Town & County
Information
Other Points of Interest
Surrounded by lakes and forests, the attractive resort village
of TEMAGAMI , 100km beyond North Bay on Hwy 11, started as a rest stop on the
long portage from Snake Lake to Lake Temagami. It has been attracting tourists
since the turn of the century, when it built the region's first grand hotel and
introduced a steamship company and rail line to transport holiday-makers here.
Nowadays, it serves as a base for extended forays into the wilderness - mostly
hunters and fishermen travelling by float plane and/or canoe, but note that the
terrain is much too wild for the novice: you have to be well-equipped with
outback experience to be safe. To get a view of this wilderness, climb the
30-metre-high Temagami Tower just before you hit town; you may even spot a
peregrine falcon, which was reintroduced in 1997 after previously being
polished off by DDT.
Temagami Northern
Ontario
TEMAGAMI REGION
The Temagami Region, as defined by the boundaries of the
Ministry of Natural Resource's Temagami Administrative District, is
approximately 717,500 ha in size. There are seven parks in the region amounting
to 14 percent of its total area; approximately three-quarters of the total park
area is within the boundaries of Lady Evelyn Smoothwater Provincial Park. White
and red pine forest each makeup 4.8 percent of the region's forest cover.
Commercial logging in this region began in the late 1920s and has continued to
the present day.
Temagami's old-growth pine stands have been the most intensively
studied old-growth pine stands in Ontario, but of the 11 Temagami stands
described in this guidebook, only the Florence River and Florence Lake stands
are legally protected. Most of Temagami's old-growth pine stands border
shorelines, making access easy.
The heart of the Temagami Region is located about 80 km
northwest of North Bay, Ont. The main access to Temagami canoe country is via
Hwy. 11 and roads westward from there. (Southern portions of the region can be
reached on Route 805.) A car campground and swimming beaches can be found at
Finlayson Point Provincial Park, which is located only a few kilometres south
of the town of Temagami on Lake Temagami. Numerous campsites are available on
lakes and rivers throughout the region.
Camping permits for canoe-accessible sites outside of the parks
are not required for residents of Canada, but are required for non-residents.
Permits can be obtained from the Ministry of Natural Resources District Office
located in the town of Temagami. Valuable references for exploring this region
are Hap Wilson's Temagami Canoe Routes, published by Northern Concepts
and the Canoeing in the Temagami District map published by the Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources. At least one of these references should be used
in conjunction with this guidebook.
Teme-Augama Anishnabai
The Temagami Region is the homeland of the Teme-Augama
Anishnabai (Deep Water People) First Nation. Currently, the
Teme-Augama are involved in negotiating important land stewardship issues as
part of a proposed Treaty of Co-Existence with the Ontario government.
Uncontrolled and unrestricted access to this land is a major concern of the
Teme-Augama Anishnabai. Of particular concern are the lands under the
jurisdiction of the Wendaban Stewardship Authority. It's recommended,
therefore, that those wishing to explore the Obabika Lake old growth pine stand
get permission from the Wendaban Stewardship Authority, c/o Mary Laronde,
Stewardship Director, Teme-Augama Anishnabai, Bear Island, Lake Temagami, Ont.
POH 1CO.
Temagami Region East
These three stands can be most easily reached by starting a
canoe trip from the western-most portion of Snake Island Lake. To get to this
starting point, follow the gravel road from the Temagami train station east for
approximately 650 metres. Northland Paradise Lodge is located at the end of
this road.
From the lodge, the Snake Island Lake Stand
(#9) can be reached by canoe within an hour or two under calm
conditions, and It is possible to explore the stand and return to the access
point in a single day. This stand borders the shoreline of the lake, which in
places is very steep. There is more red pine than white pine in the stand and
the main associates are conifers - species such as black spruce,
balsam fir and white cedar. An extensive trail system now explores the stand,
and an accompanying guide book explains the history and ecology of the
area.
The Blueberry Lake Old Growth stands, located at the far east
end of Cassels lake can be reached in a few hours by canoe. There is a good
campsite near the portage on Cassels, and other campsites on Blueberry Lake. A
diversity of old growth stands are found here, including red and white pine,
yellow birch and cedar, and poplar forest. Temagami's newest interpretive
trails are found here. For more information consult the Guide to the Blueberry
Lake Ecology Trails.
