Day 29: Savanne River Resort to Thunder Bay’s Trowbridge Falls campground
Kakabeka Falls
You can shave eighteen kilometres off your day by taking route A into the city. This route bypasses most of Thunder Bay and causes you to miss stunning Kakabeka Falls. Route B takes you to your campsite via Kakabeka Falls and downtown Thunder Bay. Both routes have similar topography.
The highlight of the ride from Savanne River to Ottawa is Kakabeka Falls, 30 kilometres west of Thunder Bay in Kakabkea Provincial Park. The waterfall is part of the Kaministiquia River, which drops 40 metres into a gorge carved into the Precambrian shield.
Ojibwa legend states that when the daughter of an Ojibwa chief heard of an imminent attack from a Sioux tribe she pretended to be lost and purposely stumbled into the incoming tribe. She bargained for her life saying she would lead them to her camp in exchange for them not killing her. She was placed at the front of the canoe and led it over the falls sacrificing herself in order to save her community.
In 1970, the twin cities of Fort William and Port Arthur amalgamated to become Thunder Bay. Fort William was originally a fur trading post owned by the North West Company.
Port Arthur was named Prince Arthur’s Landing in 1870. The Canadian government used the port to explore western Canada and build a road linking the great lakes to Red River Colony and western Canada. Port Arthur makes up the north of the city while Fort William is to the south.
Amethyst, a violet quartz, is common in this area. Many stores in the downtown will sell you various examples of this rock that ancient Greeks believed could protect you from drunkenness.
Make sure to check out Fort William Historic Park, a reconstruction of the Northwest Company’s fur trading post as it was in 1815. Explore fourty buildings spread over 225 acres and hear stories about the fur trade and its role in shaping Canada. Fort William Historic Park is located on the southwest side of Thunder Bay.
With your back to downtown look out towards the water and you will not need a great imagination to notice that the land formation resembles the sleeping body of a giant with its arms folded across his chest. The best views of this famous land mass come from the Terry Fox monument east of the city.
Go on an eating adventure in Thunder Bay. Check out the Persian, a Thunder Bay specialty, which is a cinnamon bun smothered in pink icing. Also, head to the Hoito Restaurant for a Finnish pancake to satisfy your hunger pangs.
Spend the evening at Thunder Bay’s Trowbridge Falls Campground at one of the well-treed sites next to the Current River. The campground is located on the northeast side of town. Laundry facilities and a small store are available on site.
If you need bike repairs check out Fresh Air Experience.
Kilometre Log
0.0 Leave Savanne River Campground heading east on
HWY 17.
54.7 Highway 17 merges with HWY 11 to become HWY 17
/ HWY 11.
75.5 Intersection of HWY 17 & HWY 102.
HWY 17.
/ HWY 11.
29A Kilometre Log
75.5 HWY 17 / 11 turns right. Remain headed straight on HWY 102 / Dawson Road.
101.8 Intersection of HWY 102 / Dawson Road & HWY 589.
108.5 HWY 102 / Dawson Road dead-ends into HWY 17 / HWY 11 / Thunder Bay Expressway. Turn left here.
114.8 Intersection of Thunder Bay Expressway / HWY 17 / HWY 11 and Hodder Avenue / HWY 17B / HWY 11B (S) and Copenhagen Road (N). Turn left here onto Copenhagen Road.
115.3 Turn left onto Trowbridge Road.
115.7 Enter Trowbridge Falls Campground.
29 B - Kilometre Log
75.5 Turn right and head south on HWY 17.
89.6 Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. Remain on HWY 17.
90.4 Exit to Kakabeka Falls.
91.5 Exit Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park.
107.8 Intersection of HWY 17 / HWY 11 / Arthur Street & HWY 130.
114.8 Pass Thunder Bay International Airport on HWY 17 / Arthur Street W.
117.2 Intersection of HWY 17 / HWY 11 / Arthur Street W & Thunder Bay Expressway / HWY 17 (N) / HWY 61 (S). Arthur Street W turns into Arthur Street W / HWY 17B / HWY 11B.
118.7 Arthur Street W / HWY 17B / HWY 11B turns into Arthur Street E / HWY 17B / HWY 11B.
121.3 Arthur Street E / HWY 17B / HWY 11B intersects with May Street N. Turn left onto May Street N / HWY 17B / HWY 11B.
123.5 May Street North / HWY 17B / HWY 11B turns into Memorial Avenue / HWY 17B / HWY 11B.
126.8 Memorial Ave / HWY 17B / HWY 11B turns into Algoma Street S.
128.0 Algoma Street S turns into Algoma Street N.
130.8 Algoma Street N dead-ends into Lyon Blvd W (W) / Gibson Avenue (E). Turn right onto Gibson Avenue.
131.2 Turn left onto Cumberland Street N / HWY 17B /HWY 11B.
132.0 Cumberland Street N / HWY 17B / HWY 11B turns into Hodder Avenue / HWY 17B / HWY 11B.
135.2 Hodder Avenue / HWY 17B / HWY 11B crosses Thunder Bay Expressway / HWY 17 / HWY 11 to become Copenhagen Road.
135.7 Turn left off of Copenhagen Road onto Trowbridge Road.
136.1 Trowbridge Falls Campground.
