Discover the Best Places to Paddle on Lake Superior

It’s in the name. Lake Superior. The greatest of the Great Lakes is a paddling destination unlike any other. Superior is the world’s largest lake by area, containing 10 percent of the planet’s surface freshwater. Its Canadian coastline, sprawling some 750 kilometres across Northern Ontario, is also one of the least developed freshwater coasts you’ll find anywhere on Earth. Even better, the Lake Superior region’s experienced outfitters and established paddling routes make it simple for kayakers and canoeists to plan the trip of a lifetime.

We highly recommend booking a guided trip to enjoy these routes safely. Lake Superior remains cold all summer, and wind and waves can develop quickly, making travel impossible. Guided trips are also a great way to make a meaningful connection with the area by learning more about Lake Superior’s fascinating natural and cultural history.

Should You Use Kayak or Canoe on Lake Superior?

Lake Superior is an established sea kayaking destination. The reasons sea kayaks are preferred for coastal ocean treks are the same reasons they are the preferred vessel of those venturing out on Lake Superior, which is considered to be an inland sea.

Why might you choose a sea kayak over a canoe for paddling on Lake Superior? First and foremost is speed: long and slender sea kayaks propelled by double bladed paddles will cover much greater distances per day than a typical canoe. They are also generally more seaworthy. The low centre of gravity provided by the low-slung seat of a kayak provides stability in rough weather and a sprayskirt stretched tautly around the cockpit allows waves to simply flow overtop. They are also ingeniously designed with watertight compartments to stow all the gear needed for extended trips.

However, many of the advantages of the kayak can also be seen as liabilities. To do a multiday trip in a kayak, you must be calculated about how much gear you bring and packing said gear into your kayak is an intricate task. A canoe, on the other hand, allows for much more gear and less thoughtfulness in how you pack it. In a canoe, you also have more choices of paddling position than the single seated option of a sea kayak. The default is generally sitting on the canoe seat, but you can also paddle from a kneeling position for increased stability and you can even stand if you're careful.

Although sea kayaks are much faster and more seaworthy, if Lake Superior decides to erupt into rough seas, the only intelligent choice is to get off the lake, no matter what we are paddling. Therefore, deciding whether to kayak or canoe on Lake Superior is more of a personal preference for the advantages and disadvantages kayaks and canoes offer in any other setting.

Best Places to Kayak & Canoe on Lake Superior

Lake Superior Provincial Park

This easily accessible provincial park offers a spectacular microcosm of Lake Superior’s grandeur, with white-sand beaches, emerald waters, mossy forests, and ancient Indigenous pictographs rewarding adventurous paddlers. Lake Superior Provincial Park offers some of the most varied shoreline geology you’ll find anywhere, ranging from fine-sand beaches to technicolor cobbles and dramatic, pink granite cliffs.

Kayakers and experienced open-water canoeists can enjoy short tours from numerous access points along Trans-Canada Highway, or embark on a multiday trip exploring the Park’s 105-kilometre coastline end-to-end.

Plan your trip

• Book a Guided Sea Kayak Trip with Naturally Superior Adventures; their all-inclusive Spirit of Superior Weekly Escape offers five days of wilderness camping and paddling.
• Reserve a campsite at Lake Superior Provincial Park’s Agawa Bay or Rabbit Blanket Lake campgrounds. Both camping areas accommodate vehicles, tents and RVs, with beachfront sites available.
• Don’t miss taking a hike on one of the Park’s 11 trails, ranging from easy one-hour wetland rambles to demanding all-day tours that visit cascading falls and breathtaking lookouts.
• Read our Guide to Visiting Lake Superior Provincial Park to find out everything that's on offer.

Rossport Islands

This scenic archipelago of islands lies just offshore from the quaint community of Rossport and offers kayakers and canoeists a friendly glimpse of Lake Superior’s north shore. Novices can enjoy a day trip among the sheltered passages of the inner islands, while more experienced paddlers can venture on overnight trips to the outer islands. Highlights include nearly guaranteed bald eagle sightings, peaceful backcountry campsites, and the historic lighthouse at Battle Island.

