This 5,000 resident town was originally a lumber and gold mining town, 55 km northwest of Sudbury. It has become famous for the High Falls, where the Onaping River drops 46 metres in a single plunge. The town is at the point where the Canadian Shield meets the Sudbury Nickel Irruptive, caused by a meteorite strike two billion years ago.
There is a lookout off the main road, called the A.Y. Jackson Lookout, for the famous Group of Seven artist who memorialized the view on his canvas.
Onaping Falls Attractions
Windy Lake Provincial Park
off Highway 144, beside Windy Lake
705-522-7823
This park was established in 1959 and offers 139 hectares of boreal forest terrain. There is a campground with 83 campsites, including 44 with electrical hookups. The park has two beaches with 1500 metres of gently sloped sandy swimming areas (but no lifeguards). The lake is used for paddle, wind, and motor powered boating activities. The lake is a fisherman’s favourite with yellow pickerel, lake trout, northern pike, whitefish, and even smallmouth bass. There are several hiking trails in the park, including the 3 km Lookout Tower Trail. In the winter, there are 20 km of cross country ski trails, groomed in cooperation with a local Nordic ski club.
Halfway Lake Provincial Park
90 km northwest of Sudbury on Highway 144
705-965-2702
This 4,730 hectare park lies on the edge of Canada’s boreal forest and contains 20 lakes. In the early 1900s, the area was heavily logged, and there are still log chutes in the park. The area was named because the logging camp, now in the park, was halfway between the point of logging and the railway lines to the south. The park is lush with floral and animal wildlife. There are over 90 species of birds in the park. There are 265 campsites, including 85 with electrical connections. Boating and swimming is popular, and motor boating is allowed on three of the lakes. There are 30 km of hiking trails.