New Season, New Personality

Watch Sault Ste. Marie change before your eyes.

By Staff Writer Tourism SSM Bringing the local tourism industry together to promote the city and assist in developing its economy.

September 9, 2024

Have you ever looked at something familiar and had it suddenly appear different? Perhaps you're just looking at it from another vantage point, or examining it in different light?

Sault Ste. Marie is one city, located in one region, but depending on how you look at it, you'll discover that just as a place changes with the seasons, it can also appear different depending on the way you explore it.

In recent years, the development of the 26-km John Rowswell Hub Trail has made it easier than ever before to get around the city on human-powered transit. The trail system links the downtown, east end, and Fort Creek Conservation Area all together. Safe for cyclists and walkers, the scenic Hub Trail is a great way to get around and discover local attractions such as Bellevue Park, the Art Gallery of Algoma and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. It's a fabulous way for an energetic cyclist to circumnavigate the city in a way motorists will not experience.

Photo Credit: John ODonnell

This isn't to say that motorists will be shortchanged. The North Highway, between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa has some of the most incredible views found in Northern Ontario. Heading east of the city gives you the chance to explore St. Joseph Island, and while in town, you can drive all the way up Goulais Avenue for a panorama of the entire city, or head out to Gros Cap for some incredible views of Lake Superior.

Photo Credit: Jake Cormier

Speaking of water, it's one thing to experience Sault Ste. Marie on dry land, but quite another to see it from the water. The city was built near the rapids of the St. Mary's River, which you can view near Whitefish Island, across from the Canadian Sault Locks.

For the slightly more adventurous, one way to explore Sault Ste. Marie in a way you'll never forget is by taking a helicopter tour. Eagle Feather Aviation, located at the Sault Ste. Marie Airport, is a helicopter service that provides a safe, courteous and efficient tour and charter service at a reasonable cost.

In the winter, things become entirely different, and the places where you may have gone for a hike or stroll in the warmer months are now covered in a thick blanket of snow. Sault Ste. Marie is a terrific place for skiers seeking to explore Northern Ontario, with Stokely Creek, Bellevue Park, and the Hiawatha Highlands offering outstanding cross-country terrain, while downhill enthusiasts can look out at Northern Ontario from the top of a mountain at Searchmont Resort. Snowmobilers will also be in heaven with access to miles and miles of trails, and the support of organizations like the Sault Trailblazers Snowmobile Club.