By Sault Tourism
Robertson Cliffs, just 30 minutes north of Sault Ste. Marie, is one of best lookout hikes in Ontario. These cliffs offer views from several incredible lookouts that stretch for miles across Bellevue Valley towards the Goulais River and as far as Lake Superior.
The cliffs are owned and cared for by Algoma Highlands Conservancy, a not for profit organization that is run by local volunteers. Clearly marked trails are maintained through donations and memberships. To support this organization click here.
AHC’s Robertson Cliffs are located about 30 minutes north of Sault Ste. Marie, just east of the trans-Canada highway, highway 17. Click here for a Google Maps link to directions to one of the car park areas.
There are three parking areas at the trail heads, these are shown in the below maps.
The route to the top can take between 45 minutes and 2 hours depending on which trail you take, and then the same on the way back. So allow yourself at least 2 hours as a minimum.
It’s described a ‘moderate’ difficulty because there is some scrambling over rocks, small streams and occasion trees. Click on the below images to see some maps of the area.
There are 3 routes that will get you to the top. The Blue route is a 300 metre route that links up with the white route. It begins at the western parking lot.
The White route is a 2km, 45 minute route which begins at one of the two eastern parking lots. Well marked trails lead through the Great Lakes St. Lawrence forest before meeting up with the blue trail. Once the blue and white trail meet the trail does get a little steeper as it ascends to the lookout points.
The yellow trail is a longer 2.5km trek that takes you along beautiful waterfalls. Allow 2 hours for this hike to the cliffs.
There are 3 main lookouts with several others you can find along the way too. The views… judge for yourself.
Three awesome local tour guides can show you the way and also give you some stellar insight into the area. Thrive Tours, Forest The Canoe and Blaq Bear Adventures.
A huge thanks to the Algoma Highlands Conservancy and its volunteers for maintaining these beautiful trails. You can donate or volunteer to the Conservancy here!
By Sault Tourism
The Ojibway Park Nature Trail is a beautiful, easily-accessible, hiking trail located in Garden River, just east of Sault Ste. Marie. This trail offers visitors an opportunity to explore the natural beauty and cultural significance of the region.
The trail, which is a mixture of gravel footpath and wooden boardwalk, leading to a scenic lookout, winds through lush forest and wetland ecosystem, creating plenty of opportunities for getting close to wildlife. There are also interpretive signs and markers that share the knowledge and history of the region, offering a unique educational experience. Keep reading to learn more about this nature trail.
Ojibway Park Nature Trail is located 20km east of Sault Ste. Marie, in Garden River, on highway 17b.
The parking lot is located just south of highway 17b, on the right as you approach from Sault Ste. Marie and Garden River.
The hike is 2.5km if you do the full loop, so leave around 1 hour for it from start to finish. You will be on flat paths and boardwalks the whole way, so it is suitable for hikers of all fitness levels!
A large map of the trail system is located at the trailhead, near the parking lot. Shortly after the sign you’ll see a fork in the path to give you the choice of which direction around the loop you want to take. To get to the scenic lookout gazebo, you’ll need to be aware of second T-junction in the trail.
Along the trail you will come across a number of information signs that speak of the history and cultural significance of the area as well as what wildlife you may see along the way.
The trail ultimately leads to a scenic lookout gazebo, with views over the grassland, beach, the most northerly part of Lake Huron, and with views all the way to Sugar Island in the US.
The trail, built in 2016, is part of the Trans Canada Trail. Get more information, including a link to the map here.
Two local tour guides can help enhance your experience by giving you cultural teachings, indigenous storytelling, culinary delights and information during the hike.
Check out Thrive Tours, and Walk Among The Trees‘ websites.
By Sault Tourism
Whether you’re here for a tournament, camp, coaching course, or race, you’re in for a treat. Beyond your main event, there’s plenty to explore and enjoy in Sault Ste. Marie.
We understand how hectic traveling for sports events can be, so let us make your visit smoother and more enjoyable in a way your team and team managers will appreciate. Read on for help with:
Let’s start with some essentials – food. Sault Ste. Marie has a wide range of restaurants, cafes, pubs and breweries. You’ll find all the information you need here.
Below is a specially selected list categorized of establishments known to welcome groups, organized in a way that hopefully relates to your needs. If you see an asterix*, it means that establishment also has private rooms.
