Amethyst Mine Panorama
Dorion Tower / The Pinnacles
Kakabeka Falls
Mount McKay
Northern Lights
Ouimet Canyon
Pijitawabik Palisades
Sea Lion
Sleeping Giant
Agate Island
Superior Country has an abundance of purple-hue quartz – Amethyst. This gemstone is the official mineral of Ontario. Amethyst formed in the fault lines 1.1 billion years ago, during the mid-continent rift. The crystallization of the hot water and the mineral deposits along the fault line created the amethyst we find today. Ontario’s jewel can become your own as you dig, uncover, and clean your very own piece at one of the many mines in Ontario’s Superior Country.
Superior Country is full of fantastic sites to gaze upon; one is in Dorion, Ontario. This rock formation is a hikers and climbers wonder. A 1 km long trail takes you to a picture-perfect location, where you can admire the Pinnacle. The Pinnacle or known to climbers as Dorion Tower, stands over 20 meters high, in the beautiful Canyon Country. It is a site that makes Superior Country’s Dorion genuinely unique.
Fed by the Kaministiquia River Kakabeka Falls is a world-renowned fall located in Northern Ontario’s Superior Country. Coined the Niagara of the North Kakabeka Fall is sits 18.64 miles (30 km) drive west of Thunder Bay, Ontario in the beautiful municipal region of Oliver Paipoonge. The 40 metres (130 ft) high rock face that creates the falls reveals 1.6 billion-year-old fossils. Kakabeka Falls is one of Superior Country’s most stunning natural wonders and is surrounded by a beautiful provincial park containing camping, hiking, and abundance of activities waiting to be explored and experienced. Whether your stopping to just see the falls, or to experience all its surroundings a trip to Ontario’s Kakabeka Falls will be sure to offer you a view and a memory to last a life time!
Mount McKay is a mafic sill that is near Thunder Bay, Ontario on Fort William First Nations Reservation. The northernmost peaks in the Nor’Wester Mountain Range, Mount McKay, is known originally as Thunder Mountain to the Indigenous population. This mountain has been a gathering place for many years. Looking over Thunder Bay and the city’s harbours, the lookout is a beautiful sight to behold. Trails leading up the mountain are available for those who are looking to adventure higher up the magnificent natural wonder. The mountain plays hosts to the annual Fort William First Nation Pow Wow and offers views of Thunder Bay and Lake Superior that are truly unique. Loose yourself in the First Nation history of the region while you visit Mount McKay in Ontario’s Superior Country.
Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights is a magnificent site to behold from anywhere. In many areas of Ontario’s Superior Country, the night sky is untouched by man-made light. This makes the region a perfect place to view the Northern Lights in all their glory. Increase your ability to see this natural wonder by visiting the region in the colder months and venturing to areas outside of municipal townships. Looking up at the night sky is a way to relax and enjoy the finer moments of life. But bearing witness to the Northern Lights brings a whole new level to night sky viewing!
Superior Country is full of many natural wonders to see. One of the most notable sites is Ouimet Canyon. In Dorion, Ontario, just outside of Thunder Bay, sits the massive gorge surrounded by high vertical cliffs, and an excellent array of plant diversity. The canyon is 1.86 miles (3 km) in length and 152 metres across and is a truly remarkable sight to behold any time of the year. Many locals will suggest visiting in the fall months as the colors are truly a wonder of their own! The beautiful views that the canyon provides will make a visit to Ontario’s Superior Country extremely memorable!
The midcontinental rift changed the landscape of Ontario, providing us with the sites we love. In Northern Ontario’s Superior Country, this phenomenon formed the countryside we see today. The Pijitawabik Palisades, are physical characteristics of this event, that we can still see today. These are high towering cliffs, that rise above the lower canyon floor. The Pijitawabik Palisades are similar to Ouimet Canyon, in shape and design. Along highway 11, in the municipality of Greenstone, you’ll see the high cliffs and low valleys as you drive through the area. While traveling in the spring months you may also be lucky enough to see un-charted and unclassified waterfalls that form from the spring melt. These falls aren’t viewable every single year but when you are lucky enough to come across them they are truly a sight to see!
On the shore of Lake Superior, at Perry Bay, on route to the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park you’ll find a stone Sea Lion. The 15 metres of Sedimentary rock that juts out of the mainland has been shaped by the waves of the Lake Superior to offer the region an attraction like no other. This site is a must-see while hiking Tee Harbour or camping at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. This natural wonder is an illusion waiting to be shown off.
Sleeping Giant, one of Canada’s seven wonders, can call Thunder Bay, Ontario it’s home. The view of the rock formation from the city of Thunder Bay appears that the rocks are a giant, taking a long over due slumber. Many legends and stories have formed surrounding the Giant over time. These entertaining stories not only offer great insight into the past of the region but can also help strengthen your connection to the indigenous history of Ontario. The City of Thunder Bay offers many great viewing areas of the giant such as the Terry Fox monument and visitor information centre, Chippewa Park, or from atop Mt McKay, however, the giant can be viewed from the east side as well. Sleeping Giant can be viewed from the main shore line or explored itself. With many hiking trails atop of this great formation its not only a sight to behold but offers some of the finest views towards the mainland as well.
Agate Island is on Lake Superior, a part of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Off the shores of Nipigon, Ontario, this unique beach is covered in Agates stones. Only assessable by boat; one of the main launching points for the island is the Nipigon Marina. In 2013, this beach was named one of 7 Natural Wonders Beaches of the World from the Travel & Escape Channel, making it a must-see Superior Country Natural Wonder.
The region has one of the best displays of red-coloured rocks anywhere in Canada. Geologists believe that the red siltstones and sandstones were deposited on older Canadian Shield rocks between 1.3 and 1.5 billion years ago, during the Precambrian Eon, when an ancient desert environment existed in the area. Most sedimentary rocks form from sand or mud deposited on ancient seafloors and range in colour from pale grey to brown or black. Sedimentary rocks that form in ancient desert environments are much less common and are often red in colour because of oxidation, or “rusting”, of iron-bearing minerals by oxygen in the atmosphere.
Walleye
Northern Pike
Lake Trout
Brook Trout
Steelhead
Salmon
Smallmouth Bass
Perch
Bear
Moose
Deer
Small Game
Beaches
Museums and Galleries
Natural Wonders
Roadside
Scenic Lookouts
Superior Picnics
Waterfalls
Waterfronts
B&B’s
Campgrounds and RV Parks
Hotels
Lodges
Motels
Breweries
Farmers Markets
Restaurants and Eateries
