With eighty-eight percent of the province's landmass—Northern Ontario is big! Luckily for motorcyclists, that means there are a ton of routes to explore including the famous Lake Temiskaming Tour, Grand Algoma Tour, Lake Superior Circle Tour, and the Heart of Canada Route. These routes have something for every rider's taste: open roads, twisties, elevation changes, scenic views and some pretty neat stuff to see and do.
We’ve put together 10 sights to see by motorcycle in Northern Ontario—these should be on every rider’s bucket list.
A motorcycle ride usually results in seeing lots of “Big Things” along the way. Ms. Claybelt the Cow is no exception. She was created in the 1980s by the township of Dymond Council in Northeastern Ontario as a tourist attraction. She's made of wood, steel, and fibreglass, standing 12 feet high. It took 865 man-hours to assemble Ms. Claybelt from beginning to end. Today, she still is one of the "Big Things" to see on the Lake Temiskaming Tour.
Other big things on this route: The Temagami Fire Tower, The Big Nickel, The Fountain of Venice
Those who love adventure bike touring, take a trip to Devil's Rock, another sweet spot on the Lake Temiskaming Tour in Northeastern Ontario. Devil's Rock is the centre of an Ojibwe legend of rock demons. The Devil's Rock offers a startling view of Lake Temiskaming from the 150-metre 2.2-million-year-old fault cliff. It's a place that inspires photographers, painters and storytellers. Access to Devil's Rock is by trail and we recommend the shorter walk that's about 30 minutes (it's one way) and about 2 km long. Parking is available on Highway 567. Be careful and be aware when walking near the edge, we recommend you enjoy the view from a few metres back.
You don't need to climb what seems like 7,000 stairs to reach the top of this lookout. Take Fire Tower Road in Elliot Lake on the Deer Trail Touring Route to the Fire Tower Lookout. This was the place of the original ranger tower and cabin built in the 1950s. Park and walk up the few steps (not 7,000) to the observation deck and enjoy a 180-degree view of the breathtaking wilderness and the city. On clear days you can see as far as Manitoulin Island in the North Channel. Nearby, visit the Cupola, a recreation that would have sat atop the original 100-foot tower.
In 1992, the Loon Dollar Monument was constructed in the town of Echo Bay on the Grand Algoma Tour in celebration of artist Mr. Robert R. Carmichael of Echo Bay and creator of the one-dollar coin's loon design. The loonie was introduced to Canada in 1987 to replace paper one-dollar bills. The design on the one-dollar coin was a loon, which Canadians associate with wilderness.
Cool Facts: The Loon Dollar Monument was featured in A&W's video promoting their organic fair-trade coffee in 2021, a loonie was buried in centre ice during the 2002 Olympic Winter Gamers in Salt Lake City bringing with it good luck to both the men's and women's hockey teams.
Literally, a sight to see unto itself. The largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior (Gichigami) is steeped in history and culture, is an active shipping route and commercial fishing lake and is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Due to its sheer size, it’s considered an inland sea bordering Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Lake Superior is the subject of legends, stories, and songs; one of the most famous is Gordon Lightfoot’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”. When travelling by motorcycle, follow signs for the Lake Superior Circle Tour and take in other leg stretch stops Chippewa Falls, Alona Bay, Agawa Bay, Old Woman’s Bay, and Sandy Beach.
No list is complete without the Wawa Goose. This majestic goose statue looks towards Lake Superior from its perch on Highway 101 in Wawa. The Wawa Goose Monument was built in 1963 to bring tourists into town with the opening of the TransCanada Highway. Riders like this stop as it offers awesome views of the valley below and the visitor centre makes a great leg stretch stop. The statue is impressive standing almost 30 feet high and the wingspan is 20 feet wide! Other great stops should be Young's General Store, Scenic High Falls or one of the local restaurants. Learn more fun facts about the Wawa Goose here.
Touring TransCanada Highway 17 along the Northshore of Lake Superior, the Nipigon Bridgeview Lookout offers a magnificent 360-degree view of the river. The site has ample parking, picnic tables and benches. After you’ve enjoyed the view, visit the Copperbird Monument, dedicated to First Nations artist Norval Morrisseau, founder of the Woodlands-style art in Canada. There is a Group of Seven interpretive easel highlighting local landscapes that inspired members of the Group of Seven like artist Frank Johnston.
Viewing the Sleeping Giant is a must-do when on a motorcycle tour in Thunder Bay, in Superior Country. An Ojibwe story of the Sleeping Giant, Nanabijou, says the giant was turned to stone when a secret silver mine's location was told to Europeans. The natural rock formation is a provincial park and the giant can be seen at various lookout points in and around Thunder Bay. For riders, we recommend the Mount MacKay Scenic Lookout (Anemki Wajiw), sitting 1,000 feet above the city. At the 500-foot level, you'll get a spectacular view of the city, Lake Superior, and the Sleeping Giant.
The ride to Kakabeka Falls is about 30 minutes from Thunder Bay so it makes a nice side trip if you're on the Ride Lake Superior route. Kakabeka Falls is Ontario's second largest waterfall plunging 131 feet over sheer cliffs. It's magnificent and worth the ride to the provincial park. There's ample parking and restrooms. The Boardwalk Trail which leads to the viewing platforms is short and easy to walk along.
The Heart of Canada route in Ontario's Sunset Country is a 1,500-km route over 2 provinces: Ontario and Manitoba. Whether you start in Winnipeg or Thunder Bay, your motorcycle ride will intersect at Kenora, on the shores of Lake of Woods. From this lakeside city, take Highway 11 to the Manitou Mounds (Kah-nee-chi-wah-nung) National Historic Site about a 2-hour ride through beautiful wilderness. Owned and operated by Rainy River First Nations the centre has interpretive tours, galleries and collections with over 16,000 artifacts. This is a sacred place. It acknowledges generations of cultures and First Nations peoples who have lived by and travelled the Spirit River (Manidoo Ziibi) or Rainy River. Take your time at this site for a guided tour, visit the aquarium, and enjoy a lunch of traditional and modern ingredients like Bannock, wild rice and walleye.
Also on this route: Northern Ontario Sport Fishing Centre
