Pancake Bay Provincial Park is on the eastern shore of Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada. It is approximately 75 km, or a one-hour drive, from the city of Sault Ste. Marie. The park office is located on Highway 17 and is open from May to October.
The office sells firewood, ice and camping souvenirs. However, no food is sold at this office. There are places in close proximity where you can buy food should you run out or forget something. A great place to visit is the Voyageurs’ Lodge and Cookhouse which is a quick 10-minute drive away.
The Campsites
Pancake Bay Provincial Park was established in 1968. Today, the park has 325 campsites, including 160 with electricity. There is the opportunity for beach-side camping as there are many sites located directly adjacent to the beach. In our opinion, these are the best sites! However, it is best to reserve these sites well in advance as they are in high demand! Also, you should be aware that there are many not-so-great sites as well. These are located very close to the highway.
The majority of the campsites at Pancake Bay Provincial Park are spacious and partially wooded. I love this aspect of the park because the trees provide much-needed shade during those hot summer days, as well as affording some privacy from other campers. Each site has a large picnic table and a fire pit.
The fire pit has a half grate on top which can be used for cooking. The grate can also flip down when not in use.
If you love wildlife, then don’t forget to bring peanuts! It’s likely that you will be visited by a friendly squirrel or chipmunk during your visit.
Swimming in Lake Superior
One of the best things about Pancake Bay Provincial Park is the beach! The park boasts a 3.5 km sand beach. The bay is relatively shallow and filled with fine sand perfect for building sandcastles and soft on little feet.
Lake Superior is the largest of the five Great Lakes. Due to its large volume of water, it can be quite cold even at the height of the summer. Luckily, the shallow bay warms up on hot sunny days!
Beach Dunes
A great ecological aspect in this park is the beach dunes. These areas provide habitat for plants and animals and are considered very fragile ecosystems.
In order to help preserve the fragile beach dune ecology at Pancake Bay Provincial Park, please stay on the sand paths when accessing the beach. Never pull the vegetation from a beach dune as this helps to stabilize the area and prevent the dune from eroding.
Hiking Trail
Pancake Bay has a 3.5 km hiking trail that is the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Located at the head of the trail is a map showcasing some of the main ecological features that can be viewed on your hike. There is also a book that you can sign which is a great way to document your travels! You can also take a look at who else has been there and where they are from.
Along the Pancake Bay nature trail, you’ll hike beside the shores of Lake Superior, have a photo op with a large conglomerate boulder, and observe a beautiful and ecologically-sensitive fen from a boardwalk. You’ll know you are close to the end when you start following a meandering creek. Here are some photos from our hike!
Amenities at Pancake Bay Provincial Park
There are three comfort stations within the park. These have showers, flush toilets, and washers/dryers. There is a playground as well as a naturalist program for kids. There is also an amphitheatre where some of this programming takes place.
If you don’t have time to stay the night, the park offers day-use facilities for a small fee. You can use the beach and there is a large covered area with picnic tables.
In our opinion, staying the night is a must! Otherwise, you miss the campfires, smores and beautiful night skies!
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