To reach the Boulton Lake Stand (#7) and the
Rabbit Lake Island Stand (#8) requires more than a day's
travel. The Boulton Lake Stand is dominated by equal amounts of white and red
pine, while the Rabbit Lake Island Stand is dominated by white pine. There are
campsites near both stands.
Temagami Region Central
Canoe trips to see these old-growth stands should start from the
Central Lake Temagami Access Point road (formerly the Temagami Mine Road),
which runs west from Hwy. 11 about 6.5 km south of the town of Temagami. This
gravel road is about 18 km long and can be very rough. There is a public boat
launch and a large parking area at the end of the road. As a day trip, the most
feasible stand to explore from this access point is the Temagami Island
Stand.
Temagami Island Stand (#13)
The old-growth pine stand located at the north end of Temagami
Island is one of the most spectacular and ecologically significant in all of
Canada. It is less than one kilometre directly northwest across the lake from
the Central Lake access point. The Temagami Island Trail Guide
(published by Earthroots Coalition) is an excellent reference for use
while exploring this stand.
There are numerous large old pines in the island stand and the
diversity of forest habitats and plant species found here is high. This is one
of only a handful of pine stands in Ontario that has been the subject of a fair
number of ecological studies. White pine outnumbers red pine in the stand by a
factor of about four-to-one, while the variety of habitats found within the
stand also support a number of other tree species, including yellow birch and
sugar maple (these hardwoods are actually more typical of forested areas
further south, e.g. western Algonquin Park). White's survey of 1Y90 found four
regionally significant plant species -striped maple, white baneberry, daisyleaf
grape fern and leathery grape fern - and one locally significant plant species
smaller enchanters nightshade - in the stand.
Young white-pine regeneration is abundant in the stand, but
tree& in the 50- to 100-year-old age range are uncommon. A period without
any surface fires, needed to expose the mineral soil critical to seed
germination and seedling establishment, may be primarily responsible for this
age gap. Regeneration of red pine in the stand is even poorer, reflecting the
species' even more specialized set of regeneration criteria.
Obabika Lake Stand (#15)
The Obabika Stand is the largest stand of its kind in Canada,
east of Sudbury, Ont. It is globally significant and also has some of
Temagami's finest scenery. To get to the stand by canoe, either of two access
points can be used. From the Central Lake Temagami Access Point, follow the
route that goes northwest past Spawning Bay and Kokoka Bay to the northwest arm
of Lake Temagami (see Canoeing in the Temagami District map). Continue down the
northwest arm to the end of Obabika Inlet where there is a 940~rnetre portage
leading to Obabika Lake. From the end of the portage, a two- or three-hour
paddle under calm conditions is required to each the stand, located at the
north end of the lake.
An alternative access point is located at the south end of
Obabika Lake. To reach it, take Hwy. 64 north from Sturgeon Falls (on Hwy. 17)
or Hwy. 64 south from Marten River (on Hwy. 11) to Field, At Field, take Hwy.
539 north to Hwy. ~05 and follow the signs to Obabika Lake Lodge.. (Hwy. 805 is
a gravel road and is very rough in places, particularly for the last lOkm.) A
public boat launch and small parking area are located a few hundred metres to
the east of the lodge. (The boat launch is approximately 73 kin from the town
of Field.)
From here, a paddle of approximately 21 kin is required to reach
the old-growth pine stand at the north end of the lake. Be cautious on Obabika
Lake - its waters can be extremely rough when winds are strong. Take three or
more days to do this canoe trip, in order to have time to spend at least one
full day exploring the Obabika old-growth stand. The Obabika Lake Trail Guide
(published by Earthroots Coalition) is a useful reference for exploring this
stand and its extensive trail system.
Along with the Temagami Island Stand, the Obabika Lake Stand is
one of the most intensively studied old-growth pine stands in Ontario. Of all
the old-growth pine stands in Temagami, it has the greatest variety of habitats
and thus a high diversity of plant species and vegetation types. The primary
reason for this diversity of habitats is the rugged topography of the area: A
number of north-south oriented ridges and escarpments, for example, dominate in
the northern -and largest -section of the stand. Thin, dry soils, open forest
canopies and high fire frequencies are common on the hilltops and ridge tops.
Valleys, on the other hand, are generally characterized by moist soils, dense
forest canopies and low fire frequencies. In some valleys, wetland plants such
as alder dominate, Generally, the density of white and red pine increases
up-slope from the valleys to ridge and hilltops in this stand.
