Attractions and Places To See around Unorganized North Algoma - Top 9

Potholes Provincial Park is located about 50 kilometers east of Wawa on Highway 101, the road to Timmins, the mining town in northeastern Canada. The nature reserve on the Kinniwabi River was founded in 1985 to protect the geological heritage. (Visit on June 3, 2026) https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/potholes

The visit to the rock art site is a short walk steeply down to the coast. Everywhere there are signs with warnings indicating the dangerous undertaking. The somewhat steep, walkable rocks are extremely exposed to water; during storms and wet conditions, there is a risk to life. People have died or been injured during visits when they were washed into the water. It looks as if there used to be a walkable platform. However, during our visit on May 31, 2026, none of this is an issue: with calm seas and a bright blue sky, we can view the somewhat faded paintings together. The passage on Highway 17 is closed today; since we have already been in Lake Superior Provincial Park since yesterday and will be staying for a few more days, we are not affected by the road closure.

On the Canadian side, two islands lie in the river, St. Marys Island and Whitefish Island. The islands were an important meeting place for the Anishinaabe First Nation for fishing and trade between Lake Huron and Lake Superior until colonization by Europeans and were called Baawaating, place of the rapids. To make the St. Marys River navigable for trade, especially with furs, a huge canal was built through St. Marys Island at the end of the 19th century; it was the longest lock in the world at the time. There is a height difference of approx. 7 meters between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. (Visit on May 27, 2026)

The Seven Sisters Rapids are located upstream of Chutes Falls. Walking along the Twin Bridges Trail offers the best view of the rapids; in addition to the platform at Chutes Falls, there are two other excellent viewpoints upstream. From both bridges, you can also get a view of the rapids in the Aux Sables River. (Visit on May 25, 2026) https://waterfallsofontario.com/seven-sisters-rapids.php

The starting point of the Twin Bridges Trail is at the viewing platform of Chutes Falls - near the Chutes Provincial Park Campground. You can comfortably walk along a well-maintained path to the second footbridge over the Aux Sables River. Along the way, there is another viewing platform where you can get a view of the Seven Sisters Rapids. There are also individual paths leading to the river with a view of the rapids. The path on the east side of the Aux Sables River becomes a hiking trail with gentle ups and downs. Before the trail leaves the river and leads back to the bridge in a loop, you can take another look at the Chutes Falls from a viewing platform. (Visit on May 25, 2026) https://www.ontarioparks.ca/pdf/maps/chutes/chutes_twin_bridges.pdf

The Agawa Rock Pictographs are a collection of 35 red-ochre paintings on the face of Lake Superior's towering granite cliffs. In Ojibwe, the area is known as Mazinaubikinguning, meaning "the adorned rock of Lake Agawa". Although the glyphs are only a short distance from the parking area this is not a hike one should attempt during inclement weather since you need to negotiate a narrow rock shelf right at the water level in order to access the site.

Potholes Provincial Nature Reserve is a hidden geological gem located about 35 minutes east of Wawa, where the boreal forest meets the Kinniwabi River. The park's main draw is its collection of distinctive potholes, cylindrical pits carved into the bedrock by glacial meltwaters over 10,000 years ago, that now form a series of miniature waterfalls and rock pools. The park is small, but there is a picnic area with toilets at the trailhead.

St. Mary's Island is a popular tourist destination in the Whitefish Channel on the St. Mary's River. There are many wild animals to see on the island, such as beavers, muskrats and minks. You can also observe numerous water birds and songbirds. It's worth packing your binoculars.