Centre Ice
The restaurant inside the Pee Wee Hockey Arena.
Hard Line Grill*
The restaurant inside the YNCU Curling Centre.
Ice Breakers*
Inside the John Rhodes Community Centre
Northcrest Lanes
Ten-pin bowling with pub-grub food
Soo Blaster
Eat, drink, play. A fun-zone with a restaurant. Pool, air hockey, video games and more!
Wacky Wings
Family-friendly wings and pub style menu with entertainment arena.
* = private rooms or areas available
The Blockhouse Pub
All day breakfast, gourmet sandwiches and grilled cheeses and pub fare.
The Boiler Room*
Specializes in wood fired pizzas with other gastropub style meals
Casey’s Grill Bar*
Casual pub style dining located inside the Water Tower Inn.
Chuck’s Roadhouse Bar & Grill
Chuck’s is known for their laid-back sports bar atmosphere and savory steaks.
Chummy’s Grill
Indigenous owned and operated offering daily features, hearty portions, all day breakfast and pub favorites.
Gino’s Fired Up Kitchen*
Wood fired pizzas, build your own pasta dishes and a wide range of classic pub fare.
Montana’s BBQ & Bar
The home of BBQ and pub fare featuring a large atmospheric dining room with waterfront views.
Aurora’s Restaurant
Family owned and operated Italian restaurant.
Giovanni’s Restaurant*
Family and group friendly restaurant featuring authentic Italian cuisine.
North 82 Steak and Seafood*
Famous for seared steaks, seafood and Greek inspired menu items.
The Root (golf course)
A variety of hearty and elegant meals from pastas and seafood to steaks and roast beef.
Sandro’s Restaurant
Handmade Italian pasta dishes and North American comfort food.
The Mill Steakhouse & Wine Bar
The fine dining option in the Canal District
Mulligan’s Irish Pub
Features classic Irish specialties like fish and chips, cottage pie and an array of burgers and sandwiches.
Embers on the Ridge*
Unique up-scale fine dining options located on Crimson Ridge golf course
Golden Dragon
A wide selection of Chinese food and specializing in their dinner buffet.
Peace Restaurant
Vibrant Asian Fusion based bar and restaurant with an ever-changing menu
Quattro Vinotecca
Upscale dining featuring steaks, fish, pastas, and wide range of elegant entrees
Shogun Sushi
Offering a wide selection of fresh, authentic Japanese food.
Sunset Noodle House
Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine in a cozy atmosphere.
The Taj
High quality Indian Cuisine in a modern up-scale dining atmosphere.
Looking to eat-in? The Soo has plenty of great caterers / take-out options for you!
Absolutely Delicious
Homemade…serving breakfast and lunch daily!!! Desserts…frozen meat pies, homemade lasagna ready
Alina’s Kitchen
Family owned Italian Restaurant
Take-out only
Aurora’s Pizza and Spaghetti House
Delicious Italian and American fare – all made fresh and in-house – for the whole family
Feeding Your Soul Cafe
Homemade…serving breakfast and lunch daily!!! Desserts…frozen meat pies, homemade lasagna ready
Giovanni’s Restaurant
Authentic Italian cuisine.
Grand Gardens
Delicious Italian take-out and catering establishment
Marconi Multicultural Centre Classic Italian menu
Paesano Foods
Italian food and takeout menu
Primavera Catering and Banquet Hall
Serving traditional Italian food, handmade ravioli, or something like a double burger.
Sandros
Delicious Italian take-out and catering establishment
Maybe you have a few hours been between games, or maybe you want to extend your stay by a day or so. Depending on when you visit, there will be a wide range of options to make your trip to the Soo fun and enjoyable.
Does your team need to stay active between games? Are you looking for a fun activity that everyone can take part in? Here are some team building suggestions.
KBX Performance Club is a sports training facility that offers gym and on the field/ice training for sports such as hockey. Goat Yoga is very popular with visiting teams who want to try something different and fun. Swing Away Batting Cages operates out of Strathclair Park. Bellevue Park is 17 hectares big, so plenty of space to run around in. It includes a splash pad, 4 play area and there are also picnic tables and benches – perfect for outdoor lunches. A great team building event is attending a hockey game at the local OHL team, the Soo Greyhounds – catered boxes can be booked too!
