Length of stay: 1 day
Visited: October 2023
Pukaskwa National Park is located in northern Ontario about mid-way between Sault St Marie and Thunder Bay. It’s situated along Lake Superior and protects part of the longest undeveloped shoreline anywhere on the Great Lakes. Pukaskwa is the largest national park in Ontario and the only one that’s classified as a wilderness national park. It contains a rocky coastline, sandy beaches, boreal forests and an abundance of wildlife.
For the Thanksgiving long weekend we flew into Thunder Bay to stay in Neys Provincial Park for a few days. Since Pukaskwa is located nearby, about 50km east of Neys, we decided to take a day trip there to explore the trails and enjoy the fall foliage. We arrived at the park in the mid-morning and picked up a visitor’s guide at the park kiosk.
Pukaskwa offers a range of hiking trails, all of which can be accessed from the main parking lot by the visitor centre. We planned to first hike the Manito Miikana Trail, which involves hiking along the Boardwalk Beach Trail (0.2km one-way, rated easy) to get there. Since we were visiting in low-season, we could park at the small parking lot in the campground located between sites 34 and 35, which shaved off about a kilometre from our hike. The trail is relatively flat and mostly follows along a boardwalk through a fragile sand dune environment.
As the boardwalk nears Horseshoe Bay, it splits off into two paths. Manito Miikana to the right and the Southern Headland Trail to the left. We planned to hike both trails, starting with Manito Miikana (2km round trip, rated moderate). The boardwalk ends at Horseshoe Bay. We followed the sandy shore towards an opening in the forest that was marked with a hiker signpost.
The trail then weaves through the forest. There are a few ups and downs, rocks and roots, as well as some built wooden stairs in a few spots. Many of the leaves had already fallen, partially covering the trail, which made navigation a bit tricky at times.
At the junction, the trail branches off to form a loop. We followed the direction of the green arrow and went to the right. This portion of the trail passes through granite outcrops, providing glimpses of Lake Superior. There are also two viewing platforms that provide sweeping views of the surrounding area.
The trail connects back with the main path which returns to Horseshoe Bay. We walked along the sandy shore to the other side, making a detour at the end of the Boardwalk Beach Trail to check out a Moments of Algoma Sign. Lake Superior provided much inspiration to the Group of Seven who were striving to develop a kind of art that was uniquely Canadian. They travelled to and camped along the Lake Superior shoreline, following their belief that art should rise from the fabric of the land and come from contact with nature.
We walked back to the beach and headed towards the Southern Headland Trail (2.2km round trip, rated moderate). The trail winds through the forest and along rocky outcrops, providing sweeping views of Horseshoe Bay, Pulpwood Harbour and Hattie Cove.
The trail passes a pair of the Parks Canada Red Chairs. It also contains a series of interpretive panels that provide more information about Lake Superior and how the landscape was formed. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and is the world’s largest lake by surface area, has more shoreline than the coast of Nova Scotia and holds a tenth of the world’s surface fresh water. It is also the cleanest and coldest of the Great Lakes.
The trail ends at the canoe launch. From there it’s a couple hundred meters back to where we parked in the campground. We wrapped up in the early afternoon and returned to Neys for a late lunch.
L
💙💚
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. We had a nice morning hiking and enjoying the last of the fall colours.
My favourit trail in my favourit park! We spent amazing two weeks as camp hosts there. We are invited back, but it is not in the cards this year. Hoping to go back there one day!
We’ve been to Pukaskwa three times, but have never camped there. We’ve only ever taken day-trips from Neys. I’d love to return and stay for longer. There’s still a few trails we have yet to explore (and a few ones we’d love to hike again). Let us know when you plan to be camp hosts again and hopefully our return trips can coincide!
Oh, that is a good idea 🙂
We camped at Hattie Cove Campground for 3 nites in June. No reservations required. Very nice campground with mix of electric and non-electric sites. Being off the beaten path , the park is not busy. Great place to kayak the Lake Superior shoreline or Hattie Cove is conditions rough on the lake.
