Lake Superior Provincial Park: Coastal Trail (5 days / 65 km)

The Lake Superior Coastal Trail is a difficult lightly trafficked 65km thru-hike located in Lake Superior Provincial Park. The trail has some steep sections, plenty of elevation changes and rugged shorelines. The difficulty is worth every step as you are constantly rewarded with stunning views and pristine campsites. It is marked with blue markers and rock cairns which can be easy to miss but it is not hard to find the trail if you ever miss a marker.

Trip Summary

Starting Point: Gargantua Harbour

Ending Point: Agawa Bay Visitor Center 

Total Distance: 65 km

Elevation Gain: 1695 m

Duration: 5 Days

Difficulty: Advanced 

Location

This trail is located in Lake Superior Provincial Park. The nearest town is Wawa to the north.

Traditional Territory: This route in Lake Superior Provincial Park lies on the traditional territory of the Michif Piyii (Métis) and Anishinabewaki (source).

Maps & Resources

Guidebook: N/A

Map: There is an Ontario Parks map available for purchase when you pick up your permits. This map has all of the campsites, landmarks and distances marked and works perfectly fine. In addition, other maps you can use are:

AllTrails - Lake Superior Coastal Trail (online)

Adventure Map - Lake Superior Provincial Park (paper)

Campsite Reservations & Permits: Backcountry reservations required and made through Ontario Parks. Specific sites cannot be booked and are all on a first come first serve basis. 

Outfitters & Shuttles

Lake Superior Adventures: This is a thru-hike and requires a shuttle or ride at one end of the trail. We used Lake Superior Adventures. The cost was $450.00 in 2020 and although this is quite expensive there were no other options available this year. Some groups bring two cars so they can have a car at each end. Our driver was very kind and extremely knowledgeable about the area which was nice.

Trip Report

Day 1: Gargantua to Rhyolite Cove (8.8 km)

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