Follow The Waterfall Route From Toronto To Thunder Bay
There were many great stops on the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay in Ontario. Along the route to Sault Ste Marie, there were many great waterfall stops.
We detoured for a stop outside Wawa on the Magpie River at the Silver Falls. One suggestion for our route to Thunder Bay got us a great view of the Mink Falls. Many people would not find this gem. Our final stop just outside of Terrace Bay was at the Aguasabon Gorge and Falls.
So many great stops on the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
Heading North To Sault Ste Marie In Ontario
We chased waterfalls around Sault Ste Marie on our last fall drive north. On that trip, we enjoyed the fall colours when we stopped at Chutes Provincial Park, Crystal Falls and Chippewa Falls.
On this trip north as we drove from Toronto to Vancouver, the weather was grey and rainy. We debated a few waterfall stops. But we knew the sights would not match the previous visit. So we arrived in Sault Ste Marie a bit earlier than planned.
Even with a light drizzle we went for a walk along the waterfront and stretched our muscles from the almost 8 hours drive.
A Stop In Wawa
We had a stop on our waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay planned for just outside of Wawa. But no visit to Wawa was complete without a stop at the Visitor’s Centre for the Wawa Goose. The Gitchee Goomie totem poles were a fun surprise.
We were amused when we found several other large geese in the Wawa area.
We backtracked a bit to the falls and found the signs to the upper falls. But we kept going towards Michipicoten for Silver Falls on the Magpie River. On our return trip from Western Canada we planned to stop at the High Falls and complete our view of the Magpie River falls.
The Middle Silver Falls On The Magpie River
Our route took us right to the very small parking lot right at the Middle Silver Falls. From the parking lot we got a view up at the falls. A path went up closer to the falls.
From the bridge we saw the water as it cascaded down another set of falls. We tried to find a path down but the only one we found was steep and muddy.
Along the road we found the Bethune Cemetery we stopped. We looked at the markers and followed the path. We hoped the path led to a view of the lower falls. It did not.
We tried a few spots on both sides of the Magpie River for a view of the lower falls. And we got a great view out to Lake Superior. We finally found a spot where we had a clear view far off in the distance. We were sure there was a better spot but we did not find it on this trip.
The Middle Silver Falls on the Magpie River by Wawa was a great stop on the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
The Secret Stop At Mink Falls
When we planned our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver, we looked for interesting stops along the way. One of the suggested stops on our way to Thunder Bay was at Mink Falls. We were sure glad we did our research before we headed out.
On our map, we saw where the Mink River crossed the Trans-Canada highway. At that point we started to watch for the small pull off area that we saw when we walked to the Mink Falls on Google Earth. We had to reverse on the shoulder of the highway when we passed it. Safely parked, we crossed the highway and climbed the rocks. The path down to the falls was steep and muddy. But we immediately heard the roar of the waterfalls.
When we reached the water, we found a roaring waterfall. It was the colour of coca cola from the minerals in the rocks in the area.
Since this was a short stop on our driving day, we did not explore further to get to the bottom of the waterfall. But planned to stop on our trip back from Western Canada if the weather was good. We were excited when we found Mink Falls on the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
Thundering Falls At Aguasabon Gorge and Falls
We had one more stop planned on our waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay. As we went past Terrace Bay we watched for the signs to Aguasabon Gorge and Falls.
We parked in the lot and looked for the path to the viewing platform. A much longer hiking path went down into the gorge. The pathway took us down through the trees until we reached the platform. We waited while a group of motorcycle riders finished on the platform.
The view from the platform of the Aguasabon Gorge and Falls was stunning. The waterfall went down a drop of 30 metres (100 feet). The water flowed through the steep-walled canyon. On a longer stay, we could plan to hike the area or maybe even get down on the rapids.
The Aguasabon Gorge and Falls was a great stop on the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
Other Stops On The Waterfall Route From Toronto To Thunder Bay
As we approached Thunder Bay, we entered an area characterized by canyons. We had a couple of things on our list of thing to see and do in this area. We passed the sign for the Eagle Canyon Adventure Centre. It would be great to see the suspension bridge over the Eagle Canyon or try the longest and highest zipline in Canada. But not on this visit.
There was one more waterfall stop outside of Thunder Bay at the Kakabeka Falls. These falls were the second highest waterfall in Ontario. The highest are Niagara Falls close to home. But Kakabeka Falls would have to wait for a return visit to Thunder Bay.
A Pampering Stop In Thunder Bay
Sometimes we got a great surprise when we arrived at hotels booked on the internet. We planned our stays at Marriott brand hotels when we could and enjoyed the perks of our loyalty status. We arrived at the Delta Thunder Bay to a warm reception and a wonderful upgrade to the best room in the house. Our suite looked out over the marina and we saw the Sleeping Giant rock off in the distance. We got great views from the balcony at all times of day and night.
The hotel was new and the rooms were modern. Our suite had lots of space to spread out. And the soaker bathtub was a delight after the long day driving.
