Ultimate Guide to Canoe Tripping in Temagami

Discovering the wilderness of Temagami inspired my passion for wilderness canoeing. At first, the sheer number of paddling options was overwhelming: the country seems purpose-built for canoe tripping, with countless lakes, rivers and creeks linked together by ancient portages. Soon feelings of intimidation morphed into an addiction.

Temagami is close enough to be easy to access (a reasonable five-hour drive from Ottawa or the Greater Toronto Area), yet far enough away to escape the crowds of near-north canoe destinations like Killarney and Algonquin provincial parks. There’s a certain magic that comes with paddling here: dipping your paddle, walking the portages and making camp places you in a historical continuum, creating intimate bonds over space and time in a wild landscape where people have been journeying by canoe for thousands of years.

If you're looking to go canoeing in Temagami, this guide will tell you everything you need to know. There are a variety of trip options for beginner to experienced paddlers and plenty of options to keep you coming back.

Temagami Canoe Rentals

Temagami Outfitting Company

Temagami Outfitting Company offers lightweight canoe rentals, vehicle shuttles, complete outfitting and trip planning services, as well as all-inclusive guided trips for all levels of paddlers.

Smoothwater Outfitters & Lodge

Smoothwater Outfitters & Lodge is one of Temagami’s original canoe outfitters based just north of the town of Temagami on Highway 11. Besides a variety of lodging options and great meals—a luxurious way to start and end your wilderness canoe trip—Smoothwater offers rentals, vehicle shuttles and complete canoe trip outfitting with top-notch gear.

Temagami Outpost Inc.

Temagami Outpost Inc. offers partial and full outfitting, guided trips, and cabin rentals at their location on Lake Maskinonge in Chiniguchi Waterway Provincial Park. They can also help you with trip planning, connecting you with fly-in options and route recommendations. Want to improve your skills before heading out? Ask them about their canoe trip workshops.

Guided Canoe Trips in Temagami

Temagami Outfitting Company

Temagami Outfitting Company offers scheduled and custom guided trips to a variety of destinations, for all ages and levels of outdoor enthusiasts.

Temagami Outpost Inc.

Temagami Outpost Inc. offers custom guided trips with a guide who has a world-class designation of Wilderness First Aid Responder.

Cabin Falls Ecolodge

Cabin Falls Ecolodge, owned and operated by Hap and Andrea Wilson, offers authentic wilderness experiences deep within Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. It is only accessible by floatplane and/or canoe.

Temagami Road Access Points for Canoeing

Central Lake Temagami Access Road

This 18-kilometre-long gravel road serves as the main access for residents of Bear Island First Nation and Lake Temagami cottagers, so expect plenty of traffic. Turn west off of Highway 11, just south of the town of Temagami. There are two large public launches and a private marina. Free parking is available.

Iceland Lake

A pull-off on the south side of the Central Lake Temagami Access Road, about five kilometres from Highway 11, provides free parking for canoeists setting off on Iceland Lake.

Temagami, Highway 11

There are multiple options for launching a canoe in the town of Temagami, and paddling east (Snake Island Lake) or west (Lake Temagami). Arrange parking with Temagami Outfitting Company or Lakeland Airways.

Finlayson Point Provincial Park

Finlayson Point Provincial Park offers drive-in campsites, a comfort station with showers and a quiet launch site on Lake Temagami, located off of Highway 11 only a few kilometres south of the town of Temagami.

Red Squirrel Road

Turn west off of Highway 11 about 10 kilometres north of Temagami. This gravel road runs 29 kilometres to Red Squirrel Lake (free parking is available) and 35 kilometres to Camp Wanapitei at Sandy Inlet. Driving conditions vary, beware of logging trucks.

Anima Nipissing Lake

A good, 10-kilometre-long gravel road leads west from Highway 11 just south of the village of Latchford. There is plenty of free parking and a public launch.

Canoe Trip Reservations in Temagami

Six Ontario Parks in the Temagami area require permits for overnight camping for all visitors:

• Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park
• Obabika River Provincial Park
• Solace Provincial Park
• Makobe-Grays River Provincial Park
• Sturgeon River Provincial Park
• Finlayson Point Provincial Park

Study your route carefully to determine where permits are required (camping is free for Canadian residents on Crown land and conservation reserves) or work with a local outfitter. Permits are available from local outfitters, at the Finlayson Point Provincial Park gatehouse, at the Marten River Provincial Park gatehouse, or through Ontario Parks’ online reservation system. 

