As I wrap up a wildly busy summer, I want to acknowledge the fact that summer is NOT yet over, and the month of September might honestly be the best time to hit the trails. And if you haven’t hit the trails at all this summer, fear not; there is plenty of time left, and I’m going to tell you how you can do it without having to pay any trail fees.

Let me address that first point real quick. I say September is a great time to hike because the days are still warm, hotter than August at times, and popular trails are wayyy less crowded with people working and being back in school. Another bonus: the bugs are just starting to die, meaning you won’t have to pile on the bug repellent to enjoy yourself (anyone catch the NK reference there?). And before you get turned off by the term “popular trail,” these trails are fantastic and popular for that reason. In Northern Ontario specifically, September means hills of red, orange, and yellow, and sights that you cannot miss if you’re in the area. Especially late September, so you still have lots of time to plan that hike or trip north.

It can be intimidating to hit the trail for these spectacular sights when it can require over an hour of driving, plus whatever fees you often have to pay to hike a trail that lies within a provincial park. Now, I’m not saying these fees are bogus-they go right back into maintaining the park and keeping nature the way it should be. However, that can sometimes be a deterrent for people who just want to test the waters, or are simply trying to save where they can. Northern Ontario has the perfect trail system in this case. The Voyageur Trail Association is a network of trails in the areas around Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, and Desbarats/Huron Shores.

One of the most popular trails near Sault Ste. Marie that follows the trail network is the Robertson Cliffs, or Robertson Bluffs trail. This hike is around 30 minutes north of the Sault and takes roughly 1.5-3 hours to complete, according to the Sault Tourism page. Another hike that I hiked for the first time only recently is the Eagle’s Ridge Lookout, located near Harmony Beach, also about 30 minutes north of town. I didn’t complete the whole trail, but I reached the lookout after about twenty minutes, including a short but steep ascent to the top. See pic below

I will note that while the trails are technically free to use, there is an annual membership that you can buy that helps to keep these trails maintained and accessible. $35 a year gives you access to downloadable trail maps and discounted merchandise from April 1 to March 31, with the price dropping the later you buy. Check out more info at this link.

Using the Voyageur Trail network is just one of many ways to connect with nature, especially if you live in/around Sault Ste. Marie. I’ll get into others in another post, but figured I’d keep it short and sweet today 🙂

Hi! Sorry about the occasional ad, but it helps me earn while you can read for free! Thanks for understanding 🙂