Sault Ste. Marie also has has 24 lanes of ten-pin bowling at North Crest Lanes. Soo Blaster has video games, pool, air hockey. There’s golf simulators Up and Down Lounge and axe throwing!
Searchmont is one of Ontario’s best ski hills with over 700 feet of vertical. Hiawatha Highlands is a winter wonderland with cross-country skiing, fat biking and snowshoeing available. The City maintains a number of outdoor rinks in winter months, and The Rink at the Canal District has bookable as well as free public skating options.
For indoor activities check out the always-popular Bushplane Museum or the excellent Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site. y and more and Station Mall has a number of stores, a big Galaxy Cinema and a food court.
Sault Ste. Marie is one of Ontario’s best adventure towns. Mountain Biking, hiking, paddling, boat tours, sandy beaches – and that’s just within the city limits! There are plenty of activities you can do in just a couple of hours, and more if you have half a day or more to spare. The summer months is also when our outdoor events really ramp up – classic car cruises, beer festivals, poutine and rib fests… when you visit, visit our Events page for all the latest happenings.
Here are a few ideas to hopefully get you inspired.
If you haven’t yet arranged accommodation, visit the Stay page of our website for a full list of hotels, motels and campsites within the city.
And of course, head to our home page, or our Travel Inspiration page for even more ideas of what to do when visiting the Soo!
T-shirts, keyrings, stickers… don’t leave without a piece of swag or a keepsake! You can pick up some great merch at the Bushplane Museum’s awesome (and large) gift shop, the Ontario Travel Centre, at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site, or at the ‘Hound Pound’ of the Soo Greyhounds inside the GFL Gardens.
Here are the places where you can pick up some merch.
By Tourism Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie is the perfect place to visit if you want to enjoy some of the best hiking trails in Ontario. Incredible lookouts, magnificent waterfalls, the rugged Canadian Shield, important historical sites, and clean fresh air with just the sound of the wind in trees or waves on the shoreline… Sault Ste. Marie has hikes for everyone. So if you are looking for a short, family hike, or a robust multi-day adventure, we’ve got a hike for you! Here are 12 hikes in and around Sault Ste. Marie for you to enjoy.
If you are looking to stay within the city limits then check out these three great trails, perfect for a family hike or if you are looking for a less strenuous trail.
If you are looking for a family-friendly hike in Sault Ste. Marie, then the Hub Trail is perfect for you. The trail as a whole is 22.5km of paved path and wooden boardwalk that circles the city.
You can of course choose the section you want to hike and the Fort Creek section is a popular choice for many. The trail takes hikers over three picturesque bridges, where there are lots of opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the creek below as well as many opportunities to spot all the interesting creatures that live there. Keep an eye out for hawks, great blue herons, and monarch butterflies.
Visit this Hub Trail page for more information including a link to a complete map!
Choose the Attikamek trail and Whitefish Island trail, part of Batchewana First Nation, for a beautiful and well paced hike within the city limits. Parking and trailhead is located at Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site and you can access the Island across the locks itself.
Whitefish Island is a National Historic Site for Canada. It’s also a traditional territory and meeting ground of the Anishinaabe peoples of the Great Lakes due to the abundance of natural resources and fish in the St. Mary’s River.
This site is complete with an easy to follow trail system marked with informational plaques explaining the importance and historical relevance of the island. These trails will lead you through nature preserves right to the historic fishery of the St. Marys River Rapids.
The Voyageur Trail is a public hiking trail consisting of almost 600km of wilderness style trails in Northern Ontario. The Hiawatha Loop (which goes past the stunning Crystal Falls), Odena Loop, Beaver Loop and Mabel Lake Loop make up around 20km of trails in this area.
Lots of information is available on the Voyageur Trail Association website here. With maps of the trails at Hiawatha here. In addition all the maps are available via the Ondago App.
Just outside the City limits, but only a 15 minute drive from Sault Ste. Marie is the Ojibway Park Nature Trail, situated in Garden River First Nation. This short but beautiful trail offers visitors an opportunity to explore the natural beauty and cultural significance of the region.