Note: Non-residents must purchase camping permits from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for overnight trips on Crown land and conservation reserves.

Temagami Canoe Route Maps

• Canadian topographical maps are available from Temagami Outfitting Company, Smoothwater Outfitters and from the Ontario Parks gift store at Finlayson Point Provincial Park. The same locations also distribute canoe tripping specific maps for the entire Temagami region from Chrismar Maps.
• Hap Wilson’s Temagami: A Wilderness Paradise is a trip planning staple.
• Check out Friends of Temagami for outstanding local knowledge. The organization has produced an overview map and a detailed map highlighting the classic Diamond, Wakimika and Obabika lakes loop.
• Maps by Jeff sells five maps covering the Temagami area in great detail and with many helpful features for trip planning.

Best Temagami Canoe Routes

There are countless Temagami canoe route options for all levels of paddlers. Many routes blend into one another, making it possible to create longer trips with more variation in terrain. Ottertooth is a great online resource for DIY trip planning or consult a local outfitter like Smoothwater Outfitters or the Temagami Outfitting Company.

Obabika Loop

Best for: Novice to intermediate paddlers
Length: 100 km
Access point: Central Lake Temagami Access Road, Lake Temagami

The 100-kilometre canoe route including Lake Temagami, Diamond, Wakimika and Obabika lakes is a classic, providing novice to intermediate canoe trippers with an excellent introduction to the region. There are four portages, all under 900 metres.

Plan to spend a full day exploring the Wakimika Triangle at the north end of Obabika Lake. Today, this stand of 380-year-old red and white pines is protected within the Park, but in 1989—threatened by logging—this peaceful grove was the site of the province’s largest act of civil disobedience. From the trailhead, hike through giant trees and portage into Chee-skon Lake to experience an Indigenous spiritual site. More pictographs and important cultural sites await on Obabika Lake, where you’ll finish your loop with a portage back into Lake Temagami. 

Beginners should plan on at least five days to complete the circuit starting and ending at the Central Lake Temagami Access Road. A week will give you more time to enjoy. Wind delays are possible since most paddling is on larger, exposed lakes. Because of the popularity of this route, plan to visit early or late in the season (June, September or October) if you’re looking for solitude.

You can also begin and end this route at Sandy Inlet, at the north end of Lake Temagami. If you have time at the start or end of your trip, hike to the lookouts atop Devil Mountain and Ferguson Mountain.

Ontario Parks camping permits are required for Diamond, Wakimika and parts of Obabika lakes.

Obabika-Wawiagama Loop

Best for:  Novice to intermediate paddlers
Length: 70 km
Access point: Highway 805, kilometre 58

A superb early summer trip, this four- to five-day loop combines the open waters and sacred sites of Obabika Lake with outstanding wildlife viewing in the intimate meanders of the Obabika River. Go in June for optimal water levels and the best chances of spotting moose. Later in the summer, the current slows and you’ll find yourself lifting over deadfalls and logjams. Few portages make this a great trip for experienced novices.

Access to Obabika and Wawiagama lakes is from Highway 805 (partly paved but mostly good gravel), north of the village of River Valley. There’s free parking and portages into both lakes from the road gate at kilometre 58. Make the one-kilometre carry into Obabika Lake, then paddle north towards the top of the lake. Be sure to spend some time exploring the Wakimika Triangle Old-Growth Trails before heading across the lake to the start of the Obabika River. Ojibway elder Alex Mathias has a cabin here on his ancestral family land; call in advance (705-498-2818) to ask about a guided tour of the trails.

As you enter the Obabika River, you’ll notice the clarity of the water and the vibrance of the maiden-hair weed dancing on the bottom. There’s a lone rapid to portage, followed by several oxbow lakes where moose are often seen feeding. Keep a close watch for the mouth of the Wawiagama River, where you’ll paddle upstream to Wawiagama Lake. At the lake’s east end, a short portage leads back to your vehicle.