White's survey of 1990 found nine regionally significant plant
species - dwarf mistletoe, virgin's bower, Juncus militaris (rush),
round-leaved orchid, smooth blackberry, water dock, marsh fern, painted
trillium and Vaccinium angustifolium var. nigrum - and seven locally
significant plant species - water plantain, Canada water weed, dwarf St. John's
Wort, monkey flower, large-leaved pondweed, three-toothed cinquefoil and
twistedstalk - in this stand.
Relative to all other old-growth pine stands in Ontario that
have been studied, the Obabika Stand is unique in that it has a very healthy
white pine population -meaning that all ages from one year to 370 years are
represented by numerous individuals. This tells us that the stand is most
likely large enough, and functioning naturally enough to sustain its old-growth
white pine condition well into the future. How. ever, the same cannot be said
for red pine in this stand or in most other old-growth pine stands in
Temagami.
Other important natural features in and around this stand
include extensive cliff and talus slope communities, cold seepage springs, bog
communities, open-water marshes, Silty Shoreline communities, floodplain
meadows and wetlands, and a small area of old-growth white cedar-black ash
floodplain forest.
Other Stands
An overnight trip is recommended for exploring the Cross
Bay Stand (#10), the Voght Island Stand f#14), the Narrows
Island Stand (#11) and the Witch Bay Stand (#12).
Campsites are located close to all of these stands and their boundaries border
the lakeshore, making access easy. There are no public trails in any of these
four Stands which means bushwhacking is required to explore them.
Temagami Region West
Both the Florence Lake Stand (#16) and the
Florence River Stand (#17) are located in the Lady Evelyn
Smoothwater Wilderness Park. These are the only known old-growth white pine
stands remaining in the park, which was heavily logged prior to its designation
in 1983.
There are a variety of routes that can be used to get to the
Florence stands. The quickest and most direct way is to charter a float plane
(from Temagami, North Bay, Elk Lake or Sudbury) and get dropped off with gear
(including canoes) on Florence Lake. The plane could return for a pickup at a
pre-arranged time and place or you could paddle out to a pickup point and meet
or retrieve a vehicle. The issue of access to this wilderness park is still
being addressed through the park management planning process. Therefore, pilots
wishing to land on Florence Lake or other lakes in Lady Evelyn Smoothwater
Wilderness Park must obtain permission from the Ministry of Natural Resources
District Office in Temagami.
The quickest overland access to Florence Lake is via the Deep
Lake Road which runs north-south through the middle of the park. To reach it,
take Hwy. 11 to the intersection with Route 65 near New Liskeard. Take Route 65
west to Elk Lake and then pick up Route 560 west. At Longpoint Lake, go south
on the gravel road to Beauty Lake (also known as Isabel Lake) at which point
the road splits. Take the road to the left which goes south to Gamble Lake (22
km south of Longpoint Lake) and eventually to the Lady Evelyn River (30 ken
south of Longpoint Lake). The road comes within 125 metres of the river. Before
June 15th and after September 15tb it is possible to drive beyond the gate at
this point to the South Lady Evelyn River. The road is rough, however, so you
might want to choose a point further north on this road (Beauty Lake, Gamble
Lake) from which to start this trip.
From the gate at the Lady Evelyn River, paddle downstream to the
confluence with the South Lady Evelyn River. Paddle up the south branch (west)
to Duff Lake and eventually to the Florence River, which flows out of Florence
Lake. Then paddle up the Florence River (south) to Florence Lake. Florence Lake
is very isolated - this trip is recommended for experienced canoeists only. Set
aside at least three to four days for the trip. This site is a Canadian
vacation guide, a year-round Temagami destination, Lake Temagami and area.
TEMAGAMI ONTARIO, CANADA
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Ridgewood Cottages is your Temagami Ontario family
cottage resort offering activities all year long. Whether you choose to relax
on the beach or enjoy the sights and activities available locally, we know you
will enjoy your stay at this Ontario family cottage resort. There is docking
available for the boaters and fisherman. Fishing boats, canoe, paddleboat and
kayaki rentals are available with advance notice. 
The area's name "Temagami" comes from the Ojibway word
"Temagami" meaning "deep water by shore" and the areas 10,000 square kilometres
of canoe country offers many opportunities for adventure and fun on the
water
For the family or couple seeking a relaxing day on the water, a
canoe trip through the quiet and scenic back lakes is very satisfying. Take a
picnic or pack a tent and make an overnight holiday adventure of it.
