Motorsports

The Soo is your year-round destination for motorsports fun!

By Mike Jacobs Mike is passionate about sharing his love for the North with the rest of the world.

April 27, 2016

If you love motorcycle riding, snowmobiling, boating or ATVing, the Soo is your year-round destination for motorsports fun. At the heart of Canada’s great outdoors, Sault Ste. Marie is the ideal launching point for avid and casual motorsports enthusiasts alike. With easy access to long-distance tours or simple day trips, not to mention breathtaking natural scenery in every direction, Sault Ste. Marie is the motorsports gateway of Northern Ontario.

Motorcycle riders itching to get their bikes out of storage will love the Sault in spring and the worldclass riding around every corner. For an overnight trip, try the Trans-Canada west to Wawa and you’ll experience what the Globe and Mail calls, “One of Canada’s top ten drives.” This spectacular highway snakes its way around massive mountains and plunges through deep valleys, all while hugging the shores of Lake Superior.

If there ever was a bucket list tour, this is it. Easy riders should make a point of stopping at a few of the scenic stops along the way – Katharine Cove, Old Woman Bay, and the Agawa Bay campground at Lake Superior Provincial Park all show off the views that will defy expectation. And the best thing is the ride back offers completely different views. Picking your favourite will be the hardest thing you do.

For motorcyclists looking for a day trip with plenty of curves, without compromising the view, Highway 556 is ideal. This well-paved road is nestled between massive cliffs and pristine riverbanks. For riders who prefer a more technical road, go east to Northern Ontario’s “Tail of the Dragon,” Highway 129. With long sweepers that quickly change into a flurry of switchbacks with quick ups and downs, it’s a high-intensity joyride.

Sault Ste. Marie is your year-round destination for motorsports fun!

And, of course, the possibilities for off-road adventure touring are virtually limitless. The Sault makes an ideal basecamp for riders seeking a few hours or a weeklong excursion onto dirt roads leading deep into the wilderness.

Summertime in Sault Ste. Marie is made for the open water. Personal watercraft (PWC) riders and pleasure craft boaters can launch directly from downtown at the full-service Bondar Marina on St. Mary’s River, one of the busiest shipping channels in the world. Imagine riding your PWC right beside massive tankers headed for the ocean! Boaters will also enjoy the historic yet fully functional Sault Ste. Marie locks. The 29-foot rise links Lake Huron and Lake Superior for once the final connection in a shipping lane that connected Lake Superior with the Atlantic Ocean.

Boaters will also love the Sault’s easy access to the North Channel, one of Ontario’s most beloved waterways. There are 160 nautical miles of freshwater boating to explore between Sault Ste. Marie and Killarney, where the open water is deep blue and the many sheltered coves radiate a calming turquoise. It’s easy to see why the Group of Seven painters fell in love with this landscape. Wind and water smoothed rocks make up the shorelines and boaters are greeted by friendly northerners at the many ports and marinas along the way.

Autumn is the time for off-road ATV trail action. The cool, crisp air makes for comfortable riding and the nearly endless hardwood forests mean that the colours of fall are set ablaze with the iconic reds the region are so well known for. Dirt roads, abandoned railway beds and plenty of trails make for great day trips, and knowledgeable local guides are happy to show you around.

However, the more adventurous rider can hop aboard the Algoma Central Railway (ACR) Passenger Train and access points north for an encounter with nature that won’t soon be forgotten. Sault Ste. Marie comes alive in winter and the ACR offers their Tracks to Trails service to snowmobilers as well as the ATV set. Imagine loading your sled onto a baggage car in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, then sitting back and enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the Agawa Canyon from the warmth and comfort of a passenger car as the train descends 500 feet into ice and snow-crusted rock cuts barely wider than the cars themselves.

Snowmobilers can decide to get off at Hawk Junction, Dubreuilville, or at the end of the line in the Hearst, Ontario, perfect for those looking for a weeklong snow tour.

For those who prefer to stay closer to the cozy home-base of Sault Ste. Marie, the trail to the ski village of Searchmont makes for a great day-trip, leading riders over rivers, through canyons, and down into valleys that define the scenery in this part of Ontario.

No matter what you ride, or when you visit, Sault Ste. Marie is your four-season gateway to motorized adventure!

Our insider’s favourite picks

Motorcycling

Batchawana Bay is a mere 77 kilometers from Sault Ste. Marie and follows the Trans-Canada to Highway 565, hugging the shore of Lake Superior.

Boating

You’ll love a day trip to St. Joseph Island, home to one of Northern Ontario’s most popular boating destinations, Hilton Beach.

Snowmobiling

Sledders can ride to Aubrey Falls, with a link from Sault Ste. Marie to one of the largest waterfalls in the Lake Huron watershed.

Looking for accommodations during your stay with us?

Look no further, Sault Tourism website makes it easy to select and book!

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About Mike Jacobs

Mike is an avid Northern traveller, having spent years traversing its backroads, and visiting its remote lodges and fun cities by car, RV, motorcycle, and boat. There's always something new to discover in the North and Mike never shies away from the next great adventure. Mike is the chairman of the board for the Tourism Technology Company.