Plan your trip

• Book a guided sea kayak trip with Such A Nice Day (SAND); they offer beginner-friendly half-day tours and day trips among the islands.
• Don’t miss a visit to Nicol Island to browse the Superior-inspired, handmade stoneware at Island Pottery.

Pukaskwa National Park

Stunning scenery and sheer isolation put the wilderness coastline of Pukaskwa National Park at the top of many sea kayakers’ bucket lists. The Park’s pristine 90-kilometre coastline offers experienced paddlers an unforgettable string of sublime campsites on sand and cobble beaches overlooking aquamarine waters. Add in cascading rivers with paddle-to waterfalls and the potential to see wildlife such as moose, black bears and bald eagles, and it’s little wonder this is Superior’s premier sea kayaking destination.

Many paddlers choose to combine this route with the adjoining Superior Highlands Conservation Reserve to make a 190-kilometre, 10- to 14-day sea kayak expedition. Boat transfers are also available to the remote south end of Pukaskwa National Park for paddlers with less time.

Plan your trip

• Book a guided sea kayak trip with Naturally Superior Adventures; their all-inclusive Pukaskwa Wilderness Coast offers 10 days of wilderness camping and paddling.
• Reserve an overnight stay at Pic River Guest Suite, a cheerful self-catering suite on the edge of Pukaskwa National Park in the First Nation community of Pic River.
• Rent canoes & SUPs at Hattie Cove Visitor Centre in Pukaskwa National Park, perfect for an easy half-day exploration of the cove and adjacent Pulpwood Harbour.
• Book a glamping stay in a Parks Canada oTENTik tent cabin at Hattie Cove.
• Read our Guide to Paddling the Pukaskwa National Park Coast for help with planning.

Slate Islands

The Slate Islands archipelago offers paddlers a sheltered oasis in the heart of the mighty lake. Lying more than 10 kilometrest offshore from the town of Terrace Bay, this compact cluster of islands is renowned for its bizarre geology, superb lake trout fishing (in June and July) and one of the most southerly populations of woodland caribou found anywhere.

Thought to have formed some 450 million years ago from a massive meteorite impact, the islands’ circular arrangement creates a protected inner harbour with peaceful backcountry camping. When the lake is calm, adventurous paddlers can venture around the exposed south coast of Patterson Island to view fascinating rock formations, remote beaches and a spectacularly situated lighthouse.

Plan your trip

• Book a guided sea kayak trip with Such A Nice Day (SAND); their adventurous five-day tour includes a paddle crossing to and from the islands. Novice kayakers can opt for Naturally Superior Adventures’ five-day Slate Islands trip, which includes boat shuttles.
• Charter a boat shuttle to the Slate Islands with North Shore Adventures, out of Marathon.
• Reserve an overnight stay and settle into a pre- or post-trip meal at Drifters Motel & Restaurant in Terrace Bay. For the ultimate treat, book the Jacuzzi Lighthouse suite.
• Don’t miss viewing the spectacular Aguasabon Falls & Gorge and taking a stroll along the Casque Isles Trail in Terrace Bay.
• Read our Guide to Exploring the Slate Islands to help with planning.

Denison Falls

Few Lake Superior paddling routes can rival the journey to Denison Falls for beauty, solitude and accessibility. This four- to five-day trip includes a mixture of stunning sand beaches and rocky headlands along a wonderful wilderness coastline, with many landing options making it suitable for open canoeists and novice kayakers alike. The highlight of the trip is standing in a cloud of mist emanating from jaw-dropping Denison Falls, a 100-foot cataract hidden at the end of a two-hour hike inland.

Plan your trip

• Book a guided sea kayak trip with Naturally Superior Adventures; their all-inclusive Sea Kayak Denison Falls offers five days of wilderness camping and paddling.
• Rentals and trip planning assistance are available from Naturally Superior Adventures.

Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area

The world’s largest freshwater marine park stretches for 125 kilometres between Lake Superior’s iconic Sleeping Giant and the sleepy village of Rossport, containing hundreds of wilderness islands and a lifetime of exploration for intrepid paddlers. This island-to-island route offers challenging open water crossings and a varied coastline of craggy cliffs and inviting cobble beaches. Highlights include visits to historic lighthouses, remote agate beaches and a smattering of rustic saunas tucked in the boreal forest, a testament to the Finnish heritage of this region.