Pukaskwa is a hidden gem. I must say, it’s always so refreshing to head up to northern Ontario to escape the crowds. Plus the scenery along the Lake Superior shoreline is absolutely breathtaking. We have yet to camp at Pukaskwa, but we’re hoping to change that in the next few years.
It looks so beautiful there. I can see how artists would be very inspired after a visit! I love how you can explore more woodsy regions, and then also sandy beaches here.
For sure. The scenery is spectacular. And because this park is so remote, it’s never really busy, which is always an added bonus. It’s too bad the water is always freezing cold though!
Beautiful pictures of that gorgeous scenery, Linda. I love Group of Seven art and understand why they frequently chose that area as inspiration.
Thanks for your lovely comment. The stretch along the Lake Superior shoreline is easily one of the most scenic drives we’ve taken. It’s been neat to visit many of the places along there that provided inspiration to the Group of Seven. I’m such a fan of their work too!
Wonderful scenery throughout again, another terrific hike
Oh I know! The views just kept getting better and better! And we had the trails mostly all to ourselves. What more could you want in a hike!?
Very beautiful! 😍
This is easily the most scenic spot in Ontario. It’s such a hidden gem too, probably because it’s so remote, which makes it even more special.
Wonderful post, very beautiful place so relaxing views. I’m so happy because
those amazing red chairs back, great photos! Thank’s for share Linda.
It looks like you had a lovely time there. Keep well.
Have a bessing week!
Elvira
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. It’s always a nice surprise to come across the Red Chairs. It was a great spot to take a break and enjoy the views. Take care. Linda
Always a pleasure visit your blog those places are amazing. And red chairs a great touch. Thank’s for share Linda. Keep enjoying.
Happy weekend!
Elvira
Thanks so much! Agreed, the red chairs have been a wonderful initiative by Parks Canada. We always try to find them whenever we visit a national park or historic site.
Oh Lake Superior, how beautiful you are. We did not visit this park during our Summer 2020 Thunder Bay roadtrip and it’s one I look forward to adding to our itinerary next summer. It looks so scenic and wonderful!
It’s incredible just how huge northern Ontario is. But that also means that it’s impossible to visit every single park or point of interest along the drive. Pukaskwa is definitely a great spot to add to your list for next time. There’s quite a bit to do in terms of hiking and other activities. It’s on our list for when we return to northern Ontario too as we’d love to actually camp here. There’s even a few oTENTik in the campground!
I have not heard the work oTENTik in a while. 😊
Speaking of which, we’re planning on staying in an oTENTik in Point Pelee in the beginning of April! I already have it booked!
It’s so beautiful and peaceful. I love to see the red chairs back, and your photos are just stunning 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comment. The day started out a bit cold and grey, but I’m glad the clouds cleared. It’s always a nice surprise to come across the Parks Canada red chairs. They’re often located at a beautiful viewpoint. It’s the perfect reminder to pause and look around (and take a break)!
Wow! Your pictures are just stunning. What an incredible place to hike and it looks so peaceful and quiet.
Thanks! The park is pretty remote which means it typically doesn’t get many visitors even during peak season. So you can imagine just how quiet the trails were later in the fall. It felt like we had the place all to ourselves. Which is just how we like it.
That is quite possibly the prettiest park I have seen and you captured it well Linda. I love the mix of water rocks and trees. Thanks for sharing. Allan
Thanks for your kind words Allan. Pukaskwa is a bit off the beaten path, which is part of its charm. Every time we’ve driven across northern Ontario we always carve out some time to go for a hike here. There’s still a few trails we have yet to explore, which is a good enough reason for us to return. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
Looks beautiful! Funny that the largest national park in Ontario is not very well known.
It’s pretty far from Toronto, which means it doesn’t get many visitors. And I’m perfectly fine with that as it means the trails are not very crowded or littered with trash.
Your photos are gorgeous! The park looks beautiful and very tranquil.
Thanks! The park is pretty far from any major city, which means it’s typically quiet throughout the year. Since we were visiting late in the fall, we pretty much had the trails to ourselves, which is just how we like it.
Gorgeous park. The trails and beach are stunning.
