Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is one of my favorite hikes in Ontario. I had spent years seeing photos of the view and dreaming of visiting but wasn’t sure if it would be worth the 17 hour drive or flight. It turned out to be so!
The length and views of the hike are perfect for day-trippers who aren’t ready for overnight hikes or hikes with luggage, but want to cover more than the standard 4-10 km that’s often available in Ontario.
It offers a 22km round trip hike of spectacular views and hills that will get your heart pumping. Sleeping Giant offers over 100km of hiking trails so picking the best ones can be difficult.
Which way is the best?
After lots of research and talking to hikers, I learned the not-so-secret secret of this hike: bring a bike.
Sleeping Giant’s longest hiking trail, the Top of the Giant via Kabeyun Trail, is best explored by bike and foot. The round-trip hike takes about 6 hours on foot, but closer to 4 hours by bike.
The bike path is gravel and not too hard. It’s rocky with small hills but family friendly. I’m a city cyclist used to dodging cars on paved roads so the rocks were bumpy but quite doable.
The beginning/end of the trail is mostly flat. If you’re walking, there’s not much to see in this area; It’s just an open path in the forest. The actual hike begins at the 8km mark.
Riding a bike will get you to this marker faster, allow you to enjoy the scenery at a comfortable pace, and be greeted with bike racks before beginning the climb.
Last summer, the park converted its climbs into beautiful stairwells to make the steep sections more accessible for day hikers. There are a few climbs and, surprisingly, a few descents in the roughly four kilometers to the top of the Giant. What surprised me the most was how flat the last kilometer was.
I was just about to save my energy for the final climb when I realized I was already there. Strong winds and breathtaking views awaited me. On a hot summer day in August, the winds brought in air-conditioned winds from Lake Superior to cool me down.
After snacks, photoshoots and chats with fellow hikers, the descent follows a repeat of the beginning with a few more descents and a few short climbs.
A perfect time to take more photos and cheer on fellow hikers feeling the burn of the stairs. Total time was about 4 hours (6 if you don’t bike).
parking fees
Sleeping Giant is one of the Ontario parks where advance purchase of your park pass is recommended. Reservations can be made 5 days in advance.
Regular parking permits range from $12 to $24. You may also consider a park pass ($85 summer or $11 year-round) to make exploring local parks easier.
Where to sleep
Sleeping Giant is about an hour south of Thunder Bay. The park itself offers over 200 campsites and sheltered accommodations, including auto camping and backcountry opportunities. If you want to stay the night to enjoy an extended visit to the park, reserve a permit online in advance.
Where to eat nearby
Thunder Bay is filled with great restaurants and breweries. The Lakehead Beer Company offers a selection of beers on tap and for sale, as well as the best pizza in town. Or consider a flight with the Sleeping Giant Brewery, where you can also stock up on stickers and posters to commemorate your epic trek.
how to get there
I drove the 17 hours from Toronto to Thunder Bay over the course of two weeks of camping and hiking. If you don’t live nearby, flying Porter or Rouge from Toronto is a great and quick option. The park itself is an hour south of Thunder Bay.
You need a car to get to the park. So if you’re not local, there are plenty of car rental companies to consider. I recommend adding a few more parks like Kakabeka Falls and Ouimet Canyon to your list if you want to get your money’s worth.