Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
Breathtaking views of Lake Superior and the surrounding area will stun when viewing from the Top of the Giant Trail and Thunder Bay Lookout. Over 100 km of hiking trails lead to spectacular geological features, such as the “Sea Lion” and Tee Harbour. Check out the long list of activities and facility options below.
Type of Park
Sleeping Giant offers multiple day and overnight options:
Backcountry Camping – There are approximately 40 backcountry campsites at Sleeping Giant. These sites are scattered throughout the park’s trail system and offer camping experiences on the shores of Lake Superior and nestled within the rugged interior of the park. All campsites have designated fire pits and some sites have toilets nearby.
Backcountry campsites cannot be reserved and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Backcountry camping permits are required. Animal Proof food lockers are available at Sawyers Bay, Lehtinens Bay and Tee Harbour.
Car Camping – Sleeping Giant has 200 campsites at the Marie Louise Lake Campground, almost half of which have electrical service. All campsites feature designated fire pits and picnic tables and are close walking distance to water taps and vault toilets. Some campsites are designed specifically for tents while others are best suited for small or large recreational vehicles. For visitors who want a more secluded camping experience ten sites are located on the west shore of Marie Louise Lake.
Group Camping – Two group campsites are available at Sleeping Giant. The Small Group Site can accommodate up to 25 people and the Large Group Site can accommodate up to 50 people.
Rustic Cabin – Number at Park: 5 — Site Number(s) / Name: 1-Dragon’s Mouth, 2-Rose Pogonia, 3-Fairy Slipper, 4-Pink Moccasin Flower, 5-Coral Root
Recreate amidst the beauty and splendour of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park while you enjoy all the conveniences of home. Cabins are available year round.
Complete Sleeping Giant Camping Information
Park Activities
Sleeping Giant offers multiple day and overnight options:
Biking – Sleeping Giant offers many opportunities for exploration by bicycle. Cycling is permitted on the following trails:
South Kabeyun to the junction with Talus Lake Trail
Sawyer Bay Trail
Sawbill Lake Trail
Burma Trail
Pickerel Lake Trail
Some of the park roads also provide exciting bike routes. Please use caution as you will be sharing the road with motor vehicles.Thunder Bay Lookout Road – 9 km
A challenging mountain bike ride from Hwy 587 to the spectacular Thunder Bay Lookout. Many steep hills make it a treat to coast down on your return cycle.Marie Louise Drive – 12 km
This is a great mountain bike tour around the west side of Marie Louise Lake.Birding – Over 200 bird species have been recorded in Sleeping Giant and the immediate vicinity. Of these, about 75 are known to nest in the park. The birds of the park are typical to the boreal forest and include a wide variety of songbirds, raptors, shorebirds and waterfowl.
The park is also adjacent to the Thunder Cape Bird Observatory located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula.
Boating – Power boats are only permitted on Marie Louise Lake and motors must not exceed 10 horsepower. A boat launch area and small docking facility is located within the campground.
Canoeing – Canoes and kayaks are available for rent from the park store for use on Marie Louise Lake.
Fishing – Sportfishing is permitted in the park, although the use and possession of baitfish is prohibited in park waters, with the exception of Lake Superior. There are a number of small inland lakes at the park and a few larger lakes, such as Marie Louise Lake. Most of the smaller lakes have Northern Pike and Yellow Perch, while the larger lakes may also have Smallmouth Bass and walleye.
Hiking – The park has over 100 kilometres of trails for both day and overnight hikes. These trails can lead you along the rugged shores of Lake Superior, past towering cliffs to scenic vistas on top of the Giant, or to quiet lakes and streams deep within the park’s wilderness areas.
Complete Sleeping Giant Activity Information
Entrance Fees
Unfortunately, Ontario’s Provincial Parks are quite expensive and probably keep quite a few people away from their extraordinary collection of parks. Below we will list a few options for driving into the parks but there are additional options for walk-in or groups. Vehicle permit is good for everyone riding in the vehicle, per vehicle.
• Seasonal Day Use Vehicle Permit – Annual – $154.87 plus tax and shipping (~$175.00) (Link)
• Seasonal Day Use Vehicle Permit – Summer – $110.62 plus tax and shipping (~$125.00) (Link)
• Daily Vehicle Permit – $17.702 plus tax and shipping (~$20.00) (Link)
Camping fees are broken into three price categories in Ontario:
Ontario Parks offers everything from tent and trailer camping in organized campgrounds to wilderness campsites accessible only by canoe. Fees for camping vary according to the facilities and services provided.
Ontario Parks has three levels of fees for camping – premium, middle and low. Each fee level reflects the popularity of a campsite and the availability of facilities such as flush toilets and showers, and personal services such as educational programs.
When registering in person at the park you may use your debit card, cash, VISA or MasterCard credit cards to pay for your camping fees. Sorry, but personal cheques are not accepted for in-person payments.
Fees for camping and operating dates for individual provincial parks are subject to change.
The fees listed below are per campsite per night.
• Camping – Non-Electrical
– (Premium – $45.20)
– (Middle – $41.53)
– (Low – $36.44)
Please check these pages for a complete price list.
Drive-In Vehicle Fee Cart Camping Fee ChartNOTE: Camping permits do not include drive-in or walk-in fees.
More Information at Link Below…
Check For Park Alerts 7 Reasons to Visit Sleeping Giant – Explore Magazine Things to Do at Sleeping Giant – Park Blogger top of the Giant Trail – Monica Prelle
Location
(Visit this link to see the route on a map.)
Links To Photographer
Check out Monica Prelle’s work as an outdoors, wine and travel writer. She is the camping editor and writer for About.com. Monica’s adventure travels have taken her sailing on the world’s biggest lake, mountain biking in the Colorado Rockies, wine touring in the Napa Valley, road tripping in Mexico and surfing in Fiji. Her writing and photography has been published in Alaska Airlines Magazine, Backcountry Magazine, Bespoke Magazine, and online at the Matador Network and the Active Times.
Monica Prelle
Content the property of Ontario Parks & Linked Resources. Photography the property of Monica Prelle