The best walks and hikes around Unorganized North Algoma

The visit to the rock art site is a short walk steeply down to the coast. Everywhere there are signs with warnings indicating the dangerous undertaking. The somewhat steep, walkable rocks are extremely exposed to water; during storms and wet conditions, there is a risk to life. People have died or been injured during visits when they were washed into the water. It looks as if there used to be a walkable platform. However, during our visit on May 31, 2026, none of this is an issue: with calm seas and a bright blue sky, we can view the somewhat faded paintings together. The passage on Highway 17 is closed today; since we have already been in Lake Superior Provincial Park since yesterday and will be staying for a few more days, we are not affected by the road closure.

After a short ascent and a walking time of approx. 20 minutes – clockwise on the circular trail – you reach the first viewpoint at an altitude of about 270 meters; it is located a few meters off the Awausee Trail. The view extends over Agawa Bay in Lake Superior to the south and the chain of hills to the southeast. The Agawa River is visible in the dense forest on the plain. (Visit on May 30, 2026)

The Sand River tumbles through a series of rapids and waterfalls before emptying into Lake Superior. For thousands of years, it served as an important travel route for Indigenous peoples and later became part of the fur trade network linking the Great Lakes with the Canadian interior.

The Pinguisibi Trail follows a rushing river through mixed forest to a series of waterfalls and rapids before reaching the broad, sandy shoreline of Lake Superior. Interpretive signs along the route explain the river's role in Indigenous travel and the fur trade, adding historical context to the hike.

The Agawa Rock Pictographs are a collection of 35 red-ochre paintings on the face of Lake Superior's towering granite cliffs. In Ojibwe, the area is known as Mazinaubikinguning, meaning "the adorned rock of Lake Agawa". Although the glyphs are only a short distance from the parking area this is not a hike one should attempt during inclement weather since you need to negotiate a narrow rock shelf right at the water level in order to access the site.

This trail follows the coast of Lake Superior for 65 kilometres, traversing rocky cliffs and boulders, offering incredible views, and beachside campsite for thru-hikers. The full route typically takes hikers 4 to 6 days to complete and it's best tackled by experienced backcountry hikers due to the difficult terrain and quickly changing conditions faced on the trail.

Parking for the Crescent Lake Trail is available from a small roadside trailhead lot off Highway 17 within the park. You can park directly beside the signed trail entrance, with space for a handful of vehicles and limited room during busier summer weekends. There are no major facilities at the trailhead itself, though nearby day use areas within the park have washrooms and picnic areas

Crescent Lake Trail follows a quieter inland route through dense boreal forest, wetlands and rocky Canadian Shield terrain within the park’s backcountry. The trail passes alongside Crescent Lake, and Mudhole Lake for sections of the route, with smaller lookouts opening through the trees toward the water and surrounding hills. Roots, exposed rock and muddy patches are common underfoot, especially after rain, while the more remote setting gives the trail a calmer atmosphere compared to the park’s busier coastal hikes.