Camping & Hiking · Scenic Views · Ontario
A spectacular Lake Superior park near Thunder Bay, famed for the Top of the Giant hike and its cliffs, with lakeside campsites on Marie Louise Lake and many trails. No cell service in most of the park.
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park covers a large peninsula on Lake Superior east of Thunder Bay, and reviewers use words like surreal and spectacular. The Sleeping Giant formation, high cliffs and views over the water draw most visitors, and the Marie Louise lookout gives a classic view of the Giant.
The main campground on Marie Louise Lake is large, with spacious sites, some right on the waterfront with private shore access. Campers describe clean comfort stations, vault toilets and potable water near the sites, and coin laundry. Staff are called helpful, and one group saw rangers moving a bear out of the campground daily. Backcountry sites at spots like Sawyer Bay and Tea Bay are close to the water.
Hiking is the main event, with around 150 km of trails at every level, including some wheelchair-accessible routes. The Top of the Giant trail is the signature hike, and people also enjoy the Sea Lion, Middlebrun Bay and shorter trails, the beach, canoeing, the visitor centre and a trip to Silver Islet. Deer, foxes and bears are often seen.
Plan ahead. There's no reliable cell service in the park. The Top of the Giant takes 5 to 8 hours, so bring good footwear, water, food and bug protection; biking the flat approach saves time. One family found trail signage lacking, and the Superior weather can change quickly.
Summarised from visitor reviews on Google Maps. Based on 1,230 Google reviews. Details change — confirm hours, prices and bookings with Sleeping Giant Provincial Park directly.