For a longer trip, combine an exploration of the Obabika River with the Diamond-Wakimika-Obabika route described above. Ontario Parks camping permits are required for parts of Obabika Lake and the Obabika River.

Cassels Lake Loop

Best for: Novice paddlers
Length: 30 km
Access point: Temagami Outfitting Company, Snake Island Lake

This 30-kilometre weekend canoe route is accessed from the town of Temagami, making for easy logistics—yet it’s often overlooked by canoe trippers. Leave your vehicle at the Temagami Outfitting Company and portage 675 metres to Snake Island Lake.

Head east from there, into Cassells Lake and south to Rabbit Lake before making two short portages to Sunrise Lake. Another couple of carries completes the loop back to Cassels. Be sure to make a side trip to Blueberry Lake for its pristine campsites and old-growth hiking trails. Camping permits are not required for Canadian residents.

Iceland, Driftwood and Wasaksina Lakes

Best for: Novice paddlers
Length: Varied, options for weekend or weeklong
Access point: Central Lake Temagami Access Road, Iceland Lake

This is a great choice for an introduction to portaging and wilderness canoe tripping, with many options for weekend to weeklong routes. Access Iceland Lake from the Central Lake Temagami Access Road. There’s good parking at the five-kilometre mark.

From there you’ll trace intimate, pine-cloaked channels and two short portages to arrive at the island-pocked waters of Wasaksina Lake—a great place to set up base camp.

For more ambitious and experienced paddlers it’s possible to portage from Wasaksina to Cross Lake or make a series of portages through smaller, secluded bodies of water to reach Lake Temagami’s Shiningwood Arm. Temagami Outfitting Company can assist with vehicle shuttles for one-way trips.

Lake Temagami to Anima Nipissing Loop

Best for: Experienced paddlers
Length: Varied
Access point: Varied

Anima Nipissing Lake sees a fraction of the canoe traffic of Lake Temagami and that’s a shame because its deep, clear waters serve as a hub for a wide range of canoe routes. You can launch at Anima Nipissing Lake (a gravel access road that leaves Highway 11 just south of Latchford); Red Squirrel Road (another gravel road accessed from Highway 11); or the Central Lake Temagami Access Road.

A challenging portage route heads west from Anima Nipissing through Harris and Shallow lakes, arriving at the scenic wilderness waters of Eagle and Turner lakes (the latter is a possible fly-in destination). Head south from there, following smaller bodies of water and several portages to Aston Lake and the North Arm of Lake Temagami.

Check out Smoothwater Outfitters for complete trip outfitting, including shuttles and accommodations before and after your trip.

Obabika-Nasmith Loop

Best for: Experienced paddlers
Length: Varied, approximately 100 km
Access point: Central Lake Temagami Access Road, Lake Temagami

The best way to find solitude in the Temagami wilderness is to explore smaller, more intimate waterways like the Obabika River and Nasmith Creek. Starting at the Central Lake Temagami Access Road, head west to Obabika Inlet portage to Obabika Lake. Access the winding Obabika River near the lake’s north end. Heading downstream, watch carefully for the portage route through old-growth pine forests to Lahay Lake and Nasmith Creek.

You’ll journey upstream on the smooth-flowing Nasmith, navigating obstacles like beaver dams and portaging around a scenic cascade. After a day or two on the Nasmith, portage east, making a series of rugged carries to Wakimika Lake. From there you have the option of returning to Lake Temagami via Obabika, Diamond or Bob lakes. The latter offers more portaging challenges and great solitude, linking to Lake Temagami’s Sharp Rock Inlet.

Backcountry permits from Ontario Parks are required for a portion of this weeklong route.

Maple Mountain Loop

Best for: Novice to intermediate paddlers
Length: 90 km
Access point: Mowat Landing

Starting from Mowat Landing, the novice-friendly, six- to seven-day canoe trip to Maple Mountain is a popular loop combining a crossing of Lady Evelyn Lake with an appealing medley of smaller lakes, creeks and river travel, as well as a spectacular day hike to one of Ontario’s highest summits. From the western end of Lady Evelyn Lake, you’ll enter the more sheltered waters of Sucker Gut Lake and navigate several narrows to Hobart and Tupper lakes.

