ALWAYS check Alerts and other information on the official website, as conditions and facility availability are subject to change.
Facebook and Website Links
Wakami Lake Official website
Wakami Lake Official Facebook
Outdoor Canada
Information
Phone #: 705-233-2853 (mid-May to mid-Sept.) 705-864-3114 (Park Superintendent)
Main entrance co-ordinates:
Address: 190 Cherry Street, Chapleau, P0M 1K0
Opening seasons: May 12, 2023 to September 24, 2023.
The main park gate is now closed for the season (2022). However, leaving your vehicle outside the park and accessing trails on foot may be possible. Confirming this with the park office would be worthwhile if you travel a long distance. You should be aware that there will be no open facilities and limited staffing.
Park Winter access: in 2020, we asked Ontario Parks about park access out of season when most parks are officially closed. Their reply – “Parks that are closed for the season, and non-operational parks, are gated and access is available by foot. Visitors are permitted to park outside the gates and walk in for day use activities, such as hiking, fishing and picnicking. Please note that all buildings and facilities will be closed, and there is no consistent staff presence to oversee actions in the park.”
Travel, Directions & Distances
Directions: Sault Ste. Marie to Wakami Lake Provincial Parkvia ON-556 E and ON-129 N
Activities
Camping & Accommodation
Backcountry Camping
The Experience:
Wakami Lake is a premier fishing destination, and each backcountry site is the perfect remote basecamp to search for a hidden fishing spot. Wakami Lake also offers several day-use hiking trails, perfect for those looking for an easier hike through the backcountry.
Wakami Lake’s nine backcountry campsites are accessible by water, paddling, or motorboat. Each has a fire ring, picnic table, and box privy. The campsites are located around the perimeter of the lake, including one with its own sand beach.
Reservations and Interior Camping Permits
Campsite-specific reservations are available online or by phone up to five months in advance of your arrival date. Reservations are recommended to secure your campsite.
Interior camping permits are required for backcountry camping at Wakami Lake Provincial Park. Permits can be obtained in-person at the park gatehouse, open daily from 9 am – 4 pm, located at the main campground.
Trip Planning
A map showing the locations of established campsites and a depth map showing the underwater contours are available at the gatehouse or the park store. Maps can also be purchased or ordered prior to your trip by calling the Chapleau office at 705-864-3137.
Wakami Lake is located 67 km southeast of the town of Chapleau, and four hours west of Sudbury. Backcountry camping at Wakami Lake is accessed through the main campground.
The main campground has a boat and motor packages available for rental by the day or week. Recreational canoes and kayaks are also available for rent for in-park use. Please call ahead at 1-705-864-3137 to reserve a boat and motor packages as they are in high demand.
For more information about Wakami Lake and local outfitters, click here.
Please be respectful of the natural environment and other visitors. Practice leave-no-trace camping, camp only on designated campsites, and be aware of your surrounding neighbors, ecology, and wildlife. We appreciate your efforts to maintain this pristine environment.
Car Camping
Wakami Lake offers four campgrounds; Birch Hill, Pine Grove, Maple Ridge, and Brown’s Bay encompassing 59 campsites many of which provide spectacular waterfront views. Amenities include water taps, vault privies, docks, boat trailer security hitches, and fish cleaning stations, all conveniently situated nearby.
Group Camping
There is one large, private group campsite located right on the water where you can keep canoes, kayaks and boats moored right onshore at your site. Your group will have your own private washroom complete with a sink with running water. Reservations are available online or by phone.
Hiking, Biking & Paddling
Hiking
Beaver Meadow Discovery Trail – 2.4 km into the boreal forest (Easy)
Here you can discover how the industrious beaver has altered the landscape while you take in various wildflowers, birds, and wildlife. On the side trail, you will find a Pond with an active beaver lodge, home to Wakami’s two resident beavers.
Transitional Forest Trail – 2.5 km with an optional 5 km loop through a transitional forest (Moderate)
This trail takes you through a forest with a split personality. The Red Pine, White Pine, Sugar Maple, and Yellow Birch are near the northern limit of their range. They are the common species of the Great Lakes, but here in and around Wakami Lake, there is a transition into the boreal forest where trees such as Black Spruce, Balsam Fir, and Jack Pine become the dominant species.
Hidden Bog Trail – take a stroll into an ecologically fragile area. Temporarily Closed
Here you can discover strange plants like the pitcher plant and sundew which are scattered across the forest floor, leading to a quaking bog. A bog can be a tough place to survive, and some plants add insects to their diet to make ends meet. Please remain on the trail so as not to disturb this fragile community.
Historical Logging Exhibit – self-guided trail, 1 km (Easy) Under Refurbishment Access limited
Here you can discover the history of logging in the Wakami area from the 1920s to the 1940s, when machines slowly replaced horses. This is demonstrated with restored logging equipment, various log buildings on display, and various interpretive panels along the route.
Biking
Keep it green and bring your bicycle for getting around on our park roadways or perhaps a bicycle hike of the entire area is of interest to you.
Paddling
Boating
Motorboats are permitted on Wakami Lake, however are not be permitted on Imakaw Lake. Motors on Efby Lake continue to be restricted to under 10 hp.
Canoeing
Canoe or kayak on Wakami Lake, a scenic 15 km-long lake surrounded by hills of boreal forest. Kayak rentals are available.
Maps & Resources
Ontario Parks has backcountry and campground maps click here for more information
Ontario Crown Land Use Policy Atlas: most Provincial Parks have excellent signage, maps, and marked trails. If you take up back-country adventures, then it’s not always clear. The Ontario Crown Land Use maps are an excellent resource. You might also want to join one or more of these groups on Facebook
Crown Land Camping Group
Crown Land Camping Ontario
Ontario Parks and Crown Land
Ontario Crown Land Campers
Sharing Ontario Crown Land Camping Spots
Local Facilities
If you know of a useful link, Facebook group, or resource that might improve this post, please message us through our contact page. We are always happy to include relevant local business information – just a one or two-sentence paragraph and a link to your website or Facebook page.