The trail, which is a mixture of gravel footpath and wooden boardwalk, leading to a scenic lookout, winds through lush forest and wetland ecosystem, creating plenty of opportunities for getting close to wildlife. There are also interpretive signs and markers that share the knowledge and history of the region, offering a unique educational experience.
These hikes are perfect for a day or half day of hiking and are within one hour’s drive of Sault Ste. Marie.
This there-and-back trail through the beautiful maple forests of the Algoma Highlands takes you to one of best lookout hikes in Ontario. The trail begins at Robertson Cliffs Road and takes you to three incredible south and west facing lookouts. From there you can continue along and do the Robertson Cliffs Loop, passing a beautiful waterfall loop hike, or head back the way you came.
The trails are owned and cared for by Algoma Highlands Conservancy, a not for profit organization that is run by local volunteers. To access maps of the trail system click here.
A 30 minute drive north of Sault Ste. Marie takes you to Harmony Beach, where you hike to a spectacular lookout, Eagle Ridge Lookout, overlooking Lake Superior.
This moderate trail is part of the Voyageur Trail System, and maps are available online or as hard copies. Forest The Canoe run guided tours to the lookout, click here for more info!
Chippewa Falls are a 35-minutes drive north of Sault Ste. Marie, parking and trailhead is right along the Trans Canada Hwy. The falls, which are visible from the highway itself, stand 25 feet high.
The hiking trail offers an easy 2.5km hike to the upper falls, which starts in the parking area and follows the river upstream to the top of the main falls. The path continues alongside the river past the upper falls if you want to explore further.
Chippewa Falls are a stop on the Group of Seven driving tour – the falls and rapids inspired A.Y Jackson’s sketch ‘Stream Bed’. Lookout for a ‘Moments of Algoma’ art easel at the trailhead with more information about the falls and the famous group of artists!
A beautifully scenic drive east of the city through the Sylvan Valley, and just north of Bruce Mines, takes you to the Rock Lake trailhead. The Rock Lake trail is a offshoot from the Voyageur Trail system, and end up at a unique, smooth rock-top that feels like it should be inspiration for a Group of Seven painting.
Theses smooth rocks face north and lookout over Rock Lake, with an array of maple forests beautifully surrounding it.
The Edmund Fitzgerald lookout trail is another trail with a spectacular lookout. This one overlooks Pancake Bay Provincial Park (in which the trail is situated), Lake Superior and even as far as place where the Edmund Fitzgerald ship tragically sunk in 1975.
The trail system has 3 hikes available; 6km, 10.5km and 13.5km, with the latter hikes taking you to waterfalls and the inland Tower Lakes. For further information click here.
If you are looking further afield and want to take in all that the Lake Superior coast has to offer, then consider these beautiful hikes.
At the south end of Lake Superior Provincial Park are the Agawa Rock Pictographs. A clearly marked sign on Highway 17 directs visitors to a parking area at the trail head – map coordinates here.
The Agawa Rock Pictographs is one of the most famous pictograph sites in Canada and is one of the most visited indigenous archaeological sites too. It is a sacred site where generations of Ojibwe have come to record dreams, visions and events. Please respect and preserve the pictographs by not touching the paintings.
For those seeking true adventure, consider this spectacular and rugged coastal trail. It extends from Agawa Bay in the south to Chalfant Cove just north of Warp Bay in the north and will give you a true experience of Lake Superior. Local experts recommend taking 5-6 days because many sections require climbing over rocky headlands and cobble beaches, which can be technically challenging and require a steady pace for safety.
There are various spots for beach camping along the trail; you’ll enjoy incredible coastal scenery during the day and perfectly dark starry skies from your beached-down tent at night. For further reading, click here.
The Nokomis trail is a 3.8km round-trip lookout hike to overlook Old Woman Bay, in Lake Superior Provincial Park.
The trailhead is across the road from Old Woman Bay Beach parking, and the trail itself takes around 2 hours, with breaks to enjoy the incredible views!
Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma District has countless hiking trails. Others include Gros Cap, Wishart Park and Odena Lookout, all within the Sault Ste. Marie city limits. King Mountain is a great hike and can be reached by continuing your route past Robertson Cliffs. The Orphan Lake trail, in Lake Superior Provincial Park is popular in the summer and fall. The ‘Park’ also has many side-trials as well as the larger coastal trail, mentioned above.
