Northeastern Ontario

Welcome to the third edition of the Northastern Ontario Backroad Mapbook. There have been many great changes to this book including an expanded Hunting section that provides information on each Wildlife Management Unit, more Backroad Attractions and updated Fishing and stocking information. The maps have also seen a lot of new road systems and trails added.

Northeastern Ontario is a sprawling area that encompasses the Canadian Shield, a beautiful area made up of granite rocks, boreal forest, and thousands of lakes. The shield landscape is typical of the area around North Bay. Near Lake Temiskaming, the rocky landscape gives way to the flatter clay belt lands that typify the Tri-City area. Towards the northwest is the rolling Lake Superior region, marking some of the most scenic terrain in the province. And in the far north, the Canadian Shield gives way to the James Bay lowlands, and finally, Hudson Bay.

This is a land that has been shaped and scarred by ice sheets of unimaginable size that have blanketed the region repeatedly. Ancient mountain ranges have been reduced to the modest hills that lie blasted open at the roadsides. It has taken thousands of years for the soil to reform—in many places it hasn’t yet—but that hasn’t stopped the resilient and tenacious trees that characterize this area from creating thick forest habitat for the abundant animals that supported various First Nations peoples and first caused European explorers to penetrate into this intimidating land. Perhaps the greatest legacy of the glacial period are the hundreds of thousands of lakes and streams scattered across the land, providing transportation, sustenance and recreation to the people lucky enough to call this place home—or even just visit it for a short while.

There are relatively few settlements in this region compared to Southern Ontario, with the largest of these being North Bay and Sudbury; however, most towns have a visitor centre or website that can point you to local recreational opportunities, including clubs and outfitters.

Recreationists are always intrigued by the north and this area will not disappoint. The area is well known as one of the best canoeing destinations in the world. Killarney, Lake Superior and the Temagami areas are particularly popular with canoe trippers, while rivers like the Moose and the Albany call out to adventurers looking to go to places where few humans ever go. Let this guidebook open the doors to the endless possibilities of paddling through the back country like the iconic voyageurs.

For those looking to make their foray into the wilderness using mechanized means in Northeastern Ontario, there are countless trails and winter routes that complement the parks and Crown land areas across the region. Snowmobiling especially has a strong infrastructure up here, and in the winter it is possible to travel for weeks on end along these trails. ATV aficionados will also find thousands of kilometres of managed trails, as well as endless forestry roads, at their disposal.

Whether you want to bag a moose, hook a fish or get a snapshot of a rare bird, this guide will point you in the right direction. We’ve provided angling information on hundreds of lakes and streams, descriptions of the hunting prospects in different regions and details about where you have the best chances to view the varied wildlife.

To borrow from a well known saying, the journey of a thousand miles—or perhaps just a quick trip to drop a line in a gem of a lake—begin with the book you have just opened.