Hike the Historic Voyageur Trail

For outdoor enthusiasts seeking unparalleled natural beauty and diverse terrain, Voyageur Trail hikes in Algoma Country offer an unforgettable adventure. In this blog, we will talk about the many hikes on the Voyageur Trail, which has trailheads near the communities of Blind River, Huron Shores, Echo Bay, and Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa.

The Voyageur Trail system is dedicated to wilderness-style hiking through parts of the North Channel of Lake Huron to Lake Superior and our neighbours into Northeastern Ontario and Superior Country. Because it’s so close to communities, so you’ll find places to stay, food and drink at local eateries and restaurants, services, attractions, and shopping. Essentially, this extensive trail system, maintained by volunteer clubs, spans approximately 500 km through the geography of Lakes Huron and Superior, thereby offering a true wilderness-style hiking experience.

Algoma Country Hikes: Exploring the Voyageur Trail

Desbarats-Huron Shores – 93. km

The main trail is between Tower Lake and the community of Iron Bridge. The trail has scenic vistas and highlights such as the Mississagi River Valley, Basswood Lake, and the Kirkwood Forest. The Kirkwood Forest is a land reclamation project that began in the 1920s; furthermore the trail leads into Bruce Mines.
Classification: moderate to difficult

Echo Ridges – 57.8 km

This trail runs between Mabel Lake in the city of Sault Ste. Marie to Tower Lake. The trail passes through Garden River First Nation and you will need a vehicle access road pass which the Band Office issues. The trail leads past several inland lakes and scenic vistas north of Echo Bay.
Classification: difficult

Penewobiking – 48.5 km

This section passes through a diverse landscape of lakes, rivers, and rocky points of land north of Blind River. There are many access points to the trail and highlights are Whitefish Falls, Granary Lake and the Potomac River valley.
Classification: moderate or difficult

Saulteaux-Goulais – 85.1 km

These trails have been designed to be completed as day trips, and most access points are within the city limits of Sault Ste. Marie. There are 9 loop trails and trails pass through a beautiful, wooded landscape with stunning vistas, and waterways. Some interesting points of interest include the coastline of Lake Superior, the Prince Wind Farm and Hiawatha Highlands.
Classification: moderate to difficult

Harmony-Stokely – 38.2 km

This section offers one main trail, loops and side trails with lengths suitable for day trips. The hiking terrain is rugged with elevation changes. It has some awesome views from points of interest. These include the western half of King Mountain, and Harmony and Havilland Bay areas. Additionally, the impressive Robertson Cliffs are part of the land owned by the Algoma Highlands Conservancy.
Classification: difficult with steep climbs

Michipicoten – 18 km

This trail has four sections that pass by the town of Wawa and along Lake Superior’s rugged shoreline. The wilderness in this area is beautiful, with waterways and scenic vistas. Some of the trail extends to Lake Superior Provincial Park.
Classification: mostly difficult

Accessing Maps Resources

You can get all the information for these incredible trail systems through the Voyageur Trail Association. For even more convenience, the Ondago app is a fantastic tool: it can be used offline and shows your location in real-time. Plus, you can easily download and print your desired maps directly from it. Another really helpful feature of the Ondago App is called Share My Location, which means you can share your movements on the trail with other Ondago users. Ready to explore? Click here to check out the trails and how you can access detailed hiking maps.”

Safety on the Voyageur Trail

• Trails may vary in level of difficulty. Know your skill level as a hiker to enjoy trails and stay safe.
• Trails may take you through forest settings, up or down hills, past waterways, and lakes, and lead to breathtaking scenic lookouts with views of mountains, trees, or water.
• Trails are marked, and for safety, don’t take any shortcuts.
• When you’re out on the trail, be sure to stay on marked paths and never hop fences. Keep in mind that certain trails might cross private land.
• Follow ‘Leave No Trace’, which helps to respect the nature around you. What you take in, please take out.
• Most importantly, don’t feed local wildlife! We’ve got a great blog here that will help conserve and preserve nature in the region, plus some resources to be bear-wise.
• Ultimately, trails are non-motorized too, and built to hike, backpack, snowshoe and bushwhack ski.

Things to Pack

1. Bring food and water. In case of an emergency, if you need to access water from a stream or lake, bring a bottle with a water filter or purification tablets. You can buy these from Great Lakes Outfitters
2. Depending on the time of year, we recommend you dress in layers, as it’s better to have extra clothing in an emergency.
3. Hiking boots – it’s always best to wear the proper footwear.
4. Sunburns are not fun. Remember to wear sunscreen.
5. Between Spring and Fall, bring bug spray for black flies and mosquitoes.
6. Satellite Communication Device – cell service may not always work in Northern Ontario.