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Northern Ontario

'Big' is a theme in Northern Ontario. The area is so vast that it could fit six Englands and still have room for a Scotland or two. Industry is big here, too: most of the world's silver and nickel ore comes from local mines, while boundless forests have made the region a key timber producer. What's not so big is the local population; as of the most recent census, none of the cities have over 100,000 residents.

Two main highways weave an intersecting course across the province. Hwy 17 (the Trans-Canada) unveils the area's scenic pièce de résistance, the northern crest over Lake Superior. From Sudbury, misty fjord-like passages hide isolated beaches among dense thickets of pine, cedar and birch. Further north, Hwy 11 traverses through Cochrane – where the Polar Bear Express connects to Moosonee – to Thunder Bay, the intersection of the two highways.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northern Ontario.

  • See

    Quetico Provincial Park

    This endless waterlogged preserve has some of Canada's finest wilderness canoe and portage routes, courtesy of over 2000 lakes and 460,000 hectares of unexplored backcountry. Some 35km of hiking trails take in towering rock cliffs, majestic waterfalls, virgin pine and spruce forests, and picturesque rivers and lakes. The winter months offer groomed cross-country ski trails, snowshoeing and ice fishing Accommodation in the park includes a campground (open June to September), backcountry camping (year-round), and rustic cabins accommodating up to four.

  • See

    Fort Frances Museum

    Fort Frances Museum gives an introduction to the historic town – Canada's first European settlement west of Lake Superior – established in the 1730s as a fur-trading post. Pick up a heritage map of town and ask about touring the historical tugboat Hallet, which used to transport logs across nearby Rainy Lake. The admission price increases when there are special exhibitions.

  • See

    Kenora

    The biggest and best place to pause along the northern route from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg is Kenora, the unofficial capital of the striking Lake of the Woods region and tourism hub for local summer cottages and fishing trips.

  • See

    Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung

    This sacred Ojibwe site contains the largest ancient ceremonial burial grounds in Canada. It's located 25km west of Emo (and 60km west of Fort Frances) en route to the US border.

  • See

    Lake of the Woods Museum

    This small museum covers the indigenous, industrial and gold-mining history of the area, with a particular focus on the last 100 years when Kenora changed rapidly.