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William Ennis
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William Ennis
Words by William Ennis
Mississagi Provincial Park, a 4,900 hectare park just 25 km (15 mi) north of Elliot Lake, Ontario, has a rugged, lonely beauty that few can resist. This northern patch of the Canadian Shield draws many visitors because of the landscape that includes scenic vistas and secluded lakes.
It is easiest to access the park from Can-17, the TransCanada Highway running along the north channel of Lake Huron between Sudbury and Sault St. Marie.
Mississagi Provincial Park is almost entirely preserved in a natural state. Although the park's campground is rustic, it makes for a great base to explore Mississagi's waterways and trails. More than 40 km (25 mi) of hiking trails pass through a variety of landscapes and forests and take in many lookouts with expansive views of the Penokean Hills. Several lakes provide canoeing, boating and trout fishing opportunities.
The expanse of the park makes it appear empty, but it also means you likely don't need to make reservations. You can also hike freely without worrying about meeting hordes of other hikers.
Sadly, the lack of visitors was almost the death knell of the park. At one point, the government slated it to become a "non-operating" park which meant there would be no staff and no maintenance at the park. Sarah Daigle, Warden of the Park, whom I met while visiting, pushed tirelessly to save it. She worked alongside the City of Elliot Lake, who were worried that the lack of visitors would be economically bad. Fortunately, a deal was made with the government to become partners in the maintenance of the park. The city is responsible for staffing and operational costs, and the park remained open. After 2019, a new park commission was composed of two Indigenous Nations and the City of Elliot Lake.
The park is a great place to spend a week. If you like camping, there are 90 campsites, some alongside the water with some fine views of the hills across the lake. There also a few backwoods campsites that you reach by trail or by water.
The terrain varies from rugged to undulating to flat and makes the park perfect for hiking. The peaceful hikes offer great views down across the lakes, and the feelings of being in the wilderness will stay with you when you return home. The forest consists of red and white pine, hemlock and a mixture of majestic sugar maple and the stately birch trees. Sadly, as in most places in Northern Ontario, the original old-growth trees mostly vanished with the loggers and a few spectacular forest fires. Only a few scattered old-growth pines remain throughout the park.
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William Ennis
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William Ennis
Although you may get the feeling that this is a primitive forest and you are among the few lucky people to discover it, you will be surprised to learn that there has been a lot of activity in the past.
On the long, difficult (22 km/13.5 mi) McKenzie Trail you will find massive pine stumps, which are all that remains of a huge pine stand, and a nearby backcountry campsite. On the also arduous 12 km (7.5 mi) Semiwite Lake Trail you will encounter all kinds of evidence of early 1900's logging such as old logging camps, the remaining stumps of another area of large pines, and corduroy log roads. A corduroy road is created across a boggy area by placing logs side by side across the intended trail. Submerged in water the logs will last for many years.
This area also shows evidence of the great glacier that once covered the land. Not only did the glacier shape the land, and create basins for lakes, it also pushed along some massive boulders, called erratics. You will see one the size of a cabin on the Helenbar Trail.
The Cobre Lake Trail reveals the era of mining and mineral exploration. Cobre is a Spanish word meaning copper, and that should be a clue. Along the north shore of the lake, you may find core samples of diamond drill work searching for deposits of copper deep in the earth. On the south shore of the lake, there is an old copper mine where you might find samples of chalcopyrite, a copper ore. Leave any samples where you find them so the next visitor can make a discovery, too.
Visitors to the park will likely see wild creatures. Moose, black bear, and deer are listed among the larger animals, and there are also lots of squirrels, raccoon, and beaver in the area. Bird enthusiasts will possibly see warblers, thrush vireo, flycatcher, pileated woodpecker, and osprey. Of course, no northern lake would be complete without the wild lonely call of the loon.
Many people come to the park to canoe. There are a few lakes for short trips and some longer treks such as the Dunlop/Mace Route. Some of the canoe routes range well beyond the park boundaries and take several days. You might want to try fishing for lake or speckled trout as you paddle your way through strikingly scenic areas.
1 of 2
William Ennis
2 of 2
William Ennis
You may think you are in wild country, but the park has had visitors for the last 9,000 years. Fur traders have paddled here, and then, with the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, came trappers and loggers. Huge pine logs floated down the Mississagi River to Blind River. In 1948 the huge Mississagi fire ranged over these hills for almost half a year destroying a massive amount of timber in a 400,000 hectare rampage. The forest has now regrown, but we'll never see the old-growth forest again.
A visit to Mississagi Provincial Park is a good introduction to Northern Ontario's Provincial Park system. If you look at a map, you will see that you can drive west from the park on a small highway that passes through excellent scenery as it circles down to the TransCanada Highway again. Whichever way you go, you should certainly enjoy the trip and the visit to the Mississagi Provincial Park.
Park store, day-use area, playground, boat launch, rentals, group camping, French services
60 campsites, 1 group campsite, backcountry camping
Facilities and Services:
Open May to September