The Lookout Trail is located in Pancake Bay Provincial Park this trail provides great views of Pancake Bay and Whitefish Point where the Edmund Fitzgerald ship sank in 1975.
Round-trip: 6 km
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Batchawana Bay, ON
Click Here for Google Map of the Trail.
From the trailhead sign, it seemed like this trail was called the Edmund Fitzgerald Lookout Trail, but everywhere else, including on the park website, it seems to just be called the Lookout Trail.
I don’t know if it is true, but I read somewhere that the park got its name because the Voyageurs used to stop here, with just enough flour left to make pancakes before restocking supplies in nearby Sault Ste. Marie.
From Sault Ste Marie, drive West on Highway 17 for 75km then turn right on the Lookout Trail road just past the entrance to the campground. Drive for 180m and turn into the trailhead parking area on the right. The trail begins in the parking area.
Some nearby hikes to explore include the Batchawana Beachwalk, Batchawana Falls, and Chippewa Falls.
In late September there are portions of the trail that are reduced to mud covered wash outs that are made even more treacherous by ATV traffic in the area.
The signage is lacking as we got “lost” on two different occasions and it would be helpful if there were more signs confirming which trails take you back to the parking lot.
Some parts of the trail are for serious hikers only, and wet weather negatively affects the trail.
Make sure to wear appropriate hiking footwear and bring snacks and water.
Can you bring pets on this trail?
This is correct. Just 6 km to the lookout but if one wants to go higher to the tower, it is much further. Most people just go to the lookout in reality. The campground is across the highway so the lookout is an easy walk across the highway and up. Anyone wanting to go to the tower needs to pack a much larger lunch and get an earlier start.
The black flies are starting now so one needs to wear a bug shirt. For the most part the trail is dry. After a spring rain, some parts can be a little slippery. The last leg of the hike is a steep up stairs. Nice of the Park people to build the stairs or several people wouldn’t have even attempted the steep climb up to the lookout. Enjoy !!!! One of our favourites for an afternoon hike.
Thank you so much. I see now that the Ontario Parks website has the entire loop mapped out for the 14km. But it is 3km each way to the lookout.
The route that I have mapped is 3k each direction, so 6k total. I’m not sure what route the Ontario Parks takes to get to the lookout 🙂
Hi,
Is this trail 6km round trip? The ontarioparks website says 14km round trip (6-7 hours)