Easy hikes and walks around St. Marys River

The ideal place to connect with nature that's still within the city's limits. With well-surfaced paths, numerous public amenities, children's playgrounds and views over St. Mary's River, it's an ideal place for a tranquil stroll or take the kids.

Whitefish Island is the upstream island at the rapids in the St. Marys River on the Canadian side. It was declared a nature reserve, the Whitefish Island Reserve, in 1981. https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=510 Today, the island is located in the territory of the Batchewana First Nation. The indigenous population was driven from their land in 1905, and the island was only officially returned to them in 1998. (Visit on May 27, 2026)

On wooden boardwalks and small bridges, the Baawaating Walk, we can circle Whitefish Island. Here we have the best view of the rapids in the river and can watch anglers as they try to catch Whitefish. (Visit on May 27, 2026)

The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge has a total length of 4.5 kilometers; it was opened in 1962. Like the railway bridge from 1887, it crosses the St. Marys River and the ship locks, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal in Canada and the Soo Locks in the United States. Generally, pedestrians cannot use the bridge; however, the International Bridge Walk takes place annually and the bridge is temporarily closed to vehicle traffic - usually at the end of June. (Visit on May 27, 2026)

In the 1870s, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company built a railway line, the so-called Soo Line, from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie. With the construction of the Sault Ste. Marie International Railroad Bridge over the St. Marys River to Michigan in 1887, a single-track railway connection across the border to Michigan in the United States was established; in the USA, the Soo Line runs to Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the past, the railway line was used, among other things, for passenger transport from Chicago to Vancouver, and from Minneapolis to Montreal. For decades, the tracks in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, have been mainly used for freight transport, but also by the Agawa Canyon Tour Train. (Visited on May 27, 2026) https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=truss/internationalrail/ https://ontariorailwaystations.wordpress.com/home/district-of-algoma/sault-ste-marie-railway-stations/

The Emergency Swing Dam was built in 1896 at the Sault Ste. Marie Canal. It serves for emergencies, in case a lock gate is damaged and the water outflow can no longer be stopped. The steel structure is then swung over the canal and lowered. In an accident in 1909, it was successfully used and enabled an immediate and rapid repair of a damaged lock gate. The Emergency Swing Dam in Sault Ste. Marie is functional and the last of its kind globally; it is part of the national historic site. (Visit on May 27, 2026) Sources: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/ssmarie/culture/ingenierie-engineering https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sault_Canal_Emergency_Swing_Dam

The construction of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal began in 1889 and was completed in 1895. The canal was carved out of the Red Sandstone, the bedrock of St. Marys Island. The material was used for, among other things, the construction of buildings on the site. The buildings are beautiful examples of Canada's late 1800s architectural heritage. (Visited May 27, 2026) https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/ssmarie/culture/architecture

Due to damage, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal was decommissioned in 1987. Only in 1998 was the lock reopened, but with a length of only 77 meters instead of the original 274 meters. The lock is now open from mid-May to mid-October for recreational activities. (Visit on May 27, 2026) https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/ssmarie/culture/histoire-history