Do you have any other hikes in the area that you particularly enjoy? Tag us in your social media photos #outsideofexpected or our account handles @sault.ste.marie for Instagram and @saulttourism for Facebook. Happy hiking!
By Sault Tourism
Sault Ste Marie has a number of well known hiking, lookout and fall-colour viewing areas just outside the city including Robertson Cliffs, King Mountain or Lake Superior. But you actually don’t have to travel as far to see some pretty spectacular sights! You can stay within the city limits and still get lookout views, see incredible waterfalls or enjoy beautiful, glassy in-land lakes.
So keep reading to learn about these mini-urban adventures in Sault Ste. Marie
The beautiful Crystal Falls at Kinsmen Park, with a total height of around 80 metres, is one of the most popular visitor spots in Sault Ste. Marie, attracting thousands of visitors each year. Easily accessible from the Kinsmen Park parking lot at Hiawatha Highlands, a boardwalk with handrails leads to the base of the falls with steps leading up to several viewing platforms.
On the other side of Thayer Reservoir, in Kinsmen Park, are the lower Crystal Falls, including the delightfully named Minnehaha Falls. Access to these falls requires a little more work than the higher ones, with some hiking and exploring just off the multi-use cycling/hiking trail TLC, but the rewards are worth it!
The Odena lookout and Odena Loop at Hiawatha Highlands is part of the Voyageur Trail. The large ‘Loop’ trail is a 4.2km hike that starts at Sixth Line and weaves itself over to Connor Road. Alternatively if you just want to enjoy the incredible view, the Lookout hike is a short 400 metre trot uphill. Once you get to the top the view will take your breath away. Beautiful maple fall colours blended with vibrant coniferous greens make this lookout truly spectacular.
Checkout the Beaver Loop, an out and back 4km loop with a beautiful lookout at Farmer Lake – also part of the Voyageur Trail at Hiawatha Highlands. The trail head is at the end of Connor Road, where there is ample parking, then the trail heads north and east, initially along the route of the Odena Loop before forking off to the right. The trail is a multi-use trail so you’ll find hikers and cyclists alike!
The Attikamek trail on Whitefish Island is a beautiful and easy-paced hike, perfect for enjoying nature. Parking is at the trailhead, located at Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site, from where you can access the Island across the famous locks. Batchewana First Nation Whitefish Island Reserve is a traditional territory and meeting ground of the Anishinaabe peoples of the Great Lakes due to the abundance of natural resources and fish in the St. Marys River
The lookout at Gros Cap Conversation area is another great spot just outside the city limits. While the tree species here don’t offer the vibrant red and oranges of Hiawatha, you can still enjoy fall tones with incredible views of the place where Lake Superior flows into the St. Marys river, the Gros Cap lighthouse, and any Lake Superior ‘lakers’ that happen to be cruising past.
The lookout is part of the Saulteaux-Goulais section of the Voyageur Trail, which leads west and north towards Red Rock.
By Sault Tourism
Sault Ste Marie is well-known for its breathtaking beauty during the fall season. Nothing can compare to the vivid colours of the leaves, the numerous trails that can be explored, along with views that will never be forgotten that capture Mother Nature’s true-beauty. From mid-September to mid-October you can find so many ways to enjoy the best of fall in our northern community. In the meantime we have narrowed it down to the top five ways that won’t disappoint!
Come to Sault Ste. Marie and experience Ontario’s awesome fall colours as you’ve never seen them before!
This attraction is a bucket-list adventure and a big tourist favourite when it comes to seeing the fall colours in its prime. Hop on this day-long journey that starts in our Canal District and travels 114km into the Agawa Canyon; along the way you will be immersed by wilderness and its array of oranges, reds and yellows. Once you reach the Canyon you will get to walk around and explore various trails that will take you to beautiful scenic lookouts and various waterfalls where the Group of Seven once painted some of their iconic paintings. This can’t miss experience will certainly be one for the books!
There are so many hikes in and around Sault Ste. Marie that it can be difficult to narrow it down to just one. But if you are only looking to do one hike, try the Robertson Cliffs lookout hike.
