Temagami is what most people imagine when they think of Ontario wilderness -- and what most of them drive past on their way to Algonquin instead. This 16,000 square kilometre region northeast of Sudbury contains 4,700 km of canoe routes (three times Algonquin's total), old-growth white pine forests with trees over 350 years old, deep clear lakes, and a fraction of the visitor traffic that clogs the Highway 60 corridor on summer weekends. If Algonquin is Ontario's most popular backcountry, Temagami is its most underrated.
Why Temagami Gets Overlooked
Distance is part of it -- Temagami is about 5 hours from Toronto, compared to 3 for Algonquin. The region also lacks a single unified park brand. While Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park anchors the area, much of the canoe route network crosses Crown land and other park lands. This means no single reservation system, less infrastructure, and fewer outfitters marketing the region. For trip planning, you need to do more homework. The payoff is real wilderness that genuinely feels remote, even on routes that are relatively accessible.
Classic Routes
Lake Temagami - Diamond - Wakimika - Obabika Loop (100 km, 5-7 days): This is the route most people start with and for good reason. Four portages, all under 900 metres, connecting a chain of large lakes with excellent campsites. The north end of Obabika Lake has day hiking access to Temagami's famous old-growth white pine -- trees that were already mature when Champlain arrived. Start and end at the Central Lake Temagami Access Road. Suitable for novice to intermediate paddlers.
Snake Island Lake Weekend Loop (30 km, 2-3 days): Access from the town of Temagami via a 675 metre portage to Snake Island Lake. Head east to Cassells Lake, south to Rabbit Lake, with two short portages completing the loop. Side trip to Blueberry Lake for top-tier campsites and old-growth hiking. A good weekend option if you don't have a full week.
Lady Evelyn Lake Loop (6-7 days): Follows the Montreal River through Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, the largest wilderness park in the southern half of the province. This loop takes you through the park's centrepiece lake, with towering cliffs, waterfalls, and some of the most remote campsites in the region. For experienced paddlers comfortable with larger lakes and longer portages.
Sturgeon River Route: A river trip with more whitewater character than the lake routes. Various put-in options with rapids up to Class II. Requires scouting and the ability to line canoes through technical sections. Best in spring and early summer when water levels support the rapids.
Old-Growth Forests
Temagami holds the largest remaining old-growth red and white pine forest in Ontario. These trees survived because the region's remoteness made logging uneconomical during the period when most of Ontario's original pine was cut. Walking through a grove of 300-year-old white pine is a qualitatively different experience from any second-growth forest -- the canopy is 30 metres above you, the understory is open, and the scale makes clear what Ontario looked like before industrial logging.
The best accessible old-growth stands are at the north end of Obabika Lake (reachable by canoe) and along trails maintained by the Friends of Temagami. The Wakimika Triangle and the Old Growth Forest Trail near the town of Temagami offer shorter hiking options.
Trip Planning Specifics
Maps: The Ottertooth.com website is the most comprehensive free planning resource for Temagami canoe routes. It includes detailed route descriptions, portage reports, and campsite information. Chrismar Maps publishes waterproof topographic maps specific to the region. Jeff's Maps covers some Temagami areas but not the full extent that their Algonquin coverage provides.
Outfitters: Smoothwater Outfitters and Temagami Outfitting Company are the two main operations. Both can arrange canoe rentals, shuttles, and resupply. They're also excellent sources of current route condition information -- call before your trip for updates on water levels, portage conditions, and any bear activity.
Permits: Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park requires an interior camping permit through Ontario Parks. Crown land routes do not require a camping permit for Ontario residents, but you must follow Crown land camping regulations (21-day limit per site, Leave No Trace practices). Check whether your route crosses park boundaries, because permit requirements change accordingly.
Access: The town of Temagami on Highway 11 is the gateway. The Central Lake Temagami Access Road reaches the main launch area. Some routes require water taxi service across Lake Temagami to reach access points -- arrange this with outfitters in advance.
What to Expect
Temagami lakes are deep, clear, and often large -- Lake Temagami itself has 1,400 km of shoreline. Big lakes mean wind exposure and the potential for rough water days. Check weather before committing to long crossings, and plan routes that include sheltered alternatives when possible.
Portage conditions vary more than in Algonquin. Well-used routes are generally clear, but less-travelled portages may have blowdowns, faded markings, and rough footing. The Friends of Temagami do volunteer trail maintenance, but the sheer size of the route network means not everything gets attention every year.
Wildlife is abundant. Moose, black bear, wolves, and beavers are all present. Bear awareness and proper food storage are essential. Loons are everywhere -- the sound of loons at dusk on a Temagami lake, with old-growth pine silhouetted against the sky, is worth the drive by itself.
When to Go
June: High water levels make some river routes excellent. Bugs are at their worst. Fewer people than any other time.
July-August: Prime season with the best weather and warmest water. This is Temagami's busiest period, which still means seeing one or two other parties per day on popular routes.
September: The sweet spot. Bugs gone, fall colour beginning, cool nights, and near-total solitude. Water levels may be low on some river sections.
Bottom Line
If you've done a few Algonquin trips and want to graduate to something wilder, Temagami is the obvious next step. It delivers the wilderness experience that Algonquin promises but can't always provide due to its own popularity. The drive is longer, the planning takes more effort, and the infrastructure is thinner. That's exactly the point. Three hundred year old trees don't survive in places that are easy to get to.
Start with the trip planning guide and gear checklist before booking your route.