe Bay, the Beach Trail and the Halfway Lake Trail, and can be covered in one or two days. The second is the wilderness interior, reachable only on foot or by boat, highlighted by the 60 km Coastal Hiking Trail and sea kayaking routes along the lakeshore. The White River Suspension Bridge is a classic day-hike destination. Outside the park, it is worth stopping at the pebble beach in the gateway town of Marathon and visiting Neys Provincial Park to the west.

Getting there: driving is the only practical option. From Thunder Bay, drive about 4 hours east on Highway 17. From Sault Ste. Marie, drive about 4.5 hours west. Then turn onto Highway 627 at Marathon and drive about 25 km to Hattie Cove. The best season is late June to September. July and August are warmest, but black flies and mosquitoes are abundant, while September brings good fall colours and fewer insects. Winter facilities close. A stay of 2–3 days is suggested, and multi-day backcountry hiking requires 7 days or more. Note that the park has almost no cell service, so buy supplies and fuel in Marathon. Lake Superior's water is always very cold and the weather changes quickly, so backcountry hiking and paddling require registering your trip and taking hypothermia precautions. Backcountry campsites and Hattie Cove campsites must be reserved in advance on the Parks Canada website.

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