North Side of the Great Lakes

[bob_tescione]

My wife and I are headed to the western US about mid-September, and

for a different route, I have decided to drive around the northern

side of the Great Lakes.

 

What weather and temperatures can we expect in mid to late September?

 

Any recommended photo locations around Georgian Bay and the north side

of Lake Superior.

 

Thanks

Bob Tescione

[alex_lofquist]

Late September is a great time for Superior's North Shore. I would recommend "Around the Shores of Lake Superior: A guide to Historic Sites." by Margaret Bogue & Virginia Palmer. ISBN: 0-299-97013-2.

 

(Margaret Bogue also wrote "Around the Shores of Lake Michigan" ISBN: 0-299-10000-6, or -9.)

[Two23]

We've done that a couple of times and really liked it. Downside is there are few roads up there, but where there is it's great! There are some nice waterfalls etc. I haven't been in September, but I would think that's about the perfect month since the bug populations would have declined significantly.

 

 

Kent in SD

[mattvardy]

Bob, by the "north side" do you mean the Canadian side?

 

If so, I think you can expect temperatures around the 60 degrees F range.

 

In addition to less bugs (mosquitos and flies), September could provide you with lots of flora, and hopefully some autumn colours in the trees. Not to mention wildlife activity.

 

If you've got the time, visit some national or provincial parks, they are usually full of photographic opportunities. Purchase a good map that has not only roads but lakes, rivers, parks, and recreational areas.

 

I would recommend that you visit Algonquin Provincial Park - Ontario's largest and most famous provincial park and it is relatively close to Georgian Bay, probably a few hours drive or less away. It's full of easily-accessible hiking trails along with canoeing/kayaking areas, countless bogs, marshes, lakes, rivers, and vast forests and uninhabited, untamed areas. It's a perfect photo-day-trip destination. If you're out and about at the right time [like I was], you can see wild moose, deer, bears, birds and beavers, and a heck of a lot more. Landscape, Macro, Flower, and Wildlife photography is excellent.

 

Visit: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/ for more info.

[frank_dzambic]

Matt's right...Algonquin Park is stunning, but it's many, many hours from Georgian Bay. It's quick as the bird flies, but driving requires a long circuitous route from Georgian Bay. So I would say it's either Algonquin Park, OR Georgian Bay.

 

If you're driving the north side of Lake Superior, you can cross into Ontario at Sault St. Marie Michigan into Sault St. Marie Ontario, and then take the Trans Canada Highway East to Algonquin Park. That drive will still take a few hours, and people drive like they're retarded on the Trans-Canada, but Algonquin is well worth it in the Fall. Personally I prefer it in the last week of September/first week of October.

 

If you want to go to Georgian Bay instead, you have the little town of Tobermory, featuring a lighthouse, a marina, Fathom Five National Marine Park, glass bottomed boat tours, and Flowerpot island. Only a few kilometres outside of Tobermory though, you have Bruce National Park, and that is really the start of the famous Bruce Trail. I think the whole area there is beautiful, and very photogenic, especially if you're willing to do some hiking on the aformentioned famous Bruce Trail. In that area, the trail will take you alongside cliffs, overlooking Lake Huron, over rocky beaches with the clearest most pristine aquamarine blue water you can imagine, and through forests overflowing with ferns.

 

I assume you know about the car ferry-boat that goes from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island? It's a huge shortcut to Tobermory. Instead of driving around Lake Huron, you're basically cutting across it. Many years since I've been on Manitoulin Island, but I remember seeing quite a few bears in the summer.

 

Also, there's Killarney Provincial Park if you don't want to be bothered going to Tobermory or Algonquin. It's probably the first major park you'll come across if you cross over at Sault Ste. Marie. I haven't been to that one myself, but I think I've had the impression in the past that that is mainly a canoeists paradise more than anything. But, do some research.

 

Oh, and as far as temperatures go, it ranges between highs in the 60's and 70's during the day, to lows in the 30's to 40's at night.

[Jerry_]

...and don't look at the nice, straight-away route that is in the Road Atlas: the curves and rolls in the highway will keep you alert as you traverse around Lake Superior.

[bob_tescione]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I should have been more explicit in my plans. I live in Western NY, so I plan to enter Canada at Niagara Falls.

 

1. Head North from Hamilton to Bruce Peninsula

 

2. East and North to Sudbury

 

3. West to Sault Ste Marie

 

4. On to Thunder Bay

 

5. Reenter US at International Falls

 

6. Continue west to Rocky Mtn area.

 

Algonquin Prov Park will be for a separate trip.

 

I assume I should plan for about 5 days for this portion of the trip, but we are flexible in our timing.

 

Thanks again.

 

Bob

[frank_dzambic]

Hmm, well, I have to assume that you already know about Niagara Falls as a photo opp. then, right? :-)

 

In Hamilton, you also have the Royal Botanical Gardens which may or may not still be in bloom by then. There is also a butterfly observatory in Niagara Falls, and one in Guelph which would both be on your way.

