The Ultimate Outdoor Adventure Guide to Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie is touted as Ontario’s best adventure town for good reason. This mid-sized city located in the heart of the Great Lakes has something to offer outdoor enthusiasts in all seasons, from world-class Nordic skiing to a vast network of mountain bike trails, outstanding hiking and canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding on pristine lakes, a historic river and majestic inland sea—and much more. Not only that, the “Soo” offers a wide variety of dining, accommodations and attractions, including the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre and the iconic Agawa Canyon Tour Train, to make your visit complete.

You could feel overwhelmed by such a huge array of options. But rest assured, Sault Ste. Marie also features a growing list of expert outfitters and local guides to enhance your experiences. Whether you’re an extreme outdoor athlete, looking to try a new outdoor pursuit or planning a fun family vacation, this article is meant to answer common questions, offer activity suggestions and point out local businesses that are ready to support your adventures.  

Ride the Best Mountain Biking Trails in Sault Ste. Marie’s Hiawatha Highlands

Sault Ste. Marie’s Hiawatha Highlands mountain bike trails are a testament to what can be done when a passionate, grassroots cycling community intersects strategic municipal investments in professionally built trails. In barely five years, the Sault Cycling Club’s existing array of rugged, hand-built mountain bike trails expanded into a huge network of smooth, flowing singletrack that competes with anything between the Rockies and Quebec.

The vision of dedicated local cyclists shines on the remote Farmer Lake trails, Hiawatha’s newest singletrack, which feature incredible rock canyons, lofty lookouts and rest stops at backcountry lakes. Meanwhile, Myles to Go is a fun pumptrack-inspired course that’s perfect for young riders and just warming up. The Pinder system is best for families and beginners; the Red Pine offers rocky, old-school singletrack; and the Crystal includes fast corners, berms and tabletops. Meanwhile, an exciting new hard-packed connector trail links the 25-km urban Hub Trail, which circumnavigates the entire city, to Hiawatha singletrack at Wishart Park. Altogether, Hiawatha Highlands boasts over 50 km of mountain bike trails—plenty to fill a long weekend of riding or more.

Be sure to stop in at Vélorution or Algoma Bicycle Company for excellent local knowledge, bike rentals, sales and tuneups. Red Pine Tours hosts the annual Salty Marie Trails Festival in late July and offers rentals, route planning and custom guided cycling experiences.

Enjoy Epic Hiking Trails and Fall Colours Near Sault Ste. Marie

From trekking in epic winter snow to sultry summer strolls, there’s no wrong time of year to take a hike in Northern Ontario. That said, autumn is undoubtedly the best time to go hiking in Sault Ste. Marie. The weather is pleasantly cool, there are minimal bugs, the trails are dry and (best of all) Algoma’s mixed woods blaze in glorious reds, oranges and yellows for several weeks around the equinox in late September and early October.

When it comes to seeing the fall colours on foot (or getting out for a great heart-pumping adventure/workout at any time of year), it’s hard to beat the 5-km Robertson Cliffs trail, located about 30 minutes north of Sault Ste. Marie off Highway 17 in Goulais River. You can escape the inevitable crowds on the basic loop by extending your hike on the Voyageur Trail into beautiful forests safeguarded by the Algoma Highlands Conservancy to the summit of King Mountain. Get fully immersed in nature on a guided interpretive hike with Forest the Canoe.

Within city limits, the Voyageur Trail around Kinsmen Park and the Hiawatha Highlands offers gorgeous rocky lookouts and glorious waterfalls on Crystal Creek, including family-friendly hikes. For more of the latter, be sure to follow the Hub Trail into Fort Creek Conservation Area, an easy walk where high bridges offer bird’s-eye views of wetlands and forests in Sault Ste. Marie’s West End. Great Lakes Outfitters is your best spot for hiking gear and trail recommendations in Sault Ste. Marie.

Paddle the Historic Waterways of the St. Marys River & Lake Superior

Sault Ste. Marie is central on a cross-country paddling route that’s been travelled since time immemorial—first by Indigenous canoeists and later by European explorers and fur trading voyageurs. Today’s canoeists, sea kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders can get a feel for the rich history of the region’s timeless water trails by renting a boat and launching at the Sault College Waterfront Adventure Centre, on the St. Marys River just east of downtown. Thrive Tours offers guided paddling day trips sharing Indigenous culture, and Restore Yoga & Wellness offers paddleboard yoga on the St. Marys River.

Check out Forest the Canoe for canoe rentals in Sault Ste. Marie. The company also offers guided day trips and instruction from its base on Goulais Bay, just north of the city. Experienced open water sea kayakers can experience the greatest Great Lake by launching at the hamlet of Gros Cap on the Lake Superior Water Trail, about 20 minutes west of the city centre.

Family-Friendly Outdoor Activities in Sault Ste. Marie

There are plenty of biking, hiking, paddling and winter adventures in Sault Ste. Marie that are suitable for families. For a unique experience, visit Pointe des Chenes, a waterfront park with stunning sand beaches and inviting, shallow waters at the head of the St. Marys River, near the city’s airport. Besides great swimming and beach fun, the park also features a great disc golf course.