Find the trailhead on Tupper Lake and don’t forget to pack a lunch and plenty of water for the climb to Temagami’s best view. The return trip to Mowat Landing heads north through Anvil Lake and follows a chain of pine-clad, postcard perfect lakes to Mendelssohn Lake and the Montreal River.

If you’re short on time (or have less appetite for portaging), the out-and-back route from Mowat Landing to Maple Mountain through Lady Evelyn Lake takes most paddlers five days. It’s also possible to start your Maple Mountain canoe trip with a floatplane flight to Hobart Lake with Lakeland Airways.

For a classic and challenging route requiring a week to 10 days, combine Maple Mountain with a loop on the North and South Branches of the Lady Evelyn River (see below). Ontario Parks camping permits are required for parts of Lady Evelyn Lake and Sucker Gut Lake through Anvil Lake.

Lady Evelyn River Circuit (The Trout Streams)

Best for: Experienced paddlers
Length: 100 km
Access point: Mowat Landing

The crown jewel of the park, the Lady Evelyn River is renowned for its waterfalls—and the precarious portages that go along with them. Once known as Men-jamma-ga-sibi—or the Trout Streams—the Lady Evelyn has long formed an important link for canoeists. Its twin branches, combined with its pool-and-drop geology, make it possible to travel upstream on one branch of the river and downstream on the other, for a spectacular seven- to 10-day loop trip. The river is navigable all summer long, but go in spring if you are looking for whitewater.

Plenty of steep, slippery and treacherous portages make this a route for more experienced canoe trippers. Launch from Mowat Landing and head west across Lady Evelyn Lake to Sucker Gut Lake, where a rocky arm marks the outlet of the North Branch of the Lady Evelyn River. Heading upstream, the steep 120-metre portage around Frank Falls is the first (and shortest) of six carries you’ll make around scenic waterfalls and rocky rapids. Take a break at Centre Falls—better known as the Golden Staircase—where a natural waterslide makes for a refreshing place to cool off.

At Katherine Lake, head downstream on the Lady Evelyn’s South Branch—where exciting swifts and more mountain goat portages around three stunning falls await. Complete your tour by looping back to Mowat Landing through Willow Island Lake and the south basin of Lady Evelyn Lake. Ontario Parks camping permits are required for most of this route.

For an easier encounter with the fabled Trout Streams, book a guided canoe trip (or floatplane to Katherine Lake) and stay at Cabin Falls Ecolodge. Temagami icons Hap and Andrea Wilson run this wilderness retreat on the Lady Evelyn River’s South Branch, where you can enjoy an off-grid oasis perched atop a 30-foot waterfall.

Smoothwater, Florence and Sunnywater Loop

Best for: Intermediate paddlers
Length: Varied depending on route choice
Access point: Gamble Lake or Montreal River launches on Beauty Lake Road

Check out the northwestern corner of Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park if you enjoy spectacular lakes, solitude and challenging canoe tripping. The white sand beach on Smoothwater Lake rivals those of the Caribbean; breathtaking Florence Lake is an ancient sanctuary surrounded by beautiful hills and towering pines; and you can see to a depth of nearly 30 metres in crystal clear Sunnywater. Over a dozen arduous portages make this seven- to eight-day loop best left to intermediate canoe trippers with strong shoulders.

Gamble Lake or the launch on the Montreal River are your gateways to this area; both are reached from the Beauty Lake Road, off Highway 560. Montreal River provides the best access to Smoothwater Lake. The gravel road is generally in good shape, and it’s free to park and launch here. The forest access road to Gamble Lake—the headwaters of the North Lady Evelyn River—can be rough for low-clearance vehicles and overnight parking is not recommended. It’s best to get a vehicle shuttle here from a local outfitter like Smoothwater Outfitters or the Temagami Outfitting Company.

Early spring is the best time to make this trip; you’ll need high water for travel on the meandering South Lady Evelyn River from Whitemud Lake to the Florence River. If you’re planning a summer or fall trip, allow 12 days and avoid this section by continuing south and west from Florence Lake. Expect plenty more portages on this crossing through Bluesucker, Pilgrim, Solace and Scarecrow lakes, back to Smoothwater Lake.

