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Pancake Bay

Pancake Bay Provincial Park is located at 12729 Highway 17 North in Batchawana Bay, Ontario. Characterized by white sands, clear waters, and a unique dune ecosystem, the park is known as one of the best beaches in all of Lake Superior. And because it's located on a large and shallow bay, the waters are warmer than nearby Lake Superior Provincial Park. Other than the beach, the park is known for its massive lookouts, impressive walking trails, and provincially rare environments. I visited in August 2025.

History (next 2 sections)

As highlighted on the Nature Trail, the land that the modern day park sits on was underwater. After glaciers melted 11,000 years ago, large sand deposits were left at the bottom of a much larger bay than the one today. And once the water levels lowered, the sand was exposed to let a dune ecosystem thrive. Fast forward thousands of years, and Pancake Bay was inhabited by natives - specifically the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians. There was remnants of this all over the park. The first time they contacted Europeans was in the 1700s, when Voyageurs passed through while traversing the Great Lakes. They liked sandy shores (which are regionally rare, on rocky Lake Superior) because if the wind speeds increased, their ship would survive banging into shore. Europeans liked to stop along the sandy shores to have meals and take breaks, before having to tough out the rocky shores and storms of the fierce lake.

Canoes in a Fog, by Frances Anne Hopkins.

Informative sign near the modern day comfort station.

Fast forward a hundred years, and the era of freight travel has arrived. And because of Lake Superior's extreme nature, it has earned a reputation of being a graveyard for travelling ships - which is warranted. The image right shows off shipwrecks in Lake Superior, and goes in detail on ones near the park. The Edmund Fitzgerald sank 8km off shore of the park (see SPOTLIGHT), which you may know from the famous Gordon Lightfoot song. Moving on, the Department of Forests gained interest in the area throughout the 1900s, and they acquired the land in the 1950s. The park was first opened and ran in 1958, featuring basic amenities. Throughout the late 1900s, the park was improved and updated (including adding more campsites, removing the fish pond located by the modern-day Hilltop Campground, adding the Edmund Fitzgerald Trail System, etc). And that's where we get the park today.

There are rival theories and legends as to where the name "Pancake Bay" came from. The most obvious and trivial answer is that the sands and waters are very flat, and that hungry European explorers may have associated that with being "flat like a pancake". But this is too boring, so the Ontario Parks people will tell you a legend (which is verifiably true), that European explorers would stop at the sandy shores of the bay to much on meals. Unfortunately, there is no way to prove that they routinely ate pancakes - and no evidence to show that they called them "pancakes" (they called them Breton galettes). Let's just agree that it's called Pancake Bay because the bay is shaped like a pancake, which is just as true, and it is the easiest to explain on a camping blog like this.

What the Park Offers

Pancake Bay offers lots of activities, including:
- a 3.5km sandy beach, one of Lake Superior's largest
- relatively warm waters, reaching around 19 degrees in July
- convenient location along Highway 17
- biking on the Edmund Fitzgerald Trail System
- wheelchair accessible trails to the beach
- waterfront cabins for nightly rent
- large dog beach, and an off-leash dog run
- multiple scenic lookouts over marshes and the lake
- lake, rainbow, and brook trout in the lake and Pancake River
- incredible birding, including perchers and birds of prey

There are 6 trails in 2 categories:

The Edmund Fitzgerald Lookout Trails

Please note the trail lengths in this section include the distance from the previous trail - i.e., the Tower Trail is just a 4.4km loop added to the other two trails.

Lookout Trail - 5.6km round trip, easy-moderate

Easily the most used and famed trail at Pancake Bay is the Lookout Trail, and rightfully so. Climbing a large hill (which isn't that large by the area's standards) and winding up to a staircase seemingly touching the clouds. Once atop, there are two lookout platforms teaching you about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (see SPOTLIGHT). One of the best views of Lake Superior in the whole province.

Pancake Falls Trail - 10.5km, moderate

Often overshadowed and underappreciated is the Pancake Falls Trail, a spur from the Lookout Trail. Following a path through a dense deciduous woodland before arriving at Smith's Road, crossing two creeks featuring signature red clay and rocks. Continuing forward onto crown land, you stray from Smith's Road to descend to scenic Pancake Falls, which features multiple rapids and large waterfalls in their own right. You then circle back to the scenic lookout via another trail.

See the image gallery below for more/better pictures.

Tower Trail - 14.9km, moderate

Although I did not get to hike this trail, I know that it's a four kilometer loop providing nice views and picnic areas on the scenic Tower Lakes.

Inside The Park Trails

The Edmund Fitzgerald Trails are accessed via a parking lot on the opposite side of Highway 17. These 2 trails are within campground boundaries.

The Pancake Bay Nature Trail - 3.5km, moderate

Starting at a parking lot, the Nature Trail traverses west alongside the group campsites, before arriving at the beach. It soon turns right into woodland, before climbing a hill. Signs along the trail inform you about the geological history of the area (see below). After this, you plummet to a fen marsh with a boardwalk before crossing Black Creek multiple times before returning to the road.

