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Sleeping Giant

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is a massive provincial park spanning nearly the entirety of the famous Sibley Peninsula. And on its western shore lies the park's namesake, a 7km long and 563m high series of mountains resembling a giant laying upon its back. Featuring 125km of trails and nearly 25,000ha to explore, the park is one of Ontario's most well known, and one of Canada's most respected. In fact, it was voted as the #1 Wonder of Canada in 2007, doubling the amount of votes recieved by second place Niagara Falls. All in all, Sleeping Giant is a haven for those seeking incredible vistas and an immense amount of stuff to do. I got to visit in August 2025.

History (next 4 sections)

The year is 1950, and Dr. Scotty McNeish (head of the National Museum in Ottawa) is visiting Pass Lake. The reason for this strange endeavour was that a Danish Farmer in the area, Jorgen Brohm, had uncovered bizarrely shaped tools made of stone, which he believed were evidence of an ancient civilization. With Brohm and the locals of Pass Lake by his side, McNeish dug for more evidence - which he found. This evidence was proof that humans had lived on the Sibley Peninsula for 9,000 years.

Fast forward a few thousand years to the 1800s. The Chippewa (Ojibwe) peoples inhabited what is now Fort William First Nation, just south of Thunder Bay. These native men and women already had plenty knowledge of the Europeans, and would dream up ideas as to how the Sleeping Giant may have been formed. One Ojibwe legend says that Nanaboozhoo, a noted trickster, was turned to stone when the white men found the silver reserves on Silver Islet - which indeed occured. And when Nanaboozhoo solidified, he rested on Sibley Peninsula, forming the Sleeping Giant we know today.

What the Silver Islet Mine looks like today.

The white man whom the Ojibwe feared turned out to be Thomas MacFarlane, who discovered silver on a small island off the shore of Sibley in 1868. A mine was built on the island by the Montreal Mining Company, and this was operated for 2 years. This was until the company decided it was too much of a hassle to continue working on, so they sold the claim for the island to the Alexander H. Sibley in 1870. Sibley founded a company dedicated to the remote island, known as the Silver Islet Mining Company, with Sibley's longtime partner, W.B. Frue, as mining captain. Despite harsh conditions, restricting working space, and inefficient transportation to and fro the remote location, they somehow pulled $3,250,000 worth of silver out of the mine before its closing in 1884 (it's worth ~$107,000,000 today).

As a direct result of the mine, a few small communities started popping up nearby, in turn, outlasting it. The most notable of which being the town of Silver Islet, where most of the former miners lived. And when the 1920s, a second industry was brewing (it was fishing).

Just under 4km southwest of the town of Silver Islet is scenic Tee Harbour. Although nowadays you may associate Tee Harbour with the scenic lookout of it from the Top of the Giant Trail, it was once a fledgling little town. Sometime during the 20s, some commercial fishermen made their way down to Tee Harbour's east shore, to make a base for their fishing operations. They had tried other locations, but due to Superior's heavy winds, they were constantly changing spots and rebuilding. And even though they did not own the land, they made a home for themselves, building homes and docks and cellars and saunas on the calmer waters of Tee Harbour. Of course, it was not always sunshine and rainbows, so the 3.5km land trek to Silver Islet was rarely attempted. This forced the lonely fisherman to tough the waters of Lake Superior, which is difficult even in good weather. This Tee Harbour fishery lasted for around 10 years, before relocating to Camp Bay (near Silver Islet) in the late 30s. Other than the disestablishment of Tee Harbour, not much has changed to the peninsula - except for one very major exception.

A model of 1920s-30s Tee Harbour in the visitor centre.

Sibley Provincial Park was established in 1944, becoming Ontario's eighth provincial park. With the completion of the Marie Louise Lake Campground around the same time, the park hasn't changed much since. The main changes are subtle, i.e. the carving of extra trails, refining park boundaries, and most notably, changing the park name.

As previously mentioned, from 1944-1988, the park was known as Sibley P.P., named after the peninsula (which is in turn named after Alexander H. Sibley, former owner of the Silver Islet Mine). But in 1988, the name was changed to Sleeping Giant for a few reasons. The first of which being a subtle nod to the Ojibwe legend, the second being due to recognizability (is one of the province's most iconic landmarks), and the last of which being an effort to grow tourism - which was struggling a little bit during the 80s. Fortunately, this name change sorted this out quickly, and you still see Sleeping Giant full 24/7.