Most paddlers who reach Scarecrow Lake will want to set aside a day for the three-hour hike from here to the abandoned fire tower atop Ishpatina Ridge, Ontario’s highest point of land. If you have less time, an out-and-back trip from Montreal River to Scarecrow Lake offers easier access to the ridge’s panoramic views. Alternatively, Scarecrow Lake is also a popular destination for fly-in canoe trips.

Temagami River Trips

The Temagami River is about 30 kilometres long and is known for its novice to advanced whitewater paddling. With class I to class III rapids (depending on water levels), this is a great spot for paddlers with experience to get out in the wilderness and experience a multiday trip. All rapids have portages around them, so if you’re not sure after scouting a section, there’s always another option for getting downstream.

You’ll be on Crown land when you start your trip and in Temagami River Provincial Park for the rest of it. This is a non-operating park; officially there are no facilities or activities in the Park. It also means you don’t need a permit to camp here or paddle the river.

Route Options

Top to Bottom

If you want to paddle the entire river, the standard route is to put in on Lake Temagami at the Temagami Access Road Boat Landing. You can leave your vehicle here, or get shuttled in by local outfitters like Temagami Outfitters. Paddling south from the put-in, head to Outlet Bay, then to Cross Lake. Paddle south down Cross Lake to Surveyor Lake, then you’ll hit the first dam at the top of Temagami River. Portage around the dam.

Following the river downstream, you’ll hit Red Cedar Lake. Head south, portage around the dam, then head south to Island Lake to get back on the river. You can take out at the St Joseph Road bridge or enjoy the eight kilometers of swifts that take you downstream to the River Valley Bluegrass Park.

Bottom Half

If you’re looking for a shorter route, you could put in at Mountain Home Lodge, paddle north to the second half of the Temagami River, then head downstream to River Valley. This would be a pretty short paddle, maybe two to three days.

Day tripping

For a fun day trip, you could easily put in at St Joseph Road bridge (at the south end of Temagami River Provincial Park) and paddle downstream to the River Valley Bluegrass Park. This is a really relaxing float down swift water for about eight kilometres. The last half-a-kilometre under the Rte 539A bridge is worth scouting, and once you’re through the rapids, be sure to pull over to river-right before the falls just past the bridge.

Shuttle Options

Depending on how far you want to go, the Temagami River is a relatively easy shuttle drop. If you’re doing the whole river, you’ll put in on the Temagami Access Road Boat Landing and take out at the River Valley Bluegrass Park. The guys at the Bluegrass Park are really friendly—just ask where you can leave a vehicle and they’ll tell you where to put it. This is also a great place to camp on your final night.

Of course there are also local outfitters that’ll do the shuttle, like Temagami Outfitters.

Rapids

The Temagami River is known as a whitewater river. Most rapids are class I or II with a couple class III and a couple unrunnable waterfalls. Difficulty of the rapids is variable and depends on water levels throughout the season. Contact local outfitting companies to determine what the water will be like during your planned trip. Temagami Outfitters is a great place for that kind of info. Just give them a call.

All the rapids have portage options, so if you scout something and you’re not comfortable, there’s a way to avoid it. And the portages are all pretty easy—nothing too long (the longest is 560 metres), too steep or too gnarly.

The one exception is the Island Falls portage. This one is mandatory and getting back on the river requires a challenging descent down a rocky, cliffed-out trail. Take your time, make good choices, and work as a team and you’ll figure this one out.

Ragged Chute is another rapid that’s probably best portaged; it’s a gnarly chute full of jagged and sharp rocks. As always, best to scout anything before paddling it. And if you’re not sure, portage or line the set.

Lodging

If you’re looking for a place to stay before or after your trip, there are a couple options. For one last day of luxury before getting on the river, places like Temagami Shores Inn & Resort, Lake Herridge Lodge, Chic Shore and Mountain Home Lodge offer a range of prices and comfort all located relatively close to the put-in. Some will be able to offer shuttle options as well.