Pet Exercise Trail - 100m, easy

Also known as the dog run, this trail climbs a hill in the 400s West Campground where you can let the dogs loose in an open field. At the top, the run includes poop bags and garbage cans, to dispose of your dog's waste.

Bruce's View - 100m, easy

This short trail is dedicated to Bruce Stubbs, a former Ministry of Natural Resources employee, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash during a moose survey. The trail is short and wanders to a boardwalk overlooking the fen marsh - the same one that the Nature Trail winds through.

Image Galleries

Click on the arrow of your desired trail/image type, and see all of the pictures I took in said category.

Nature Trail Pictures

Lookout Trail Pictures

Pancake Falls Trail Pictures

Nature Trail Signs

Edmund Fitzgerald Trail Signs

Bruce's View Pictures

Visiting the Park

This park is long. Like really long. It's sandwiched between Highway 17 and Lake Superior, so navigating is easy - providing you know what you're doing. After turning in off Highway 17, you'll be greeted with a choice - left to day-use, or right to the campground.

Turning left, you'll pass the amphitheatre and ride alongside a creek and the beach. The road ends at a turnaround, with parking lots the whole way. If you walk past the "no unauthorized vehicles" sign, you'll see the 4 cabins.

Turning right, you'll be forced to stay right, and drive alongside Highway 17. The northernmost campground road is the only two-way road in the park. All of the others being one way only. Driving on the northernmost road, you'll pass the 100s, 200s, 300s, and then 400s campgrounds, before arriving at the only dump and fill station in the whole park. From there, you can turn right up the hill to access 00s (or Hilltop) campground. The Nature Trail is beside the dump and fill station, while the Edmund Fitzgerald Trails are on the opposite side of the highway. The beach is accessed from numerous spots around the park, and certain sections are wheelchair accessible, with others being pet-permitted.

Pancake Bay Beach and the mouth of Pancake River viewed from the Edmund Fitzgerald Lookout Trail. (taken with zoom lens)

Interesting Species

Note that the photos in this section are not explicitly from this park, they are good photos of species that live here.

Marram Grass

This is not a species, but there is unique red clay and red rocks visible from the Nature Trail and Pancake Falls Trail.

Birds of prey, such as bald eagles

Unique fen habitat - a fen being a bog with water flowing through it

Tips and Advice

This park is similar to Craigleith, except the highway is less busy and less loud.
As for highway noise, the only road with substantial noise is the northernmost road, but it's nothing too bad. Book closer to the lake if possible.
Refrain from booking in Hilltop Campground, it's just a hassle to do anything outside of your loop. (because you have to climb the hill)
Definitely bring your bikes, because the campground feels a lot bigger than it actually is without them.
You should consider booking a group campsite. They are well located, allow trailers, have water access, and are a decent size.
The cabin in the group camping section is very nice and well maintained, do recommend.
You can skip the Tower Trail, but don't miss the Pancake Falls when doing the Lookout Trail. It may be overshadowed, but it's worth it.
If you would like to see more falls similar to Pancake Falls, Sand River/Pinguisibi Falls at Lake Superior Provincial Park are similar, and just as impressive.
If you're booking this as a Highway 17 stopover, be sure to stay two nights - it's worth it.
The water isn't all too cold. Be sure to swim. The sand is very fine and white, and the experience is worth it.
Catch the sunset on a non-cloudy day. Unfortunately, it was all clouds when I got to visit.
Don't carve your own path to the water. The park is trying to protect the dunes, and there's already a sufficient amount of pathways.

SPOTLIGHT: The Edmund Fitzgerald

The "pride of the American side" sank in the waters of Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Everyone on board died, totalling 29 men. The ship was built by the Americans to sail the waters of the Great Lakes carrying taconite, a mix of iron ores. The ship had routine routes, and they basically consisted of picking up iron ore from Duluth, Minnesota mines, and dropping it off in some Great Lakes port city. And this worked well - for 17 years. Until one day, when captain Ernest McSorley and his modestly sized crew where making a routine route from Superior, Wisconsin to Cleveland, Ohio. And we all know how the tale goes:

"The captain wired in he had water coming in
And that the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night, when his lights went outta sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
- Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot, 1976

When launched, it was the largest ship to ever sail the Great Lakes - but now it's the largest to have sunk there.

Opinions

Nash

Top 5 parks easily, and I mean it this time. Absolutely loved it. It's got a bit of everything, for everyone. This park is like what Craigleith Park tried to be, but failed. It's much better, offers better vistas, better swimming, better hiking, better everything. AND I would say it's better than most parks, featuring one of my favourite hikes I've ever done (Pancake Falls and Lookout Trail loops). A solid 9/10, would recommend.

Map: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/pdf/maps/pancakebay/campground_map.pdf
Nature Trail Map: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/pdf/maps/pancakebay/NatureTrail.pdf
Edmund Fitzgerald Trail Map: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/pdf/maps/pancakebay/EdmundFitzgeraldTrail.pdf

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