The scenery here is stunning. It’s too bad the water is always cold though, even during the summer.
Great atmosphere, the pale autumn light creates a feeling of calm and serenity, like a suspended time before winter covers everything with its brutality.
It was nice to visit northern Ontario in October and catch the last of the fall colours. I imagine it would be pretty harsh along the Lake Superior shoreline during the winter.
Another very scenic trail Linda. It looks beautiful. I’m always amazed to find all those red viewpoint chairs unoccupied on your photos. I thought they would be really popular resting places!
One of the benefits of hiking during the offseason is that we mostly have the trails to ourselves, which also means that there’s a higher chance that the Red Chairs will be unoccupied. They can be quite popular during the summer.
It’s very interesting to learn that Lake Superior has more shoreline than the coast of Nova Scotia. Intuitively, I guess a lot of people would think otherwise. I really like the ‘rough’ look of Pukaskwa National Park, especially the moss-covered section of the trail.
They don’t call it Lake Superior for nothing! We’d love to take a road trip around the entire lake someday, but would need a few weeks to do it since the shoreline is so massive.
Beautiful 😍
It was a real treat to visit later in the fall and still see some of the leaves changing colour. And the views of Lake Superior along the trail were outstanding.
Yay for the red chairs! I always love seeing the chairs in your posts and the views they give. And what incredible views they are! I just love the rocks and water from all the different angles 🙂
Thanks! It’s always fun to come across the Red Chairs whenever we visit a Canadian national park. One of the benefits of visiting during the offseason was that the chairs were unoccupied so we could take a break there and enjoy the views.
Can’t get the word “Pukaskwa” out of my head now. Some of these trails look so atmospheric, I love all the moss and those wooden stairs. The beach is also gorgeous and I’m surprised by how green everything is, I would have expected browns and reds to be dominating in October.
The scenery in Pukaskwa is gorgeous, especially along the Lake Superior shoreline. It’s a peaceful park in general, but since we were visiting late in the fall, we had the trails all to ourselves. Sugar maples, which turn a vibrant red in the fall, aren’t typically found here in northern Ontario. It’s mainly pine, balsam, black spruce and birch. So the forest still looked very green with a bit of gold. It’s quite the contrast from where we live in southern Ontario.
What a beautiful park!
Oh I know! It’s a bit off the beaten path, but it’s worth the drive to visit. The landscape looked especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves were changing colour.
You guys have done such beautiful hiking trails in Pukaskwa National Park. I love the boardwalks and the stunning views across the lake. I have to admit, the lake looks more like the ocean … which is understandable because you mentioned that Lake Superior is the world’s largest lake by surface area.
The area around Lake Superior has some of the best views and hiking in Ontario. It’s funny because Lake Superior is like a mini fresh-water ocean and has many sea-like characteristics such as big waves, strong currents, and great depths. It’s pretty impressive. It’s too bad the water is always freezing cold year-round though.
The photo with the sky reflected in the pool amid rocks is so beautiful. I’ve seen those Adirondack chairs in many scenic places I’ve visited in Ontario. Very inviting. I’d like to sit on those driftwood logs and watch the water.
Thanks for your lovely comment. There are over 400 of these red Adirondack chairs scattered across Canada’s national parks and national historic sites, typically at a nice viewpoint. It’s been fun to try to find as many as we can.
I’ve sat in them and photographed them at the Beaches in Toronto.
They are fun to photograph and comfortable to sit in. They can also be super popular though.
Lake Superior is superior from many perspectives😊 Glad you had amazing weather, I remember October was kind with us.
I loved all the parks we visited along the lake, maybe it’s about the time for us to plan another trip there, so many places waiting to be explored..
Oh I know. Lake Superior is aptly named. It was a bit blustery outside, but at least the sun was shining. Agreed, we had a wonderful fall with warmer weather, sunshine and a beautiful display of colours. I can’t complain much about this winter either! And yes, there are some pretty amazing parks along the Lake Superior shoreline, which makes for a scenic road trip. We’ve been talking about returning in a few years when little M gets a bit older. We have a long list for future travel plans! Have a wonderful weekend. Linda