If you are looking for the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors then the Temagami area is where you want to be. Set in the 8000 sq. km. area that is known as Temagami is over 100,000 hectares of Provincial Parks. There are ten Parks in Temagami, which offer a broad range of experiences. Whether you are a RV enthusiast or a backcountry canoeist we can assist you in planning your outdoor vacation. There are more than 300 developed campsites with all the comforts of home on the Highway 11 corridor. Temagami also offers over 2400 km of interconnected canoe routes with hundreds of designated backcountry campsites to keep you coming back time and again to explore the vast Temagami wilderness.
Reservations can be made at Marten River or Finlayson Point by calling the reservation line at 1-888-668-7275 or by going
online at www.OntarioParks.com. Reservations can be made up to five (5) months in advance of your arrival date. For the vast Temagami backcountry there are no fees, permits or reservations required at this time. However, for non-residents of Canada, if you are not using the services of a local outfitter you will be required to purchase Crown Land Camping Permits for your trip. These permits are available at several local retail establishments.
The following information provides a brief summary of the Parks in Temagami. For more detailed information or for assistance in planning your trip contact the Park Office at the numbers/addresses listed at the end of this article.
Marten River:
Located 40 km south of the Town of Temagami Marten River is considered the gateway to the Temagami area. This 400 hectare park has 194 developed campsites. The park offers electrical hook ups, trailer sanitary stations, comfort station with showers and laundromat, bathing beaches, boat launches and hiking trails. The main attraction in the Park is the Logging Museum. This facility recreates the atmosphere of an old horse logging operation that would have been found in this area around the turn of the century. Every July there is a weekend set aside called Logging Days which celebrates this part of our heritage.
Finlayson Point:
Located 1 km south of the Town of Temagami, this is the only organized campground on Lake Temagami. The park is 37 hectare in size and provides 114 campsites with all the same facilities found at Marten River. The Park has a small store/museum, which interprets the history and story of the Temagami area. The park also offers access to the White Bear forest hiking trails and the Caribou Mountain Fire Tower Interpretive Site.
Lady Evelyn
Smoothwater:
This 72,400 hectare wilderness parks offers the opportunity to experience wilderness on your own terms. With canoe routes covering the entire park and connecting to other areas of Temagami, the park offers a wide array of experiences for everyone. The paddling in Lady Evelyn Smoothwater is mostly flat water. However, the rivers offer a variety of Class I and II whitewater experiences. Most of the rivers are best run during the spring run off. At the transition between the Greta Lakes St. Lawrence and the Boreal forests the natural features are varied. The highlights of the trip could be Maple Mountain in the east or Ishpatina Ridge on the west side of the park. Ishpatina is the highest known elevation in the province while Maple Mountain is a close second.
Obabika River:
This 75 km waterway through the Temagami heart is known for wildlife viewing and access to the largest known stand of old growth red and white pine. The river itself can be traveled throughout the summer and offers a great trip for the novice canoeist which can be a trip on its own or part of a longer journey.
Sturgeon River:
A 70 km trip this river offers access to some scenic waterfalls and amazing cliffs. The river can be used to connect with Lady Evelyn Smoothwater or into Obabika as well as surrounding Crown Land. If you are into fishing the river offers some exciting walleye fishing.
Solace:
This waterway park is actually a chain of lakes connecting the Sturgeon River Park to Lady Evelyn Smoothwater. All of the paddling is flatwater and the portages can be challenging. But the solitude is unsurpassed for the Temagami area. Total canoe route length is 21 km.
Makobe Grays:
This river is best run in the spring season when water levels are highest. The river has cut its way through the Canadian Shield to spill into the Montreal River near the town of Elk Lake. The spring conditions provide Class I and II challenges for the whitewater enthusiast.
Temagami River:
The newest park in the Temagami node this river is well known for amazing whitewater stretches mixed with calm flatwater. Some Class I and II rapids and some that require portaging, no matter what. Starting at the bottom of Cross Lake this park flows down to River Valley passing through varied terrain offering glimpses of wildlife and a feeling of solitude not too far from civilization.
Kenny Forest and
W.J. B. Greenwood:
Both of these non-operating parks are located just off of Highway 11, Kenny Forest is just south of Marten River Provincial Park on the east side of the highway. The park sits on the east side of Wicksteed Lake. It offers some campsites and portages into the Crown Land surrounding the Park. W.J.B. Greenwood is located just south of Latchford and sits on the shores of Bay Lake. There are a few campsites on the lake offering a peaceful evening away from the television yet not far from home.
For additional information you can contact Ontario Parks Temagami Area at the following numbers or addresses:
Finlayson Point :
Telephone 705-569-3205
Fax 705-569-2886
Marten River:
Telephone 705-892-2200
Fax 705-892-2147
Address:
Ontario Parks
P.O. Box 38,
Temagami, ON
P0H 2H0
Email : kevin.pinkerton@ontario.ca
Website: http://www.OntarioParks.com
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