Vintage red and white pines worth finding in northeastern Ontario

Morning North5:17Backroads Bill – pine trees

Backroads Bill Steer explains where to find old growth pine forests in northern Ontario.CBC Sudbury's northern Ontario explorer Bill Steer is talking trees and all the reasons why you should check out northeastern Ontario's old growth forests.

Northeastern Ontario has a big inventory of locations for both red and white pines, he says. Access can be by a number of means in all four seasons. Read on to get directions to find some notable specimens.

White Pine

If you are in the Marten River-Temagami area there are three places to consider a visit in any season:

The White Bear Forest, including the historic fire tower on Caribou Mountain in Temagami, makes for a great day. Access is from the historic train station (O'Connor Drive) to the tower. Trek east to the White Bear trail. Within 15 minutes (there is a short, steep descent) you will come to the first giant. You can loop back or return. The Pad Lake and Peregrine trails will take you deeper into the protected White Bear Forest. The tree is located at WGS 84 17 T E 0593049 N 5212665 or N47° 03' 39.4" W79° 46' 28.9". The trail system offers a number of loops.

Come back for a winter visit and try snowshoeing the 'Transition Trail' within Marten River Provincial Park. You'll be amongst the white pine; one remnant pine is more than 350 years of age. It offers a moderate trek that is five kilometers long and will take approximately two hours to complete. The trailhead is about 1 km from the highway. Make Temagami Island a "must see" in any season. The island location is accessed from the Temagami Access Road south of Temagami; (WGS 84 17 T E 573459 N 5202121 or N46° 58' 06.8" W80° 02' 03.6"). Access to this trailhead is a one kilometre WNW from the end of the access road. Six trails lead to sky- high old-growth pines in a multiple age-class forest.

Approaching Marten River, Highway 11 is lined with old growth white pine trees. Drive 1.8 km north of the Rock Pine Restaurant or 3.0 km south of the Marten River Provincial Park entrance. This is one of the best highway landscape views of white pine in the province. Then stretch your legs and get close to some real beauties on the McLaren Rd, west side of Highway 11, 300 m south of the Rock Pine Restaurant (WGS 84 17 T 594400 5171938 or N46° 41.660' W79° 45.920'). It is part of the 423 hectare, McLaren Forest Conservation Reserve.

Red Pine

If red pine is your choice then move towards the City of Greater Sudbury. There are two bonus locations: Wolf Lake Mountain and the Blue Lagoon to complement the red. A great two- or three-day canoe loop to scout on your map is the Matamagasi, (start) Silvester, Wolf, Dewdney, Chiniguchi, Laura, Evelyn, Irish, Bonesteel and Wesell Lakes to McCarthy Bay (NE arm of Matagmasi Lake (back to your starting access.) For a day trip and direct access to the Blue Lagoon, a unique destination, the best access is at the narrows between Matamagasi Lake and Lake Wanapitei (N46° 45' 16.7" W80° 37'17.4" or WGS 84 17 T E 528908 N 5177969.

Paddle northwards and take the NW arm to the end of the bay. There is one portage and another short paddle going upstream on the Chiniguchi River. You will soon arrive at the Chiniguchi Falls, a worthwhile sight. Walk the portage upstream to the north end and Silvester Lake. Immediately ford the narrow passage (you may need your canoe). Once you have crossed to the east side walk about 100 m to the Blue Lagoon, hidden from portage where you were! Like the exceptional taste of red wine nouveau there is the secret back roads access for the Blue Lagoon and Wolf Lake. You can mountain bike or go by ATV. Paper or digital topographic maps will help (1:50 000 – 041I15 - MILNET).

You can drive and take a very short hike into the Blue Lagoon via the Kukagami Lake Rd. north from Highway 17, just east of Sudbury (Wanapitei). Follow the signs to the Sportsman's Lodge. Drive northwards approximately 11 km and cross what was the railway line. Continue to follow the signs to Sportsman's Lodge for another 11 km. You will come to a major intersection and turn left or northwards (do not follow the signs to the Sportsman's Lodge and Kukagami Lake.) Turn on to Matamagasi Lk. Rd. and then Bushy Bay Rd. You will be travelling approximately 10 km to the Lake Wanapitei/Matamagasi Lk. Narrows. (This is where you could launch a canoe.) *Drive on …

You will travel on past the narrows between Lake Wanapitei and Matamagasi. You will drive past many entrances to camps and cottages. It remains a good gravel road. This is where your GPS comes in handy as you will drive approximately 12 km more on a primary forest access road to a road on the right (E) that turns SE; N46° 49' 59.2" W80° 39' 14.2" or 17 T E526390 N5186676. You will travel less than 1 km and look for the trail on the left or NE side. It is about a 300 m walk (NE) into the lower end of the Blue Lagoon N46° 49' 56.5" W80° 38' 38.8" or 17 T E527141 N5186597.

You can walk around on the east side. (If you drive past this turn and continue on the main road you will come to a snowmobile trail sign pointing NNW to a road that takes you to Wolf Lake Mountain; a great view of the area's dotted lakes.

This is a great snowmobile adventure as well, using the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs' trail system. Drive further on and you can access Silvester Lake right off of the main road (WGS 84 17 T 526605 5188325 or N46° 50' 52.6" W80° 39' 03.8"); a really good access point to consider.

There is a small creek and a paddle of a couple of hundred metres to Silvester Lake there and paddle downstream to Paradise Lagoon or north into Wolf Lake; there is a five-star campsite between the two lakes at the narrows! Take a sip of the vistas, enjoy the red pines of Wolf Lake, the blue water and a swim at the lagoon.

Back Roads Bill can found at [email protected], www.steerto.com, and on Facebook at Steer to Northern Ontario.