What the Park Offers

Sleeping Giant has a sweeping amount of stuff to do, like:
- 125 kilometres of maintained hiking trails
- 50 kilometres of groomed skiing trails
- over 50 kilometres of mountain bike trails
- trails ascending to views from the tallest cliff in Ontario
- a boat launch and dock on scenic Marie Louise Lake
- multiple scenic drive-in picnic areas/lookout points
- large sandy beach in Marie Louise Lake Campground, with a playground
- interior backcountry sites available for hike and paddle-in
- a large visitor centre and store, telling the park's story
- 5 waterfront cabins for rent on Marie Louise Lake
- over 200 species of birds, including numerous endangered ones

Below are the different trails, routes, and lookout points I visited.

Trail by Trail

This is a list and guide to every trail I at least partially completed at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

Kabeyun Trail - 37km one way, extremely difficult

The backbone and grandaddy of the Sleeping Giant trail system is the immensely difficult and important Kabeyun Trail (kabe-ee-un). Despite this, majority of hikers will only do certain sections of it, to access other trails (namely the Top of the Giant Trail via Talus Lake Trail). See the trail routes below for more information. (some sections bikable, yet large portions are not.)

Talus Lake Trail - 6.3km one way, difficult

The Talus Lake Trail is another one commonly used a pass-through, or an access trail. Starting at the south junction, the trail meets the Top of the Giant Trail at "the Triangle", a grassland in between Thunder Mountain and the Giant. Marching on, the trail passes 3 lakes which dare puddle in the valley between the two mountains. Two of which drain to Lehtinen's Bay, while the third, the trail's namesake, drains north to Sawyer Bay. (no bikes)

Sawyer Bay Trail - 5.5km one way, moderate

Starting at the south Kabeyun Trail, the Sawyer Bay Trail deals with innumerable rocky hills, headed north. Once meeting the Sawbill Lake Trail, it ventures west, down even more hills to 3 backcountry campsites on beautiful Sawyer Bay. A shaded rocky beach and crystal clear waters are the reward for the moderate hike or difficult hilly bike ride. (difficult on bikes, but they are permitted)

Top of the Giant Trail - 2.7km one way, very difficult

Arguably Sleeping Giant's best trail is the world-famous Top of the Giant Trail. It takes 8.3km to even access this trail, further adding to the difficulty. Diverging from the Talus Lake Trail, the trail's first highlight is a stunning view from the Triangle, showing off the Giant and Thunder Mountain's cliffs (see bottom). You then have a directly uphill section for about 1km. This trail section is incredibly difficult and should only be attempted by experienced hikers. But once you're at the top, 1km southwest leads to the Tee Harbour Lookout (top right), a stunning lookout over both Tee Harbour and Silver Islet. And after another kilometre, you get to the famous gorge lookout (bottom right), one of the province's most recognizable geologic formations. This is a world-class trail that makes the 22km round trip worth it (see Routes).

Sawbill Lake Trail - 2.3km, moderate

This is a very convenient trail, especially for those wanting to do the Sawyer Bay Trail. This trail is accessed via Marie Louise Drive, at a parking lot 2km from the campground. This is the closest to the campground that the Giant trails themselves go. The trail itself is a relatively flat bike-friendly trail featuring a bridge. Beware that there is a big hill right before the junction with Sawyer Bay Trail, so the ride west is far easier than the return headed east. (bikable heading west. The hill is large and rugged, wouldn't recommend biking east on this trail.)

Sibley Creek Nature Trail - 2.3km loop, easy

This is the main trail actually located in the campground. Starting off on Marie Louise Drive, this trail traverses for almost a kilometre to a bridge over pretty Sibley Creek. There is then a 1.3 kilometre loop showing off more creek access as well as a northern marsh. There are posts with numbers throughout the trail, as there is a trail guide available in the visitor centre. (you could bike this, but certain sections you will have to walk it.)

