We departed Sleeping Giant Provincial Park and headed through Thunder Bay, after stopping by the Terry Fox Monument, and on west on Highway 17 to Vermilion Bay. The Terry Fox Scenic Lookout pays tribute to Terry Fox (read info on photos) and sits high above Thunder Bay. There is a nice Visitor Information Center there along with a picnic area.
After Thunder Bay, there are 2 main roads heading west, either Highway 11 (Trans Canada Highway) or Highway 17 (also part of the Trans Canada Highway system). We opted for Highway 17 which runs further north and appears to have more campgrounds and fuel stations along the way. Highway 11 skirts the US border and looks like a great drive also. Maybe next time? As we drove west on Highway 17 we passed the Arctic Watershed (all water now runs to Hudson Bay instead of the Great Lakes) and also passed from Eastern time into Central time. There is limited fuel along the way so keep your tanks as full as possible!
A little to the west of Vermilion Bay in Northern Ontario sits a beautiful little campground. The entrance is off a dirt road about 1/2 mile from the Highway. It was no problem for us but should there be a lot of rain it could be quite a swim, at least according to the owner who told us that the week before it was quite flooded.
Campground: Crystal Lake Campground
Location: 5km west of Vermilion Bay
Site: 1
Cost: $48 (CAD)
Services: FHU
Comments: An extremely well maintained RV Park with wonderful owners. It is a hidden gem in the wilds of Ontario. WiFi worked great and the sites were nice, level, and long. We loved it there.
Not only is this campground beautifully maintained but it also offers all sorts of amenities and activities for all age groups. There is the swimming beach area with lots of tubes and toys for the kids, bicycles for all ages, sand badminton/volleyball court, basketball court, group camping, etc.
A great little place!
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