Temagami Fly-in Canoe Trips

If you’re tight on time and looking for a unique experience, accessing Temagami canoe country by floatplane can save you the hardship and weather-related uncertainties of setting off from the usual road-access launch sites on Lake Temagami. Wakimika Lake, Diamond Lake and Turner Lake are popular spots to start fly-in trips, giving you easy access to many of the canoe routes described above and a unique perspective on the region.

Contact Lakeland Airways to start your wilderness canoe adventure with a flight in an iconic deHavilland Beaver floatplane. Canoe rentals are also available.

A 20-minute floatplane ride from Temagami takes you into Katherine Lake, where you will be greeted by Hap and Andrea Wilson. From there you are personally guided by canoe downriver to the unique Cabin Falls Ecolodge, a small lodge nestled in the ancient forest atop a 30-foot waterfall. Spend your days canoeing and hiking in wild Temagami.

Kayaking Routes in Temagami

Lake Temagami is one of Canada’s most intriguing bodies of water, speckled with countless islands and hundreds of kilometres of undeveloped shoreline. Those attributes lend perfectly to kayak touring. You could easily spend a week exploring Lake Temagami’s deep bays, experiencing a sea kayak destination that rivals the Great Lakes.

More options abound if you’re willing to make a few short portages to Diamond and Lady Evelyn lakes. Sea kayak rentals are available from the Temagami Outfitting Company.

Sightseeing Opportunities in Temagami 

• You don’t need to paddle deep into the wilderness to experience some of Northern Ontario’s finest old-growth forests. You’ll encounter towering white pine while hiking the White Bear Forest trails, located in the town of Temagami.
• For sightseeing you can’t beat the panoptic view from the historic Temagami fire tower.
• Perhaps the ultimate experience is to book a sightseeing flight with Lakeland Airways for a bird’s eye view of the Temagami wilderness.

Accommodations in Temagami

• Finlayson Point Provincial Park boasts a family-friendly campground with great access to Lake Temagami.
• For a more luxurious experience check out Temagami Shores Inn and Resort.
• Experience island life on Lake Temagami at Ojibway Family Lodge.
• Book a well-appointed cabin at Lake Obabika Lodge.
• Enjoy private rooms, bunkhouses and camping at Smoothwater Outfitters and Lodge.

Best Lakes in Temagami

Lake Temagami

Te-mee-ay-gaming—meaning “deep water by the shore” in Ojibwe—has long been the hub of the Temagami region. The sprawling arms of this huge lake reach 45 kilometres north to south and 35 kilometres east to west, holding within their nearly 5,000 kilometres of shoreline some 1,200 pine-clad islands. With the village of Temagami at its eastern terminus and several access points scattered around its perimeter, the lake serves as both a rewarding destination in itself and a gateway to the greater Temagami backcountry.

Florence Lake

Nestled deep in the Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park wilderness, Florence Lake is surrounded by towering pines, beautiful hills and glacially scoured escarpments. Make the challenging journey to reach this isolated lake, and you’ll quickly see why Florence Lake has long been a favourite sanctuary of the Teme-Augama people. The sparkling water is so clear, you can see to a depth of 20 metres below your canoe. Sandy beaches and mysterious caves dot the shoreline, and Florence Mountain—accessible via rough trail—rises almost as high as Temagami’s famous Maple Mountain, with superb views from its rocky summit.

Wasaksina Lake

Easily accessible yet incredibly beautiful, Wasaksina Lake can be reached from a number of access points in the Lake Temagami area, making it an ideal destination for first-time Temagami visitors. With its rocky outcrops, pine shores, good fishing and spectacular campsites, Wasaksina exemplifies the features that make Temagami a canoe tripper’s paradise.

Obabika Lake

Obabika Lake anchors one of the most popular canoe routes in all of Temagami—the five-day, 100-kilometre Diamond-Wakimika-Obabika Lake Loop. Plan an extra day to explore the famous Wakimika Triangle Trails, which lead visitors through an ancient forest of 350-year-old red and white pines to the sacred cliffs of Chee-skon (Spirit) Lake. This dramatic 30-metre column of rock has been a place of pilgrimage for Indigenous people for thousands of years. Just a short paddle down Obabika Lake are pictograph sites and a distinctive twin-rock outcrop perched by the shore. These are ko-ko-mis and sho-mis, “grandmother and grandfather rock”—spiritual sites used by generations of Ojibwe healers.