To escape to this beautiful scenic lookout, you only need to travel about 20 minutes north of the City. This intermediate hike will not only get your blood flowing but will guide you through the colourful brush and trees. A helpful tip is to make sure you dress accordingly and be prepared to be in awe once you reach the top! When you have completed this 5km hike on Ila’s Trail, you will come upon the breathtaking fall scenery of the boreal forest. You will undoubtedly want to make sure you capture this view with a picture, as the vibrant colours will take your breath away!
You don’t have to venture far to experience what Fall is all about in Sault Ste Marie. Located just north of the city you will find bridges and paths in Kinsmen Park that will take you through a network of trails, such as the Crystal Creek System, where you will see Fall in all its perfection. You can also explore and visit Crystal Falls at one end of the park and then follow the trails to Minnehaha Falls at the other end.
Another must-do fall experience, are the new mountain biking trails located in the same area of the Hiawatha Highlands. Check out fall colours while you enjoy our new flow trails, berms, jumps, techy climbs and more.
Enjoy fall in at its best right here in the heart of Sault Ste Marie! The John Roswell Hub Trail is a 22.5km trail that surrounds our beautiful city, with paved paths that you can walk or bike on. One of our favourite parts of the hub trail in the fall specifically, is the Fort Creek section. You can park at the Fort Creek Conservation Area and take the trail through the forest where you will come upon some incredible bridges that overlook the stunning ravine. This simple trail system is nice laid-back one hour walk from the Conversation Area to the Third Line section and back.
Another activity to do in Sault Ste. Marie is take a Sault Locks boat tour. They leave every day until the middle of October at 10am and 1pm. Click here for all the info.
Sault Ste. Marie has excellent, experienced, informative, trained guides to help you get the most out of your time in the city.
Take a day guided tour on the True North Adventure Bus and witness the fall colours you’ve seen on Instagram. Paddle on some of the most beautiful inland lakes in Ontario, and hike to one of best vistas for fall colours anywhere. The True North Adventure bus offers you these experiences. Experienced tour guides Forest The Canoe offer all day adventure tours to some of the most beautiful places in Ontario. Click here to read more.
Go guided with Thrive Tours who offer fall colour hikes, as well as and canoe and kayak tours throughout the Algoma region. Red Pine Tours offer bike tours, Walk Among The Trees specializes in simple, 2- to 3-hour hiking tours sharing Indigenous teachings, culture, ceremony and language. Metis Tours shares Metis history in Sault Ste. Marie and Blaq Bear Tours do culinary and walking tours of the area!
Sault Ste. Marie is a great destination to experience incredible fall colours, with countless other ways to see spectacular reds, oranges and yellows. A scenic drive through the Bellevue Valley to Goulais River is a great way to some stunning colours. Or check out this blog post featuring 4 more ‘unknown’ spots!
We hope you enjoy your time in the Soo! 🙂
By Sault Tourism
Sault Ste Marie has a number of well known hiking and fall-colour viewing areas in or around the city, including Robertson Cliffs, Fort Creek and Bellevue Park, but not everyone will be aware of these four relatively hidden spots.
So keep reading to learn about four of the best ‘other’ places to explore and to enjoy the fall colours from.
The Odena lookout and Odena Loop at Hiawatha Highlands is part of the Voyageur Trail. The large ‘Loop’ trail is a 4.2km hike that starts at Sixth Line and weaves itself over to Connor Road. Alternatively if you just want to enjoy the incredible view, the Lookout hike is a short 400 metre trot uphill. Once you get to the top the view will take your breath away. Beautiful maple fall colours blended with vibrant coniferous greens make this lookout truly spectacular.
Wishart Park, just off Fourth Line East, is a cute little park, and a perfect place for a short hike to take fall fall photos in. Enjoy a walk through the woods or alongside the Root River as it winds its way south towards the city.
Root River and Root Cascade at the west side of Sixth Line is another pretty place to visit. Beautiful falls cascade into the Root River, and the surrounding maple trees create a vibrant and bright scene.
The lookout at Gros Cap Conversation area is another great spot just outside the city limits. While the tree species here don’t offer the vibrant red and oranges of Hiawatha, you can still enjoy fall tones with incredible views of the place where Lake Superior flows into the St Marys river, the Gros Cap lighthouse, and any Lake Superior ‘lakers’ that happen to be cruising past.
