Discover Parry Sound District

Water, islands and forests shape a wide range of vacation experiences in Parry Sound District. You can explore hiking trails, paddle across lakes and along shorelines by canoe, or learn about the region’s history. To choose the focus of your vacation, consider which of these experiences you want to shape your trip: active days on the water, nature experiences on land, or cultural discoveries.

Shorelines, islands and trails in Killbear Provincial Park

Canoeing and kayaking are possible in Killbear Provincial Park. The park includes more than 12 km of rugged shoreline and three islands to explore. If you’d rather travel on foot or by bike, you’ll also find a 6 km recreational trail for hiking and cycling. This means the same park offers several ways to enjoy the outdoors: paddling, exploring islands and covering a designated route on the recreational trail. If you want to focus your trip mainly on activities on the water, these options may help you choose what to do.

Wilderness and canoe routes

In Massasauga Provincial Park, hundreds of wind-sculpted islands meet inland forests and lakes. The park offers wilderness camping on Georgian Bay from Parry Sound to the Moon River. The islands and inland landscape offer different natural highlights; if you’re interested in the park’s scenery, there’s more than one way to experience it. Another historical feature of Massasauga Provincial Park is Calhoun Lodge, which offers a glimpse of cottage life in the 1930s.

French River Provincial Park offers another perspective on the water. Its 105 km canoe route follows interconnected lakes, passing through gorges and rapids from Lake Nipissing to Georgian Bay. The French River is also a river of national historic significance and was the first designated Canadian Heritage River. Its length and changing landscapes make this canoe route a clear focus for visitors who want to center their trip on a longer paddling journey.

Stories and nature knowledge

The visitor centre at French River Provincial Park presents the history of First Nations and the French and English cultures that lived, worked and travelled along these waterways for centuries. The permanent exhibition at the Museum on Tower Hill explores logging, navigation and early life in the north. Parry Sound is also home to two Artists’ Stations. Both overlook views that Tom Thomson painted during his visit in 1914. These stations connect a specific place with the memory of the landscape that captured the artist’s attention at the time.

The Museum on Tower Hill also offers a Northern Nature Exchange. It encourages people of all ages to appreciate nature through observation and learn about the environment. Alongside the historical topics, it offers a way to connect with nature by looking closely. If you’d like to combine cultural experiences and nature topics on your trip, the museum, visitor centre and Artists’ Stations offer different points of interest.

A day at Oastler Lake and a short hike

Oastler Lake Provincial Park is a good choice for day visits that include swimming, family picnics and barbecuing. Summer is the best time to fish for rainbow trout, pike and bass there. Canoes can be rented in the park on a “first come, first served” basis and may only be used on Oastler Lake within the park. The rental therefore comes with a clearly defined area of use. A day trip offers several different activities to choose from.

The North Shore Rugged Hiking Trail is a 2.5 km natural-surface trail along Salt Dock Wharf that runs to the boundary of the municipality of McDougall. Its length and route give you a clear point of reference if you’d like to include a hike in your trip. Overall, the district offers short trails, a longer recreational trail and an extensive canoe route. When choosing where to stay, you can first decide whether you want your days to focus more on hiking, paddling, observing nature or history.

For more ideas, you can also visit these destination pages: South River, Sundridge, Port Loring, Parry Sound District, Nipissing, Rosseau, Mcdougall, Callander, Emsdale and Magnetawan.

For the broader travel overview: Ontario.