Thunder Bay Bogs Nature Trail - 700m loop, easy

This short trail starts near the famous Thunder Bay Lookout, but instead shows off a different geologic feature - a small lake atop a high cliff. Although the park calls it a bog, the water could certainly pass for a lake, and a pretty scenic one at that. I recommend the short when coming up here for the Thunder Bay Lookout (which is not accessed via this trail by the way). It's pretty nice. (too many roots for bikes, but the trail is flat.)

Tee Harbour Trail - 400m one way, easy

As the sign puts it, the 10 finest backcountry sites in the whole park are located at Tee Harbour, and I'd have to agree. Jutting off of the Kabeyun Trail, you traverse the centre of the T shaped peninsula. Passing backcountry sites along the way, you arrive at a lookout point showing the seemingly infinite expanse of Lake Superior. There is also a beautiful beach at the beginning of the trail, which is great place to swim after doing the tiring Top of the Giant Trail. (definitely bikable, as is the section of Kabeyun Trail needed to access it.)

Sea Lion Trail - 400m one way, moderate

Either the first or second most famous trail the park has to offer. The Sea Lion Trail is a one-way extension of the Kabeyun Trail, showing off a very unique rock formation - the sea lion. Unlike the name suggests, the shape does not resemble a sea lion, but rather a lion. Unfortunately, the actually head and mane of the lion broke off in a winter 1930s storm. But the name lives on, and the trail still remains among the park's best. The lookout point provides amazing views of the lion as well as Thunder Mountain in the background. An easy trail that is not worth missing. (no bikes due to a staircase.)

Plantain Lane Nature Trail - 300m one way, very easy

Sleeping Giant's shortest and easiest trail is the 0.3km Plantain Lane Nature Trail. There is not plantains nor a plantation along this trail, so the name derives from the trail's banana shape. This is a leisurely stroll that crosses a bridge over Sibley Creek, where you can view some rapids beneath your feet. This trail is wheelchair accessible and bike friendly.

Routes

Because most trails don't have a dedicated road access, some must be accessed via other ones. This is a list of some common trail routes.

Top of the Giant Route - 24km round trip, very difficult

The most popular trail route at Sleeping Giant is the infamously difficult Top of the Giant Route. Starting at the South Kabeyun Trailhead parking lot, you quickly visit the Sea Lion before a flat 6km stretch. This is easiest the trail gets, because after Tee Harbour it picks up. If you have bikes, you must lock them up at the bike racks at the beginning of the Talus Lake Trail, which you will have to walk down for 800m. After this, you diverge to the Top of the Giant Trail, immediately greeted by a beautiful view from the Triangle - looking up at the two mountains. After this, there is a very steep section, some of it is rock, some is root, some is stair - but it's all difficult. That is, until you reach what is known as "the Junction", with a sign signifying that you're at the top. It's about a kilometre to the Tee Harbour Lookout, and 2.1 to the the Gorge Lookout. On your return hike, it is most common to take the same way back, stopping for a swim at Tee Harbour.

You can bike all the way upto the Talus Lake Trail, where it's labelled "bike racks".

This is my recommended cycling route.

Sawyer Bay Route - 18km round trip, moderate-difficult

This difficult yet cycle-friendly route forms a loop with many of the cycle-friendly trails in the west side of the park. Starting from the Sawbill Lake Trail parking lot, you travel west down a large hill before intersection the Sawyer Bay Trail. You take this trail for 3km, facing ups and downs on large and rocky hills, before eventually plummeting to 3 backcountry campsites on the bay. If you'd like, you can try the difficult Head Trail, but you can not bike this. If you'd like to keep cycling, you have to take the difficult return cycle up the Sawyer Bay Trail. And instead of taking the Sawbill Lake Trail as a return, you do the remainder of the Sawyer Bay Trail to the South Kabeyun Parking Lot, where you can take 587 back to the campground/your car. Along the way, I recommend the Plantain Lane Nature Trail - it's not much of a detour, but provides a decent view of some falls considering the size of the hike.

Non-Trail Lookout Points

Although the most famous lookouts are accessed via trail, Sleeping Giant has a few non-trail lookout points, offering great views.

Thunder Bay Lookout - 22km from the Campground

A must-see of this park. After a long dirt road, you park on an exposed rock parking lot, with an inviting trail to a silver-coloured lookout platform. It has high railings, but it is still very scary - as it dangles you over a cliff. There is interpretive signs but its hard to stay focused when you're that high up. It's scary, but worth it 100%.

