Road Trip Sudbury to Manitoulin Island – World's Largest Freshwater Island

Sudbury Manitoulin Island
180
km
2h30
drive
Summer
season

The Itinerary

Manitoulin is the largest freshwater island in the world at about 2,766 square kilometres, large enough to contain 108 inland lakes of its own — and several of those lakes contain islands, some of which hold ponds, producing the often-repeated line about lakes within islands within lakes. Lake Manitou, the largest of them, is the biggest lake on any freshwater island anywhere. The name comes from the Anishinaabe Manidoowaaling, the spirit's den.

From Sudbury the drive runs about 180 km: Highway 17 west to Espanola, then Highway 6 south through the La Cloche foothills and across the North Channel. The crossing at Little Current is the memorable part, a one-lane swing bridge dating from 1913 that pivots open for boat traffic on the hour through the summer season, briefly cutting the island off from the mainland while a queue builds on both sides. Allow for it rather than being surprised by it.

On the island, Kagawong's Bridal Veil Falls drops into a pool with a path running behind the water. M'Chigeeng holds the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation, and Providence Bay has the longest sand beach on the island. Six First Nations communities are located here, and Wikwemikong is unceded territory with a long-established summer cultural festival. The MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry sails from South Baymouth to Tobermory in about two hours between May and October, letting you leave southward instead of retracing; vehicle reservations are strongly recommended.

Points of Interest

  • ✦
    Bridal Veil Falls
    An accessible waterfall you can walk behind.
  • ✦
    Little Current Swing Bridge
    Historic swing bridge dating to 1913.
  • ✦
    Providence Bay
    The finest fine-sand beach on the island.
  • ✦
    Anishinaabe Culture
    M'Chigeeng and Wikwemikong, with museums and pow-wows.

Fishing Spots Along the Route

🎣
24 Mile Lake
Lake
🎣
A.Y. Jackson Lake
Lake
🎣
Abbott Lake
Lake
🎣
Acheson Lake
Lake
🎣
Acid Lake
Lake
🎣
Ada Lake
Lake
🎣
Agnes River
River
🎣
Agnew Lake
Lake

Protected areas along the route

🌿
Lake Manitou, Michael's, Providence and Srigley Bays
General Use Area
🌿
STRAWBERRY ISLAND PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
Great Lakes Coastal Areas - Sudbury (B)
Enhanced Management Area
🌿
The North Channel
General Use Area
🌿
BLUE JAY CREEK PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
Moose Mountain / Worthington / Coniston
General Use Area
🌿
DAISY LAKE UPLANDS PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
Urban Cores
General Use Area
🌿
Lake Huron
General Use Area
🌿
LA CLOCHE RIDGE CONSERVATION RESERVE
Conservation Reserve
🌿
Great Lakes Coastal Areas - Sudbury (D)
Enhanced Management Area
🌿
TILTON FOREST CONSERVATION RESERVE
Conservation Reserve

Take this route offline

Cell coverage thins out fast once you leave Sudbury. Export the map as a geo-referenced PDF before you go and open it in BorealMaps — your GPS position shows on the map with no signal at all.

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Practical info
  • Departure Sudbury
  • Destination Manitoulin Island
  • Distance 180 km
  • Duration 2h30
  • Category Medium (100–250 km)
  • Best season Summer
Themes
island lake Indigenous beach Summer Family waterfall

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