Located on Queen Street east of downtown, Bellevue Park is a wonderful destination for families with towering shade trees, playgrounds, a splashpad, easy walking trails alongside the St. Marys River and a greenhouse.

Experience Sault Ste. Marie’s Winter Wonderland of Snow and Skiing

To ignore the snowy months is to miss out on at least one-third of the year in Sault Ste. Marie—a sorry omission for outdoors enthusiasts. Simply put, the Soo is a winter sports mecca. Hiawatha Highlands boasts more than 40 km of impeccably groomed Nordic trails for classic and skate skiing, including several family- and beginner-friendly options. You can rent cross-country skis and take a lesson on-site. What’s more, Hiawatha offers snowshoe trails and access to an incredible array of groomed fatbike trails, with rentals for both. Just north of town in Goulais River, Stokely Creek Lodge offers Scandinavian-style accommodations and dining and a vast 120-km network of Nordic ski and snowshoe trails with a distinctive wilderness flair. Meanwhile, Crimson Ridge offers yet more options for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fatbiking in a scenic setting.

Rather let gravity do the work? Check out Searchmont Resort’s impressive vertical drop, state-of-the-art snowmaking and huge diversity of slopes with some of Ontario’s best ski terrain, ranging from a fun beginner area to competition-grade runs and glades. The resort also offers on-site accommodations, instruction, rentals and dining. For a unique skiing experience that blends the workout of Nordic with the excitement of downhill, try backcountry skiing in the snowy Algoma hills at Bellevue Valley Lodge in Goulais River.

Explore Scenic Road and Gravel Cycling Routes Around the Soo

Little wonder most avid Sault Ste. Marie cyclists own not one but entire quivers of bikes. Besides outstanding mountain biking, the region’s quiet secondary highways and backroads afford excellent road and gravel cycling. Bone up on local knowledge at bike shops like Vélorution or Algoma Bicycle Company, or connect with Red Pine Tours for route planning and guided tours. The long-distance Great Lakes Waterfront Trail bisects the Sault Ste. Marie area, before ending just west of the city limits at Gros Cap. The latter is a fine destination that’s a smooth 25-km one-way ride from downtown. Options for more epic rural road rides abound just east of Sault Ste. Marie—especially on quaint St. Joseph Island and in the scenic hills of the Sylvan Valley, along Highway 638. Contact the Sault Cycling Club on Facebook for more information.

Relax on Lake Superior Beaches and Waterfront Parks Near Sault Ste. Marie

Besides Pointe des Chenes Park, you’ll find great Lake Superior beaches within a 35- to 55-minute drive north of Sault Ste. Marie on Highway 17 at Havilland Bay, Batchawana Bay Provincial Park and Pancake Bay Provincial Park. All feature huge fine sand beaches and crystalline waters with gentle drop-offs that become inviting for swimming in the summer months. Pancake Bay also offers a large campground and several hiking trails.

Connect with the Land and Indigenous Culture on Traditional Knowledge Tours

Supporting an Indigenous tourism operator is a good way to embrace reconciliation and appreciate the worldviews of local First Nations. To its Indigenous residents, Sault Ste. Marie is known as “Baawaating”, meaning place by the rapids. A paddling outing with Thrive Tours will help you develop a deeper sense of place in this fascinating area. Similarly, Walk Among the Trees offers immersive hikes in the Hiawatha Highlands, focusing on Indigenous language, culture and foods. The company recently developed a traditional Three Sisters Garden in Kinsmen Park, where visitors can learn more about Indigenous agriculture.

Top Spots for Birding and Nature Photography in Sault Ste. Marie

Needless to say, feeling close to nature is part of any outdoor experience in Sault Ste. Marie. But if your main purpose is capturing inspiring images or expanding your birding lifelist, some destinations stand out. Ascend to the brink of the cascading Crystal Creek on an easy path in Kinsmen Park and trace a series of waterfalls downstream through an impressive canyon that’s cloaked in old-growth white pine. The trees’ long shadows add intrigue to the dynamics of whitewater.

For birding and nature-viewing, it’s hard to beat the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site and Whitefish Island. Cross the historic lock, stroll family-friendly trails and observe a regenerating forest surrounded by wetlands and the impressive St. Marys Rapids—an Indigenous rendezvous site since time immemorial. Over 250 avian species have been observed in this recognized eBird Hotspot, including songbirds, waterfowl and raptors. Walk or snowshoe wooded sections of the urban Hub Trail, such as Fort Creek Conservation Area or along Finn Hill, for a chance to see snowy and barred owls, as well as many other species of hardy year-round resident birds. Don’t forget your binoculars!

Finally, the Lake Superior coastline just north of Sault Ste. Marie is renowned for its powerful fall storms and cathedral-like ice formations (the latter vary from year to year depending on weather), both of which tempt photographers with dramatic shots. Contact Forest the Canoe for more information on guided tours and up-to-date conditions. 

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