 

Anyway, after Step 1 in your itinerary (Bruce Peninsula), I think you'd be better off getting on to the ferry from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island, and driving across it to get to Sudbury. It'll shave hours from your driving time I'm sure. Unless of course you want to drive around Lake Huron and see everything.

[frank_dzambic]

Actually, Niagara Falls isn't the main attraction at Niagara Falls anyway. Drive just past it to the little town of Niagara on the Lake. Very beautiful town, with Victorian architecture, and colourful paint schemes. Plus all kinds of picturesque vineyards, which have tours and wine tastings.

 

If you're into scenes of total environmental destruction, and bleak industrialization, you'll see it in one particular spot on the highway between Niagara Falls and Hamilton. I can't remember anymore whether it was a garbage dump or an industrial complex. But there's always lots of smoke, and a dingy grey pall over the place, with enormous flocks of seagulls constantly wheeling around. On the other hand, you'll also go by Balls Falls on the way to Hamilton from Niagara Falls. You'll have to look really closely for the sign). That's a pretty large waterfall, when there's any water running, and they have some old pioneer buildings on the site as well.

 

Also, as you're heading north from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay, you'll go by the Agawa Canyon. I haven't been there to see it with my own two eyes, but they offer a train ride through the Canyon, including some cars with a glass observation roof, and quite a few people that have been on it have told me it's the most beautiful train ride they could have imagined.

 

Oh, and don't forget to stop and take a picture of the giant nickel in Sudbury. I can't remember if it's just a giant nickel, or a giant nickel made out of nickel. Anyway, lots of mining in Sudbury.

 

Most of the drive on Hwy. 6 (from Hamilton to the Bruce Peninsula) will be quite pretty as well. Lots of rolling farmland, and many small towns you'll pass through. One of them being Wiarton, home of Wiarton Willy, that stupid groundhog that can predict if winter will end or not with about as much accuracy as the local weatherman. There's a statue of him down by the waterfront.

 

Exchange some money at a bank before you come over. If the exchange rate is 35%, many smaller establishments like gas stations and restaurants may only give you 20% or 25%. Pay with a credit card for anything and everything else if you can. That way you'll always get the correct (and most favourable) exchange rate.

[chelsea]

Skip Niagara Falls and make a beeline for the Bruce, you'll want the extra time for all the neat stuff on the north shore. Besides, western NY is close enough to Niagara that you can do that another time in a weekend trip. As said earlier, get a good map, there are lots of nooks and crannies along the north shore that you'll probably want to stop and see if you're into scenic shots. Near Thunder Bay there's Ouimet Canyon, Sleeping Giant provincial park, and amethyst mines. If your wife likes picking around looking for stuff, she'll have fun at the mines. Hopefully you'll get good weather if you take the Chichimaun (sp?) ferry from Tobermory. Mid to late September the colours should also be starting around the north shore. There are a lot of lookout spots along the highway where you can just pull over and enjoy the view.

[robert_roaldi1]

I just looked over your itinerary and I assume you meant 5 days from Niagara to west of Lake Superior, since that's the part of the trip you were asking about.

 

BTW, I use Thunder Bay as the western edge of the trip because that's where the Great Lakes end, but Thunder Bay is still a long way from the Rockies.

 

It's a day's drive from Niagara to Sault-Ste Marie, 8-9 hours. It is probably a VERY LONG day's drive (over 12 hours) from the Sault to Thunder Bay, essentially the entire length of the Lake Superior North Shore. I have never driven the Sault-to-Thunder Bay route. So with a 5 day max, this means you have 3 more days into which to stretch the trip. There are a couple of Provincial and maybe a National Park or two between Sault and Thunder Bay. Any map will show them and any tourist info office along the way will have maps, some of them free. At that time of year and that far north, the colours should be starting to turn so you should probably save your off-highway excursions for the areas west of the Sault. There are very nice areas near Parry Sound and Georgian, of course, and Sudbury too, but 5 days isn't enough to go to all of those.

 

One responder mentioned the Agawa Canyon, which is due north of Sault but it is accesible by train only (no highway anyway) and that trip is an all-day excursion by itself. It's a nice trip but not if time is limited.

 

There is a nice area (maybe it's a provincial park) just east of Thunder Bay which I'm told is gorgeous. It's basically at the west end of Superior, amidst bays and archipelagos. I have forgotten its name at the moment.

[jason hill]

There is a book named "Border Country - Photographs from the Quentico-Superior Wilderness" that I highly recommend. The Boundary Waters and the Quentico Provincial Park are great places for photography.

 

In general, Aug 15 is seen as the date for the mood change of the big lakes. Before that is summer. After Aug 15 can be anything. The water will change first and be less stable, the shore and inland areas will change more slowly. You're missing fly season though... and be glad you are. There's nothing worse than a nice nature shot with tons of fly streaks across the lens.