Plan your trip

• Book a guided sea kayak trip: Naturally Superior Adventures offers an all-inclusive nine-day trip, or choose an eight-day trip from Silve Islet to Rossport  with Such A Nice Day.
• Don’t miss the guided tour of Porphyry Island Lighthouse, and cap it off with a steamy lakeside sauna and bracing dip. Staying in the restored lighthouse keeper’s residence is a great way to start or finish your paddling trip.
• Read our Guide to Paddling the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area for more trip planning help.

Michipicoten Bay

Many first-time Lake Superior paddlers have dipped their toes in the waters at the mouth of the Michipicoten River, home to the region’s premier paddling centre, Naturally Superior Adventures. When the lake is calm, novice paddlers can enjoy a rewarding day trip to beautiful Driftwood and Sandy beaches, or venture up the Michipicoten River to view thundering waterfalls when Superior is too rough to paddle.

Plan your trip

• Book a guided day tour with Naturally Superior Adventures; canoe and kayak tours include basic instruction and packed lunch.
• Rent kayaks, canoes and SUPs from Naturally Superior Adventures; lessons are also available.
• Reserve an overnight stay at Rock Island Lodge; choose from cozy lakeside rooms, beachfront glamping in a unique geodesic dome, or peaceful beach camping.

Jackfish Ghost Town

Use a kayak or canoe to visit the ghost town of Jackfish, located on the shores of Lake Superior east of Terrace Bay and west of Marathon. Paddling the coast north of Jackfish will bring you to many historic spots associated with the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in this area. 

Jackfish was the focal point for construction of the Lake Superior section of the CPR, even before the rails arrived. Beginning in the early 1880s, ships brought rail supplies into Jackfish. The village thrived as a stopover town until the late 1940s. By the early 1950s, there was no need for the new diesel-powered trains to stop for coal and soon after, even the passenger stops ended. By 1964, all permanent residents had left. Now, the village is overgrown with just remnants its history remaining.    

One of the sites you can visit is the Jackfish railway tunnel. Imagine the amount of work alone that went into creating this tunnel, with the technology of the time.

As a bonus you will want to walk a short distance westwards to Noslo, a little less than one kilometre from the Jackfish Bay tunnel, to view a plaque commemorating the historic completion of the Montreal to Winnipeg line of the CPR. (Noslo is Olson, a railway manager, spelled backwards. Many of the sidings and whistle stops are names spelled backwards; one near North Bay is Yellek, for one of the foremen named Kelley.) This section of the Montreal-to-Winnipeg line was driven at mile 102.7 in May of 1885. 

Plan your trip

• To explore the area with a guide, go on Naturally Superior Adventure's weeklong Jackfish to Pukaskwa sea kayak trip.

 

Best Places to Paddleboard on Lake Superior

Although its north shore is dominated by the rugged Canadian Shield, Lake Superior is sprinkled with beautiful sand beaches that are perfect for standup paddleboarding. 

Sandy Beach

Sandy Beach is located in the city limits of Thunder Bay, but is actually closer to Fort William First Nation. It’s the kind of hidden gem that only locals frequent. The beach is part of Chippewa Park, which has a campground, cabin rentals, a café in a huge log chalet, and amusement rides (including one of Canada’s oldest carousels). But the beach alone is worthy of the commute from town because of its shallow, warm water and view of the Sleeping Giant—an iconic landform that resembles a giant resting on his back. 

Launching from Sandy Beach, you can paddle north and explore the shoreline around Chippewa Park—where else can you pull your board onshore for some french fries and a game of bumper cars? Pick up your SUP rental at NatriBros Surf & SUP, Wilderness Supply or Chaltrek, and start exploring.

Silver Harbour

Situated east of Thunder Bay in Shuniah Township, Silver Harbour Conservation Area has a small beach nestled among the cliffs that are synonymous with the North Shore. As its name suggests, Silver Harbour was one of many sites in the area that were explored for silver mining during the 1800s, and you don’t have to venture far from this conservation area’s parking lot to see evidence of this activity. Just offshore is Mary Island, which makes for a nice paddle as the island offers shelter from larger waves in the bay. Silver Harbour also offers a lovely view of the Sleeping Giant—if you spend a few days in Thunder Bay, you’ll see a lot of him (one of the seven wonders of Canada).

