Leaving the family and cottage in Michigan we headed North to Canada.
The plan was to take the northern Lake Superior Circle Tour on the Trans-Canada Highway, camping 4 nights. We made reservations in 3 Ontario Provincial Parks, a full month ahead. We were lucky to get a camping spot. Apparently the pit toilets, cold water, and surviving without WIFI or cell service, doesn’t deter people. Tent camping at least in Canada, is still very popular.
We practiced assembling our tent in Michigan. What we didn’t test was crawling in and out or sleeping on those thin air mattresses. Our last trip camping with our tent was 5 years ago and then we only camped one night. We had doubts but the only way to really enjoy the trip around the North Shore of Lake Superior is to be ON the North shore of the lake. We were aware we might end up deep in the woods with mosquitoes but we took that chance.
Our first day we enjoyed an afternoon hike along the shore of Lake Superior and a beautiful sunset at Lake Superior Provincial Park. The only downside was the sound of the traffic on the Trans-Canadian Highway conveniently close to the campground.
Our second & 3rd nights were in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park located on the tip of a peninsula well off the highway. Our campsite had a peak-a-boo view of Lake Marie Louise where I went for a swim. We quite enjoyed camping at Sleeping Giant.
With no cell service communicating with the outside world from Sleeping Giant would not be easy.
We got quickly adapted to living without wireless or phone service. I even got to enjoy my 3 AM stroll to the campground toilet. The star gazing was fantastic! Since the sun didn’t set until 9pm this was the only way I would ever have been up late enough to view the celestial show.
We took one beautiful hike through the woods to the Middlebrun Bay and then continued on to the more remote Finlay Bay both on Lake Superior. By afternoon there were 10-15 other people who hiked or boated to the Middlebrun shoreline. It wasn’t as quiet and peaceful at 2pm but it was still beautiful.
After 2 nights at Sleeping Giant we un-enthusiastically packed-up the damp grimy tent to make the 6 hour drive to unpack the grimy tent at our last camping spot Rushing River Provincial Park. Our lucky day. About 2 hours before the turn-off for the park a steady rain began to fall and the rain just didn’t quit.
We were happy to change our plan and check-into the Sunset Inn in Kenora, Ontario. When we agreed to pay the $179 for the room the gals clerking the desk cheered our decision. “Now the motel is completely full and when we’re full, all the motels in Kenora are full.”
We had no regret at not assembling our tent and trying to cook in the rain. From the window in our motel room there was a beautiful view of the forest and I watched the steady drip of the rain. No guilt for not camping. I felt like we were still near nature since the motel had a bear warning. As I watched the woods from our room’s large window I kept hoping to see a bear from the comfort of my room.
I’ve never before stayed in a motel with bear warnings!
We had two unremarkable driving days through the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Staying one night in Brandon, Manitoba a college town with a walking path over a river, and the next night in Swift Current Saskatchewan, a town with a biking trail by the river.
Our final destination was Waterton, British Columbia the Canadian sister to Glacier Park. Just walking around Waterton is awe inspiring. We stayed 2 nights in our favorite Waterton motel which is now considered cool retro and not just the cheapest place in town which I believe it still is.
We did manage a 6 mile hike to Lower Rowe Lake. We were completely alone at an alpine lake which was just what we wanted. However as soon as Dennis pulled out his power bar snack we found out the marmot sunning on the nearby rock was way TOO friendly. He headed towards Dennis. We shouted and tried to throw stuff only to have a chipmunk sneak up behind Dennis and attempt to grab the bar out of his back pants pocket. Not a great choice for eating lunch so we went elsewhere to dine.
We left Waterton about 9am in the morning and were home sometime after 3pm although we had a time change that added an extra hour to our day. It seems a world away.
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