Anima Nipissing Lake

The easy accessibility of Anima Nipissing Lake from Highway 11 doesn’t detract in the least from the picturesque beauty of this long and meandering lake. Anima Nipissing’s size makes it well suited to touring by kayak or canoe, with many lovely bedrock campsites scattered across its scenic islands and pine-fringed perimeter. As you paddle along the lake’s rugged shores, watch for faded orange figures painted on the rocks—these centuries-old pictographs illustrate visions or events from the distant past. 

Blueberry Lake

Named for the delicious berries that ripen around its shores in late summer, Blueberry Lake is the perfect destination for a rewarding weekend canoe trip. Offering more than just great berry picking, Blueberry Lake’s steep shores escaped the axes and saws of early 1900s loggers, preserving a beautifully intact old-growth pine forest. Arrive early to score one of the two campsites on this small lake, and make day trips to the old-growth hiking trails on the lake’s north and south sides.

Smoothwater Lake

Tucked in the remote and isolated northwest corner of Temagami, Smoothwater Lake was the place of world rebirth in Anishinabe legend. It’s a landscape of spectacular white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and imposing rocky ridges. The highest point in all of Ontario, Ishpatina Ridge—or the “serpent mound”—rises from the south end of Smoothwater Lake and lies like a stony dragon along the western edge of the Lady Evelyn wilderness.

Wolf Lake

Why does Wolf Lake consistently rate as one of the most beautiful lakes in the Temagami paddling area? For starters, it’s surrounded by the world’s largest remaining old-growth red pine forest, subject of a longstanding environmental campaign to preserve this irreplaceable treasure. Picture-perfect campsites nestle among the giant pines, overlooking dazzling white quartzite cliffs and shimmering aquamarine waters. Adventurous campers can climb to the top of striking Wolf Lake Hill for gorgeous vistas 150 metres (500 feet) above the lake.

Where to See Old Growth Pine Trees in Temagami

Part of the lure of canoeing in Temagami’s backcountry is the opportunity to get a glimpse of the ancient forest that once cloaked all of Northern Ontario. White pine is Ontario’s provincial tree and some of the best old-growth can still be found in Temagami.

Temagami Island Old Growth

A series of short loop trails on the north end of Temagami Island provides easy access to tall pines, located a short one-kilometre paddle west of the Central Lake Temagami Road access point. You’ll recognize white pine for its thick, rough bark and wispy needles in clusters of five.

Temagami’s Wakimika Triangle

One of Ontario’s most contentious stands of old-growth white and red pine was the site of the province’s largest act of civil disobedience during a 1989 blockade. Today, the Wakimika Triangle is protected in Obabika River Provincial Park. From the trailhead at the north end of Obabika Lake you can easily spend a day hiking through giant trees and experiencing Indigenous spiritual sites on Chee-skon (Spirit) Lake.

Lahay Lake Old Growth Forest in Temagami

This hard-to-reach pocket of old white pine is worth the journey by canoe, located on the portage route between Obabika River and Nasmith Creek.

Blueberry Lake near Temagami

East of the town of Temagami, the Blueberry Lake Trails are the wilder sibling of the popular White Bear Forest trails. It’s a half-day paddle to reach the trails via Cassels Lake. Backcountry camping is available.

Island Bay on Lake Temagami

Most paddlers overlook the labyrinthine inlets at the south end of Lake Temagami. Island Bay in particular features granite cliffs and huge white pine, quiet backcountry camping and a secluded portage route to Peninsula Lake.

Eagle Lake

Rugged portages bar the way to Eagle Lake, located west of Anima Nipissing Lake. Your reward for a tough, multiday canoe journey is access to a stunning forest of pure red pine, identified by its smooth, warm-coloured bark and two-needle clusters.

Anima Nipissing Lake

Island campsites on this vast, clearwater lake offer quiet places to pitch a tent beneath towering pine trees.

Plan Your Temagami Canoe Trip Now

Temagami offers incredible canoe routes for beginners to experienced trippers plus fabulous fly-in canoe trips options. Start planning your trip now.

Showing 'Edited Body' is no longer supported.