A visit to the Thunder Bay area along Lake Superior, Ontario, is not complete without a visit to The Sleeping Giant. We had the opportunity to see the giant’s profile from Marina Park back in 2021 and I have been thinking about it ever since. Famous primarily for one of the most iconic trails in Ontario, the Sleeping Giant was the main reason we returned here.
Thunder Bay is the largest city in northwestern Ontario and was composed of two formerly separate towns: Fort William, a French fur trading outpost on the banks of the Kaministiquia River, and Port Arthur, the eastern terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the major transshipment point for lakers carrying goods from across the Great Lakes.
Thunder Bay centre boasts a small variety of buildings, but no one really visits this area for the city. The panoramic view of the Sleeping Giant and Marina Park are the main attractions of the Waterfront District and an afternoon spent there will give you an idea of the other activities available.
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park (officially Kawartha Highlands Signature Site) is a 375-square-kilometre (145 sq mi) area of preserved wilderness used for recreational purposes in south-central Ontario, Canada. It is the largest park in southern Ontario after Algonquin Provincial Park, and is located North-East of the main belt of the Kawartha Lakes, in Peterborough County.
With an extensive network of lakes and rivers, this area also has historical significance as a trading route for Indigenous people and early settlers. Often called Canada’s Canoe Capital, The Kawarthas are known for many things. The name “Kawartha” derives from an Anishinaabe word meaning “land of reflections” or “bright waters and happy lands”. And here we are to explore these lands and enjoy the beautiful summer days.
Located 40 miles (63 km) northwest of San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore is a relatively hidden gem if you are not from this area. Rolling hills and endless beaches are the main features of this reserve, and if you are a nature lover or a birdwatcher, then this is your kind of place you want to visit.
“This is the best tree-lover’s monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world.” – John Muir
Located 12 miles (19 km) north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods National Monument is nestled in the Coast Range, a mountain range that runs down the length of California. The mild climate along the coastal mountains provides an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, and the redwoods are the most famous, dominating the entire ocean coast. Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Monument protects 240 hectares of old growth coastal redwoods (Sequoia Sempervirens). This is one of the world’s last remaining ancient redwood forests, which is why it was designated a national monument in 1908, even before the National Park Service existed. The Kent family, who purchased the land in 1905 with the goal of protecting the redwoods and the nearby mountains, insisted on naming the park after naturalist John Muir, whose environmental campaigns helped establish the National Park system in the United States.
Peterborough County is located in Southern Ontario, 2 hours northeast of Toronto, which, together with the Kawarthas, make a favorite area for vacationers and cottagers. This region doesn’t have high elevations, but it still has some wonderful trails thanks to the varied landscape in certain areas.
Established in 1959 as part of the Ontario Parks system, Grundy Lake Provincial Park is located along Trans-Canada Hwy, 85 km south of Sudbury, Ontario. With a wide variety of camping grounds, few hiking trails, and countless inland lakes, we thought it was a good place for us to spend a few relaxing days.
Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the U.S., being established in 1885 as the Niagara Reservation. It was the first of the several such reservations that eventually became the cornerstones to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Continue readingI was often in awe of the craftsmanship of many bridges I crossed or admired over time. Some of them are right in the middle of famous cities, probably famous just because of their prodigious bridges, while others are built in the midst of unbelievable places, in the middle of nowhere. Either way, all of them are taking you to some of the most scenic views.
1000 Places and Memories 