Wabakimi Provincial Park Photo: OakleyOriginals / CC BY 2.0
Canada › Ontario

Wabakimi Provincial Park

ByWilderness Experts

Fast facts

  • Established: 1983, greatly expanded in 1997
  • Size: about 3,440 square miles (8,920 km²), the second-largest park in Ontario
  • Canoe routes: more than 930 miles (1,500 km) of lake and river routes
  • Gateway: Armstrong or Savant Lake, north of Thunder Bay
  • Managed by: Ontario Parks

The landscape

Wabakimi is northern boreal wilderness: an endless mosaic of lakes, rivers, rapids and spruce forest on the Canadian Shield, with recent burns regrowing across parts of the park. It is home to woodland caribou, bald eagles, moose, wolves and black bears, and the lakes are famous for walleye, northern pike and lake trout.

Best time to go

Paddling runs from late May to September. Early summer brings high water and heavy bugs; late summer brings lower water and more rock in the rapids. Wildfire and smoke are common in dry summers. The season is short and the weather changeable.

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Getting there and around

Paddlers start from Armstrong or Savant Lake by road, fly in by floatplane, or ride VIA Rail’s cross-country train to flag stops at the edge of the park. Inside, travel is by canoe and portage only. There are no reservations: campsites are first come, first served, and routes can be combined for trips of a week to a month.

Things to do

Wabakimi is one of the great canoe-tripping destinations in North America, with whitewater on rivers such as the Allanwater, Ogoki and Flindt, and long lake crossings in between. Fishing is excellent, and fly-in lodges on the fringes offer guided trips.

Staying safe

This is remote wilderness with no services and no cell coverage. Carry a satellite messenger, good maps and a repair kit, and leave a detailed trip plan. Scout rapids and portage when in doubt; many routes are rarely travelled, and portages may be overgrown or burned over. Wind builds quickly on big lakes. Store food away from bears and check fire status before you go and during your trip.

Know before you go

Permits are sold online only within two weeks of arrival. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm fire closures, route conditions and permits with Ontario Parks before you go.

Navigation
Coordinates
50.6217, -89.6192
Magnetic declination
3.8° 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

46 places in Wabakimi Provincial Park

A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.

Getting there 1

Airstrip

Sights 45

Waterfalls

Lakes

Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).

Trip types
Multi-day/expeditionCanoeing & kayakingBackcountryGuided expedition

Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →

Terrain
LakesRiversForest
Key hazards
Remote fly-in and rail-access wildernessWhitewater and portagesWind on big lakesBlack bearsWildfire
Best seasons
Summer, Early fall
Difficulty
Strenuous (remote wilderness)
Access / trailheads
Canoe entry points from Armstrong (about 3 hours north of Thunder Bay via Highway 527) and Savant Lake (about 4.5 hours via Highway 599). Many paddlers arrive by floatplane or on VIA Rail's transcontinental train, which stops at the park's edge.
Water
Lakes and rivers; filter or treat all water.
Cell / satellite coverage
None. A satellite messenger is essential.
Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
Emergencies: 911 by satellite device (Ontario Provincial Police lead search and rescue).
Permits & regulations
Reservations are not available: campsites are first come, first served. Interior camping permits are required, bought online up to two weeks ahead or through the park office in Thunder Bay and local permit issuers.
Leave No Trace
Use existing campsites, keep fires small, store food from bears, and pack out everything.
Conditions by month

October This month

Average high43°F(6°C)6°C(43°F)
Average low30°F(−1°C)−1°C(30°F)
Rainfall1.6 in(40 mm)40 mm(1.6 in)
Daylight, mid-month10 h 48 minSunrise 8:20 a.m., sunset 7:08 p.m.
  • Below-freezing nights

What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.

Plan a trip here →

Averages for 1981–2010 from Environment Canada climate normals, measured at the Pickle Lake Airport station, 63 miles (101 km)101 km (63 miles) away at 1,267 feet (386 m)386 m (1,267 feet). That is the nearest station with long-term records, so treat these as a regional guide. Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.

Before you go Conditions, permits, fire bans and closures change constantly — we summarise and link out, but always confirm with the managing agency first.
Official park website → Last verified 2026-09-21

Nearby parks

Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.

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See every park and monument within a day’s drive of where you are.

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