Rossport

This tiny village is easily missed when speeding along the Trans-Canada Highway, but paddling opportunities in the sheltered Rossport archipelago are some of the finest in the Great Lakes. The best place to launch your board is the beach on the eastern end of the village (follow the signs). The beach has a large sandbar and pleasantly warm water, and is an access point for the Trans Canada Water Trail. Experienced SUP-campers can plan an overnight or even multiday tour exploring the myriad islands with their cobble beaches, backcountry campsites and historic lighthouse. For a shorter scenic introductory paddle, tour around Nicol Island and enjoy relatively sheltered waters. 

Neys Provincial Park

Because it is only a short drive from the Trans Canada Highway, Neys Provincial Park attracts a lot of road-trippers. With an amazing, two-kilometre-long sandy beach bookended by the Little Pic River and billion-year-old volcanic rocks, the Park campground is also very popular with residents of the North Shore. Depending on the wind and waves, the beach offers impressive surf or gentle rollers. On a calmer day, explore the breathtaking Lake Superior shoreline; when the waves are crashing, venture up the meandering Little Pic River—or, if you are looking for surf, head to the mouth of the river. After your paddle, join the families and other beachgoers building impressive forts and sculptures from Neys’ wealth of driftwood. Read our Guide to Visiting Neys Provincial Park for help planning your trip.

Michipicoten Bay

Michipicoten Bay is located southwest of Wawa. The best municipal beach is Sandy Beach, which has a boardwalk to protect dune vegetation, an interpretive pavillion and, as the name suggests, oodles of golden sand. If you are looking for more varied shoreline, follow the signs to Naturally Superior Adventures and Rock Island Lodge. They have a beautiful little beach at the mouth of the Michipicoten River that offers calm river paddling to a scenic waterfall, surfing at the mouth of the river, and touring alongside the terraced pebbles of three-kilometre-long Driftwood Beach. The outfitter also offers SUP lessons, tours and rentals, plus B&B-style accommodations and camping. 

The Lake Superior Water Trail

Want to experience all the destinations listed above and more? String it all together by paddling a portion of the Lake Superior Water Trail. Spanning two countries, one province, three states, and the traditional lands of many Indigenous communities, the Lake Superior Water Trail’s shore length is an awe-inspiring 2,783 kilometres. The most scenic and wild section of the Lake Superior Water Trail is the North Shore segment, running between Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay in Ontario. 

Boat lockers are located at select access points along the trail. This innovation by the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy allows paddlers to head into town to buy provisions or for accommodations and not worry about the watercraft, paddles and gear left behind. Kayak lockers are available at five locations along the trail, including Gros Cap Marina Park, Terrace Bay Waterfront, Nipigon Boat Launch, Red Rock Boat Launch and Lorne Allard Fisherman's Park in Thunder Bay. The lockers require you to bring along your own two padlocks for the doors on either end.

Sixteen access points along the North Shore offer an endless number of out-and-back day trips or point-to-point explorations. The best source of access point information is on the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy website since they worked with the communities, lighthouses, Ontario Parks, Parks Canada and First Nation community to make the trail a reality, finishing this section of The Great Trail. Check out The Great Trail’s interactive map; by navigating to Lake Superior, you can link to various areas of the trail.

Kiosks at each access point display safety information, photos and maps. They also provide info to connect the Lake Superior Water Trail to local hiking trails, parks, B&Bs, food services, local cultural attractions, and other services in nearby communities and businesses.

Guided Trips on Lake Superior

Among the outfitters mentioned in the sections above, Canoes for Conservation and Horizon Adventures also offer guided experiences along the North Shore.

Discover world-class paddling on Lake Superior

You don’t need to travel to the ocean to find outstanding sea kayaking and canoeing. Lake Superior is truly an inland sea with endless vistas of sparkling waters, remote wilderness coastlines, and diverse route possibilities to challenge paddlers of all abilities. Whether you are seeking to escape for a day, a week or even longer, Lake Superior’s friendly paddling experts can help you plan the perfect trip.

Showing 'Edited Body' is no longer supported.