It’s time to discover a hidden gem in Northeastern Ontario! The township of Sables-Spanish Rivers is just to the north of the gorgeous and popular Manitoulin Island and Georgian Bay area. Home to the small and friendly communities of Walford, Massey and Webbwood, Sables-Spanish Rivers is on the Trans-Canada Highway and is ideal for a road trip (under five hours drive northwest of Toronto, about an hour southeast of Sudbury and about six hours northwest of Ottawa). While the township itself just dates back to 1998 when Massey and Webbwood amalgamated with the township of Spanish River, it has a much longer history that includes thousands of years as a transportation corridor by Indigenous peoples and later European fur traders, explorers, missionaries, and loggers. It was named for the Spanish and Aux Sables rivers, so you can expect plenty of boreal beauty, ancient rocks and mesmerizing waterways. And did you know that it is considered by some to be the birthplace of broomball? Read on to discover some of the highlights.
Sables-Spanish Rivers is tucked into the foothills of the La Cloche Mountains, a quartzite range that is about 1.8 billion years old. The area is dotted with small freshwater lakes, and hosts an annual fishing tournament.
For anglers interested in catching walleye, northern pike, lake trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. It’s also part of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, with a suggested 32-km cycling trip from Massey to Espanola.
Mouth Park has a natural sand beach and is a great place to stop for a picnic or do a little shoreline fishing. Found at the end of Carl Albert Street in Massey, it’s called the Mouth because it is where the Sables River empties into the Spanish River. Experienced hikers can discover the Kitchitwaa Shkwaandem trail (also known as Heaven’s Gate), a rugged, challenging 48-km trail that winds through the La Cloche mountains and a landscape that captivated the Group of Seven.
Or, you can head to Chutes Provincial Park, which has a quiet campground on the Aux Sables River and a sandy beach in a bend of the river below the falls. A popular hiking trail is the 6 km Twin Bridges, a return trail with lovely lookouts over a waterfall and the Seven Sisters cataracts, as well as interpretative panels at the falls lookout that describe the history of the area. As you walk along the river you can expect to see a variety of bird life, including sapsuckers, thrushes, chickadees, kinglets, hairy woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, flycatchers, warblers and vireos. While there isn’t camping or other visitor facilities during the winter, you can walk into the park for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or a winter hike—the frozen waterfalls and cataracts are stunning! La Cloche Provincial Park is also nearby. Classified as a “non-operating park” (which means it doesn’t have visitor facilities), it is a perfect spot for a day trip in a canoe, complete with scenic rock cliffs and sand beaches, with La Cloche Ridge as a backdrop.
Powersport enthusiasts can take advantage of the area’s many OFSC snowmobiling trails (located in District 12) and frozen lakes perfect for ice fishing. Adventurers will find views of ice caves, sculptural frozen waterfalls, and plenty of lake trout, walleye, bass, and pike. Learn more about the snowmobiling opportunities in the region at Ride the North.
Cutler Lake Lodge is 15 km from Massey and dates back to 1905, making it one of the oldest fishing resorts in Ontario. It’s found between Maple Lake and Cutler Lake, and boasts waterfront on both, making for excellent bass, walleye and pike fishing. Choose from seven cottages (one and two-bedroom) operating from May through September, and you can also rent watercraft like a motor boat, pontoon boat, kayak, canoe, and SUP on site. For an eco-friendly, family-run option, look to the Mohawk Motel found on Sable Street in Massey. Rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, a mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker and flat-screen TV. The Massey Motel is a recently renovated, family-owned motel with 16 rooms. It’s a great home base for exploring and then kicking back to relax and is conveniently located on the Trans-Canada Highway.
The Little Brew Café in Massey is an attractive and laidback spot for breakfast and lunch, with a selection of bakery items, freshly baked breads, soups, fruit and savoury pies, specialty drinks and teas. Brii-Co Miijim at nearby Serpent River First Nation on Hwy 17 is another popular casual eatery, specializing in fish and chips (walleye) as well as burgers. In Walford, Lucky’s Homestyle Restaurant also features fish and chips, plus hot sandwiches, liver and onions, burgers, milkshakes and appetizers like deep-fried pickles.
There are a couple of retail options too. Tom Stewart & Wife General Store on Main Street in Webbwood carries a little bit of everything (fireworks, liquor, live bait, cured meats…) for an authentic village experience, or head a little further east to the Northwest Trading Company at the junction to Hwy 6. Open every day of the year from 9 am to 9 pm, this gift shop is packed with items like souvenirs, jewelry, Indigenous-made beaded pieces and hand-painted drums, kitchenware, cowboy boots, hoodies and T-shirts and décor items, and also sells fudge and ice cream.
Seasonal events include the Massey Fair in August, a classic agricultural fair that’s been operating since 1907 and includes livestock shows, a parade, family fun and live music (and if you’re lucky, a mullet contest), a spring fair with plenty of local vendors at the same site, and a spooky haunted trail event in October. Watch the social media page of the Annual Friendly Massey Marathon for updated information on this race weekend which welcomes runners in a variety of events along the Spanish River, and is even OTFA and TAC certified so you could use it to qualify for marquee events like the Boston Marathon!
Easily accessible on the highway but somehow still off the beaten track, the Sables-Spanish Rivers area in Northeastern Ontario is an excellent destination for those who love outdoor adventure, natural beauty and small-town charm. Start planning your getaway today.
