Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park

Fast facts

• Established: 1973
• Size: about 280 square miles (724 km²)
• Highest point: Ishpatina Ridge, about 2,270 feet (693 m), the highest point in Ontario
• Canoe routes: part of a Temagami network of about 1,490 miles (2,400 km)
• Gateway: Temagami, on Highway 11
• Managed by: Ontario Parks

The landscape

Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater sits at the heart of the Temagami region: rugged hills, deep lakes and rivers that drop in falls and rapids through old-growth red and white pine. Four of Ontario’s highest peaks are in Temagami’s backcountry parks. Canoeists travel on nastawgan, ancient Indigenous portages used for at least 10,000 years. Moose, black bears, wolves and loons live here.

Best time to go

Paddling runs from ice-out in May to early October. Spring brings high water in the rivers and heavy bugs. Summer is warmest, with occasional wildfire smoke. September is cool and quiet, with colour in the hardwoods.

Getting there and around

Most trips start outside the park, on Crown land access points such as Lake Temagami, Mowat Landing or Lady Evelyn Lake, and paddle a day or more to reach the park boundary. Floatplanes from Temagami offer a shortcut to interior lakes. Inside the park, travel is entirely by canoe and portage, and routes can link to conservation reserves and Crown land for trips of almost any length.

Things to do

Classic routes include the Lady Evelyn River, with a series of falls and rapids, and loops through Smoothwater and Florence lakes. Paddlers can hike to the fire tower on Ishpatina Ridge, the highest point in Ontario. Old-growth pine stands, fishing for lake trout and walleye, and solitude reward the effort.

Staying safe

This is remote wilderness: help can be a long way off and there is no cell service. Carry a satellite messenger, good maps and a repair kit, and leave a trip plan. Scout rapids and use portages around falls. Big lakes such as Lake Temagami get rough in wind, so cross early and stay near shore. Store food away from bears and check fire conditions before you go.

Know before you go

Interior permits are required and can be bought online or at Marten River and Finlayson Point. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm permits, route conditions and fire bans with Ontario Parks before you go.

Coordinates

47.3778, -80.5117

Magnetic declination

10.2° W (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

Best seasons

Summer, Early fall

Difficulty

Strenuous (remote wilderness)

Access / trailheads

Mostly from Crown land access points a long way from the park, such as Lake Temagami (via the Temagami Lake access road off Highway 11), Mowat Landing and Lady Evelyn Lake. Floatplanes from Temagami offer fly-in trips.

Water

Lakes and rivers; filter or treat all water.

Cell / satellite coverage

None in the interior. Carry a satellite messenger.

Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency

Emergencies: 911 by satellite device (Ontario Provincial Police lead search and rescue).

Permits & regulations

Interior camping permits are required, available online or by phone up to five months ahead, or in person at Marten River and Finlayson Point provincial parks.

Leave No Trace

Use existing campsites, keep fires small and in existing pits, store food from bears, and pack out everything.