We booked our dinner at the on-site Anchor & Ore Restaurant. Chef Alexander Gut was known for the bbq he smoked on site. We were greeted with a tasty appetizer. And of course we had the bbq platter! We were delighted in the morning with the breakfast selections. It had just the right amount of maple and caramel to keep me happy!
We were very sorry we only booked one night at the Delta Thunder Bay. Every moment of our stay was excellent. We definitely planned to stay longer on our return trip from the west coast. The beautiful sunrise was a great send off.
A Few Final Stops On The Way Out Of Ontario
It was a long drive to the next stay in Winnipeg. So we sadly packed and left Thunder Bay early in the morning. We had no real stops planned along the route. But we made sure we stopped at Max the Moose as we passed through Dryden.
The GPS on our car reminded us when it was time for a coffee break. When we searched along the route we saw the Comfort Table Bakery and put that on as a stop. We were delighted when we arrived and found it was a coffee roastery too. Good thing we found good coffee since the bakery was pretty sold out by late afternoon.
We stayed on the route that took us through the last major town of Kenora. It looked much like most small towns in Ontario.
We said goodbye to our home province of Ontario as we crossed into Manitoba on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. We had more waterfall stops planned for our short stop in Winnipeg and on our travels around Revelstoke in British Columbia. And as we wandered around Whistler in BC, we found new waterfalls every day.
Some Great Stops On The Waterfall Route From Toronto To Thunder Bay
We found some great stops on the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay. It was a great start to our trip to Western Canada. We had long driving days planned so our stops were quick. But we marked the locations on our map for easy stops on our return trip.
When we planned our route out of Ontario from Toronto to Vancouver, we only planned one night stops. We knew that on the return trip we would re-assess this approach. There was certainly lots to see in Northern Ontario if we planned a slower trip through.
Have you followed the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay? What other stops should we plan for our return trip?
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Beautiful pictures of the waterfalls between Toronto and Thunder Bay! I am not that much into waterfalls, but the Agusabon Gorge and Falls look stunning. I also love the nature around the waterfalls – so green! I bet there are good hiking options in the area too.
There were great hiking options around the waterfalls. We did not plan enough time on our drive west but hope to spend more time on our return trip.
You surely visited many nice waterfalls on this trip! I’m most impressed by the Mink Falls and Aguasabon Gorge and Falls. They both look breathtaking and I could imagine the roaring sound of the waterfalls too. A stop at Comfort Table Bakery sounds lovely as well.
We were glad we planned so many stops on our road trip between Toronto and Thunder Bay to see waterfalls.
Love this and love waterfalls. I would definitely plan a travel route based on the waterfall viewing opportunities along the way.
We too often plan our route and stops by waterfalls. Glad we found so many on this trip.
You clicked some beautiful pictures of the waterfalls between Toronto and Thunder Bay! I am into hiking and trekking and can see there are a lot of hiking places at the waterfall areas and I loved the Aguasabon Gorge and Falls which looks amazing. The waterfalls are pretty good in Toronto area that one needs time to explore the places.
We are definitely planning to spend more time at the waterfalls on the way back home.
There are some beautiful stops along this route! I love waterfalls so I would enjoy visiting any of these. I’m also loving the giant Canada geese statues that are hanging around!
We found so many great things on the stops on our road trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay. Made the drive day longer but sure worth it.
This seems to be a great route if you like chasing waterfalls. I love the ones you visited at Chutes Provincial Park. The scenery around them is really peaceful, as opposed to the falls at Aguasabon Gorge, which are roaring furiously. The hotel at Thunder Bay had a truly beautiful view. Ah, all these beautiful road trips through Canada! I envy you guys for being retired.
We are truly enjoying being back on the road again. So much to see in Canada.
This is such a beautiful waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay! I wanted to see Kakabeka Falls when I was visiting Grand Portage State Park’s High Falls that straddles three nations (US, Canada, Grand Portage Nation), but the borders were still closed at the time. Now I know where to stay in Thunder Bay when I do make it up that way! High Falls is only 38 miles from Kakabeka Falls…so you may want to consider crossing the border to see them when you return.
Thanks for the suggestion to visit High Falls when we return – if the border is finally open. But we will definitely be visiting Kakabeka Falls.
I love this area of Ontario, and my work has afforded me the opportunity to see some of the smaller communities in this area. I did fly to Thunder Bay, but then drove to reach some places farther north. I missed seeing the Gorge, and can see why the motorcyclists would pull over to catch its wonderous site. I’ve spent a week in Wawa (hinterland) and it is so peaceful with its natural scenery of rivers, rocks and forest.
We did a quick pass through this area and it definitely teased us to want to see more. We hope for a longer stop when we drive back from the west coast.
I bet this would be especially gorgeous in the fall with amazing colors!
We saw part of this region last year in the fall and it was stunning. We were too early for fall colours on our drive west and will be too late when we return. But a great region for another year in the fall.
Wow! Now I want to take this drive. It looks like you had so many great stops. The waterfalls look amazing!