Marie Louise Lake Lookout - 4.5km from the Campground

The Marie Louise Lake Lookout is a parking lot and picnic area providing the best views of the Giant within the park. I recommend visiting this at either sunset, or when the sky is cool colours (you have to save your clear days for the high-up lookouts!) I definitely recommend stopping for a picture.

Terry Fox Lookout - 66km from the Campground

This lookout is not within the park, but it still offers premier lookouts over Lake Superior and Thunder Bay. It also provides one of the best views of the Giant. Not to mention the Terry Fox memorial, which is a very detailed and well-thought out design. If you gotta get groceries in Thunder Bay or you're just interested, definitely give it a try.

Visiting the Park

When navigating this park, there's only 4 places you need to know how to access.

First off is the Marie Louise Lake Campground. Turn off of Highway 11/17, and drive 33.5km south on Highway 587. On your right is the campground entrance, which features majority of the park's amenities.

The second place needed is the South Kabeyun Trailhead, which is accessed the same way as the Marie Louise Lake Campground, just taking 587 an extra 3km south.

Third is Silver Islet, which is accessed the same way as the Kabeyun Trail, just taking 587 all the way until it ends at Silver Islet General Store.

Last is the North Kabeyun Trailhead, where the Thunder Bay Lookout is. This time you're only taking 587 about 20km off 11/17, as there is a big brown sign directing you many trails. Turn right here. To make sure you're in the right place, make sure that the signs lign up, that the road is dirt, and that it ends at Rita Lake. After 9km down this dirt road, it leads to the North Kabeyun Trailhead, featuring Thunder Bay Lookout, Thunder Bay Bogs Nature Trail, and Kabeyun Trail access.

Images are top to bottom, left to right: Thunder Bay viewed from the Gorge Lookout atop the Giant; Trowbridge Island Lighthouse viewed from Tee Harbour; Silver Islet viewed from the Tee Harbour Lookout atop the Giant. All 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.

Black bears

Red foxes

White-tailed deer

Bald eagles

Tips and Advice

Don't do the Burma, Ferns Lake, Pickerel Lake, or Twinpine Lake Trails - they aren't maintained in summer, and are just cross-country ski trails.
Bring your bikes, as this is a surprisingly bikable park, despite the large hills.
Don't miss the visitor centre, as it has amazing historical and environmental information and exhibits.
Buy a Persian somewhere. A "Persian" is a Thunder Bay style donut - it's basically a cinnamon roll with a whipped pink buttercream on top.
Visit the nearby town of Silver Islet. It truly feels like you're in Newfoundland, with the seaside and lively colours lining the homes. I recommend buying ice cream and a Persian from the Silver Islet General Store, right in the centre of town next to the marina.
The sea lion may look like a seahorse, but it used to look like a literally African lion. See comparison below.
Day trip to Kakabeka Falls and Ouimet Canyon. And Pigeon River if you have time.

The sea lion in the 1920s (notice the mane and head facing left).

The sea lion today (the forehead broke off).

SPOTLIGHT: The Giant

A source of myth and legend for millenia. The Sleeping Giant is nothing but an outdoorsman's haven. It's incredible from every angle, whether you're enjoying the vistas from atop, it's outlined silhouette from below, or somewhere in between. As per how it was formed, scientists believe it happened via erosion. It happened when a sill made of diabase eroded over many, many years. Now, I don't fully understand what that means, but I'm going to do my best. Sills are basically a sheet of rock that has intruded (took space) between two layers of older rock. This can happen without breaking the older rock, it simply needs space between. Now, diabase is a type of rock that is often found as a sill. And because diabase erodes quicker than the older rock surrounding it, you can often find sills that are now just holes, just like the crevices that form the body parts of the Giant. Once the diabase erodes, let Superior's winds erode the older rock to round it out, and you've got a Sleeping Giant. How cool is that?

Opinions

Nash

My favourite provincial park. It speaks for itself. 10/10.

The Triangle grassland, accessed via the Top of the Giant Trail. To the left is the Sleeping Giant, and to the right is Thunder Mountain.

Trails Map: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/pdf/maps/sleepinggiant/trails_map.pdf
Campground Map: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/pdf/maps/sleepinggiant/park_campground.pdf

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