Are you aware of the nature oasis right in the middle of Sault Ste. Marie? Well, there are actually plenty of them around the city, but I’ll just cover one today. I know my usual content focuses on trails and areas outside of the city, along Lake Superior, but I figured I’d write about something more local to the city for a change. Bellevue Park is the perfect place to enjoy nice weather in the Sault, and I’ll tell you why!

I stopped in at Bellevue Park after my stats class on Monday because it was so nice out and I had nothing better to do. First of all, Bellevue is in a perfect location in terms of accessibility. There are several access points along Queen Street, one of the main streets running through the east side of the city. This means that the city buses come through the area quite frequently, so you can spend as little or as long as you’d like here, without needing a car. Of course, you’re limited to the hours the buses run and the park is open, but that’s a pretty lengthy window of time. The park is also right next to the St. Mary’s River, which makes for great views of the water, and freighter-watching opportunities.

The park was relatively quiet because kids were in school at that time, but busy enough that I felt perfectly safe walking alone. The park is also quite big, so at any given time, you can move from one area to another if you want more or fewer people around you. The walking/running paths are quite extensive, as far as a park goes, and span around the grounds, so you can walk as little or as far as you want. There are also plenty of picnic tables spread throughout, making it a great place to come to bring food and simply relax.

As you’ve hopefully noticed by the pics, the park is dotted with tall trees everywhere, creating a canopy of shade for those who want to enjoy the sun, but not feel like an ant under a magnifying glass. In addition to the trees, a lot of maintenance has also been put into keeping the grounds nice. With paved trails and grounds that are pleasing to the eye, Bellevue Park is truly a great place to get out and connect with nature without leaving the city.

Now, most people hear “park” and think of playgrounds, which I have not yet talked about. Bellevue Park is a hit for kids of all ages, with multiple playgrounds, including a sensory/accessibility playground, and a new splash pad. I only included a couple of pictures of this part, but there are several playgrounds, all with something different to offer, so kids don’t get bored after a twenty-minute outing. Now, multiple playgrounds may sound like a lot of used space, but really, you can walk around the whole perimeter of the park and barely notice them!

Bonus point here, there is also a greenhouse on the property that is open year-round to the public!

Bellevue is a great way to kill an hour or a few if you have a lull in your day, like I did. I’ve also found this is a good spot to bring my laptop and get some school work done when I feel like I need to change up my locations. One of the best things about the park is how universal it is for all ages. There’s something for everyone here. They even pave the pathways in the winter, making it easy to go for a walk at any time of the year.

This post was something different today, but I’m hoping something more local to the Sault can give those who live there an idea of where to go for a future outing. I think the park is exceptionally beautiful at this time of year, because the weather is still warm, it’s less busy, and it just has that fall vibe in the air. Let me know if there are other local spots you want me to write about next! Thanks for reading,

Eden 🙂