The lookout is part of the Saulteaux-Goulais section of the Voyageur Trail, which leads west and north towards Red Rock.
Sault Ste. Marie is the perfect place to spend some time together as a family. Also referred to as Bawating, meaning “place of the rapids”, the area is rich in Indigenous culture and history. From the whir of excitement at a local powwow to the somber history of the residential school system, there is so much for you to learn and experience together in Sault Ste. Marie.
Here are 7 ways you can experience Indigenous culture in the Soo:
Whether you’ve been to a powwow before or want to experience one for the first time, you will love the Learn to Powwow Tour with Thrive Tours. Your tour guides will start you off with an introduction, covering powwow history and etiquette, and explain how you can engage in the celebration as a non-Indigenous person. You will also learn the significance of the music and about the different kinds of dances. After your powwow intro, you will join your guides for the spectacular Grand Entry where you’ll watch the dancers enter the circle in their regalia and listen as the drummers echo the heartbeat of Mother Earth. To complete your experience, make sure to try some food, explore the vendors and maybe even join in during an intertribal dance!
As you make your way through the buildings and streets of Sault Ste. Marie, you will notice the many large murals painted throughout the city. Many of the murals you’ll find here have been painted by local Indigenous artists. This display of artwork adds a splash of color and vibrancy to the city that everyone in the family will enjoy! Each June, during the Summer Moon Festival, you can watch new murals being painted around the Soo and experience many other Indigenous arts & culture workshops, exhibits and performances.
Grab your bikes or walking shoes and spend some time exploring the Indigenous history of Whitefish Island. Whitefish Island is a territory of the Batchewana First Nation and a National Historic Site of Canada. Plaques located around the island provide information about the history and significance of the area, dating back hundreds of years. Once home to many, Whitefish Island was a significant site for fishing and trading throughout history. Now, the island is a popular birding location and the well-maintained trails and boardwalks allow visitors to easily access and enjoy nature.
Get out on the river in a kayak or canoe with Thrive Tours. Your adventure begins with acknowledging the history of the land and showing respect to the water by saying “Miigwetch”, which means “thank you”. Next, you will receive instruction on paddling and water safety before getting in your boat and setting off on the river. Boats, paddles and life jackets are available for both adults and children. While on the water, you will learn about the history of the area and you may even be treated to a traditional song sung by your tour guide.
Canoes for Conservation also offer interpretive tours of the St Marys river in their popular ‘big canoe’. Dip your paddle into the famous Whitefish Rapids at Bawating, one of the most significant cultural gathering places of the Anishinaabe People since time immemorial. These tours are popular with groups and families and expert guides provide a rich description of the area.
The Shingwauk Residential School in Sault Ste. Marie was operational from 1875 until 1970. Join Thrive Tours to see the residential school grounds and buildings, now part of the Algoma University campus, and learn about the residential school system. You will hear about the devastation the system had on the Indigenous people in the not-so-distant past and the inter-generational trauma affecting communities and families today. If you are touring with kids, information is shared in a truthful yet age-appropriate way. Learn about what is being done for healing and restoration and what you can do in this process as an ally.
Take a beautiful drive along the Trans Canada Highway to see the Agawa Rock Pictographs in Lake Superior Provincial Park. Located about 1 hour North of Sault Ste. Marie, this 0.5km loop trail will take you right along the shore of Lake Superior to the Indigenous archaeological site where you can see sacred Ojibwe paintings dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The hike is rated as moderate, but some scrambling over rocks is required. To see the pictographs, you’ll need to walk out on a sloped rock shelf beside the lake. The views are definitely worth it, but please take caution as the rocks can be slippery!
After working up an appetite during your Sault Ste. Marie adventures, stop by Chummy’s Grill for a delicious meal. This local Indigenous-owned and operated family restaurant has a wide variety of delicious food available. The restaurant has a great kids menu and even has all-day breakfast (except Friday 4-8pm). While here, make sure you spend some time admiring the wood carvings located throughout the restaurant.
Now it’s time to get your family and come explore Bawating! With so many different ways to experience Indigenous culture in the Soo, you’ll want to keep coming back for more.
And read our blog post from summer 2021 about spending a day with the family in Sault Ste. Marie here!
