By rail
Painting through the windows
The Agawa Canyon train climbs through bog, lake, and granite, then drops you for two hours in a canyon Lawren Harris and Lawren Harris's friends rode to paint a century ago.
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Algoma · Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie
Locks, canyons, and Group of Seven horizons at the edge of Lake Superior.
- Best time
- September – October for the Agawa Canyon train at peak colour.
- Getting there
- Air Canada Express from Toronto, or 8 hr drive via Sudbury.
- Suggested stay
- 1 – 2 nights
- Known for
- Agawa Canyon Tour Train · Soo Locks · Bushplane Museum
A portrait of Sault Ste. Marie
An essential stop.
Where the St. Marys River drops from Lake Superior toward Lake Huron, Sault Ste. Marie — the Sault — is a steel town turned outdoor base. The Soo Locks, Agawa Canyon train, and Group of Seven landscapes along Lake Superior all start here.
Field notes
Three ways to feel the place.
On the map
The six places
to anchor your trip.
A tour through the icons and the under-the-radar corners — laid out the way a local would walk you through.
- 1
Agawa Canyon Tour Train
One-day rail journey 183 km north into the canyon Group of Seven artists painted.
- 2
Sault Ste. Marie Canal
National historic site lock that, briefly in 1895, was the longest in the world.
- 3
Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Hangar full of restored bushplanes that opened up northern Canada.
- 4
Whitefish Island
Anishinaabe sacred fishing site at the base of the rapids — boardwalk trail open.
Agawa Canyon Tour Train
Sault Ste. Marie Canal
Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Whitefish Island
N
Year-round
Sault Ste. Marie through the seasons.
Spring
Steelhead run the tributaries; trail snow finally melts.
Summer
Boating on the St. Marys, fishing on the rapids, and ferry trips to St. Joseph Island.
Autumn
The Agawa train operates at peak colour from mid-September through mid-October.
Winter
Snowmobiling country — over 4,000 km of groomed trails radiate from the Sault.
Insider tips
From people who live there.
- 01
Book Agawa train tickets months in advance for peak fall weekends.
- 02
Lock Tours run small-boat trips through the canal — a calmer way to see the rapids.
- 03
Eat at Solo Trattoria or grab a pastry at Mrs. B's bakery downtown.
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