We were so glad we planned some beautiful stops on our drive from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
The number of waterfalls is just amazing. Also, that they are all so powerful. Nevertheless, I’m hardly ever truly impressed by waterfalls – I don’t know why that is. Obviously, I was blown – or washed 😉 – away at places like Iguazu. My daughter also loves to swim in the ice cold waters. While I don’t mind the temperature, I’m mostly scared to slip and break my neck 😉 Nevertheless, this route seems amazing!
We are water babies and always chase waterfalls. But we are also wimps so swimming in those waters is usually not on. We would definitely plan to spend a few days if we get to see Iguazu.
As I am a huge fan of waterfalls and taking pictures of the waterfalls, I like the idea of a trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay. I had no idea that this route offers so many picturesque waterfalls. I would love to see Middle Silver Falls in The Magpie River and Aguasabon Gorge and Falls. They are so impressive. And I love hiking opportunities to reach them as well.
We had only short stops at the waterfalls so the hikes were pretty short. But it did show us how we need to spend more time in the area and enjoy some hikes. So many great stops in Ontario.
Wow!! These photos are so beautiful. I grew up in Michigan and never made it here sadly, but definitely adding it to my list when I’m back in that area. Those waterfalls look so incredible – thanks for sharing!!
I am glad to show you this waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay. Hope you get to visit one day.
A really good post on waterfall route from Toronto to Thunderbay. The views of the forest and waterfall looked amazing.
We were so glad we made all the stops on our road trip. But there is much to discover on a longer stay.
Love hiking and this looks like a great trip outdoorsy trip.
We would love to go back when we had more time to do some hiking. But it was a great teaser to draw us back.
What a beautiful road trip. I haven’t managed to get to Canada yet but the Middle Silver Falls and the Magpie River is just how I imagine it. We love exploring the local walks and falls so I will add to my bucket list. Thanks
I do hope you get to visit one day. We loved all the stops we found on this road trip. Lots to send us back.
Enjoyed looking at the rich foliage and waterfalls at Thunderbay.The view from the hotel and food looked tempting.
It was a great travel day capped with a lovely hotel stay. Hope we get to spend more time on our return trip.
Wow that’s awesome!
At first I thought Wawa gas station/convenience store from Philadelphia has a branch in Toronto. Hehe… The geese statues look very interesting though. The Aguasabon Falls and Gorge looks stunning. I feel like I could hear its thundering sound. And it’s good to see that at the end of trip you were rewarded with a beautiful view from your hotel room.
We love when we find fun stops on our road trips. And a wonderful hotel stay finishes a long travel day just right.
What a lovely road trip. I like the variety of waterfalls from small and babbling to raging. The falls at Aguasabon Gorge look incredible.
We are never quite sure what to expect when we search out waterfalls. Loved the variety too.
Waterfalls! What a great theme for a road trip! We drove from British Columbia to Toronto a couple of years ago and stopped in Thunder Bay for a couple of nights, but reading your post, I fear we did not make the most of this trip. We did visit Kakabeka Falls though. Absolutely fabulous! Very envious of your hotel upgrade and the wonderful view. As usual, we were in our RV, but I recall the campsite in Thunder Bay was great. A really interesting post and food for thought for the next time we go trans-Canada.
We hope to spend more time on our return trip and get to see Kakabeka Falls. So many people have commented on what we missed. Lots to see on this road trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
I love waterfalls so this trip would be an ideal one for me. The waterfall at Aguasabon Gorge is definitely a stunning one so I added it to my future Canada trip wish list.
Always glad to add things to the list of things to see in Canada. Hope you get there one day.
In France, we haven’t had much luck with seeing any kind of majestic waterfalls like Aguasabon Falls but it looks absolutely beautiful. Canada is on our bucket list including a trip to tToronto so we’ll be guarding your guide and hopefully venturing into this stunning gorge one day. Plus if its a roadtrip, it has to be with a campervan for us 😉 Any campground recommendations?
There are definitely a lot of camping spots as you road trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay. There are many Provincial Parks with camping and private ones too. A great way to move at your own pace.
Chasing waterfalls is my favorite thing to do when we travel. In fact we’re doing a waterfall road trip this weekend in Michigan’s UP! Saving this for when we do our Canada one!
We too love to chase waterfalls at all times of year. Hope you get to see some of these if you finally get into Canada.
Wow this seems like a great trip! All of the large Geese in Wawa are so funny. Im sure staying at the hotel after the hike sure must have been nice, the food looked great! You took some awesome pictures as well it looks beautiful there.
It was a busy but fun day on our road trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay. We were glad we planned some great stops and an amazing hotel stay.
I’ve looked into several road trip itineraries this pas year and this one has to be my favorite. There is just something about waterfalls that I can’t resist. Mink Falls looks like quite the hidden gem. The food you ate along the way looks fabulous too!
We were delighted with our trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay and hope we will do it a bit slower on the way back.
I knew I was going to love this post before I even clicked I flipping LOVE waterfalls! Those are all gorgeous, but Aguasabon Gorge and Falls is particularly stunning!
I LOVE the giant geese too. <3
It was so great to find so many waterfalls on our road trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay. And then geese and moose too! A fun drive.