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Signature Landscapes
- Manitoulin Island
- 1000 Islands & St. Lawrence Seaway
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- Lake Superior Coast
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- Beaches of Southern Ontario
- Georgian Bay Shoreline
- Rivers & Lakes of Southern Ontario
- Niagara Escarpment & Niagara Falls
- Lake Nipigon to Lake of the Woods
- Ottawa River
- Temagami and The Uplands of Ontario
- Places to Stay
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Manitoulin Island
Located at the northern edge of Lake Huron, Manitoulin is the largest freshwater island in the world at 180 kilometres long (112 miles) and 50 km. wide (31 miles). Changes in elevation result in many dramatic panoramic views of Manitoulin itself, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay prime sailing and kayaking destinations.
The Island’s History
The name Manitoulin is generally believed to be an Anishnabe term for “island of the spirits” and is considered a sacred place by many Aboriginal people. Archaeological studies have determined that Manitoulin was first occupied about 9,000 years ago. The first contact with Europeans occurred in the mid-1600s when voyageurs and Jesuit missionaries visited. This history contributes to the Island’s cultural richness.
Manitoulin Island comes alive with unlimited outdoor adventure options in the summer. It is accessible from the south by a ferry on the Chi-Cheemaun, which travels from Tobermory to South Baymouth on the Island. The town of Espanola is the Island’s northern “gateway”. Cycle touring on Manitoulin is spectacular with uncrowded, relatively flat roadways and easy access to accommodation.
Unusual Plants & Animals
The island’s most distinctive landscape feature is called the “alvar,” a broad expanse of limestone bedrock, with correspondingly unusual plants and animals. A unique mix of vegetation includes both typical hardwoods of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region and Boreal species such as white pine, black spruce and balsam poplar.