Reviews of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park (Zoo)

Heather Wilson

Spent a week at sleeping giant and had a fantastic time! We stayed on a water front site 204. It is an electrical site with water just out front and clean vault toilet very close by. A quick walk to the beach and a bike ride to the comfort station and visitors center. The site was quite sloped for our trailer so we had to put leveling blocks under the rear tires and the tongue jack all the way to the bottom to get it level. Gorgeous sunsets and a so many hikes available that we didn't have time to do them all. We did the Sea Lion and Joe Creek Trail. Both short trails Joe Creek had a cool creek you can walk in but not the beautiful view of Lake Superior we were hoping for. We also drove out to the Thunder Bay look out which is a long and rough ride in and a bit steep at times but a very beautiful view if you aren't terrified of heights. We wanted to do the top of the Giant trail (the knees) but it was a long bike then hike in. We were told it would take us about 11 hours return trip. Maybe next time.

Cara R-N

It's a long haul but worthwhile. SGPP is majestic! The trails are beautiful - it saddens me greatly to see so much garbage tossed aside. Please carry out your garbage to preserve this beauty.

Mohsin Yaqoob

Awesome lookout point. However, I highly recommend being prepared and doing your research for this hike. It is NOT EASY! and make sure you start the day early, it takes about 8 hours to finish it.

Niko Tomita

Good hiking trails, well marked and easy to follow. Bike racks available at some trail heads. Trails can get busy, go early if you want a more quiet experience (we started at 7:00am and it was already busy as we were coming down around 10:00am).

Joanne Mogk

Beautiful area, great trails and lots of wildlife!

Vanlallawmzuali Kundu

When you're at the top look around, the view is just wow, however be prepared to walk 6-7 kms stretch mostly flat boring road from parking to the top of the Giant junction. If you camp at the park you don't need a permit, if you just want to hike the goorge look out, the you need to buy permit at the park office, display in your car otherwise you might get fine. The road to the top is all up, especially the stairs, but don't give up it's not that long. I strongly suggest for experts biker to carry bikes for the flat stretch. After you decent it's worth to deep your tired feet at Tee harbor ( not the first one from the junction the second one). Oh on the way don't forget to visit Sea Lion while going not coming back.

Mat Dupuis

One of the most awesome treks I have done ! The 22km trail is completely worth it the views at the end are breathtaking.

Logan Edwards

Absolutely gorgeous, I need to get into good enough shape to do some of the longer trails though!! The very few pictures I took do not do it justice.

Pithani Mohan Rao

Exit off highway to sleeping giant is my favourite location. The beautifully landscape view of the bridge a few mountains and the trees with different textures are the best.

jose antony

We went to see the the sea lion , and it was a short hike from parking. The park is free day access from Monday to Thursday.

Tasneem L

We stopped here during a roadtrip. Drove up to the thunder bay lookout and hiked the sea lion trail. The restrooms we came across were all outhouses. Spent a good few hours. Its definitely worth a stop if you have the time.

Robin Fish

I have been here twice. Wonderful hiking here albeit some hikes are challenging, the effort is worth it. I recommend trying to get a site by the water. The only thing to keep in mind here is distances to groceries and supplies. There is a small store about 20km out in Pass lake. It's also further than you think to the Trans Canada highway. From here there are a few local attractions to choose from and Thunder Bay is somewhat close.

Katie “KJ” Jackson

We came to explore this incredibly scenic area and did some amazing hiking. The park is beautiful and has some really nice sites on the water. Our site was 61 (with electricity) our RV took up most of the space but gave us privacy from our close neighbours camp site and we had enough trees on the other side of our site to make it just private enough despite the sites location and size. We went to the amphitheatre to learn about astronomy one night and got to see some stars though a telescope on a projector. The visitors centre was neat. They have taxidermy of animals and information of plants found in the area as well as the Silver Islet mines. The bathrooms are fine and showers were warm. The water was not safe to drink at the time. We saw a deer in the campground and evidence of bear near the dumping stations /garbage disposal. Highly recommend camping here for the hikes and biking.

Dragosh Catana

We planned on doing an easy hike along "sawyer trail" since we had a late start to our day (we drove from TBay at approx. 1pm). Once off the highway onto the 587 it's a pleasant winding road into the park. It's poorly indicated, but you have to stop by the visiting Center in order to purchase a day parking pass (~15$ - credit card ok). This can be missed as there's no "gate check / ticket stand" along the main road. We equipped ourselves with some free maps and then parked at the designated spot before beginning our adventure. And an adventure it was! After about 90 min of trails we got to "sawyer Bay" and enjoyed some beautiful landscapes we got tempted by the head trail which was quite close. Unfortunatelyhad to abandon the "head" path at approx half-way as it was quite steep and we wanted to return before sunset. On our way back we were delighted with sightings of 2 deers and a fox. We also spotted a young looking black bear cub ( equally exciting but less delightful) and had to wait it out before continuing our trek. Overall, we had a pretty strenuous workout but pretty great landscape and wildlife sights. Pay attention to the signs along the road in the park. Inform yourself about interactions with black bears. Water and snacks are essential.

Bree B

August 2020. Amazing, highly and I mean you must do top of the giant. Nothing compares. I cannot wait to do it again. Tracked my hike with all trails app, took me 33km so prep for more only 8.5 hrs. Start early, you’ll love the cooler start. Thunder Bay lookout is breathtaking for sunsets as well. Plenty of wildlife, I saw a lot of deer and a handful on young foxes kept me entertained. Just don’t be that “guy” and feed wildlife!

Alejandra G

Main reason for our stay here was to hike the giant! Out campsite was great and closed to the bathroom. The park also has laundry, $3/each for wash and dry What I didn’t know before coming here was that there is no cell phone service within the park, only at the beach area. It was nice to be off the grid for a couple of days.

melani pryde

The woman at the front gate was super nice and very helpful. We really enjoyed our site as it was huge! Lots of room for us and our large dogs. The only thing is it was super busy with lots of people being pretty loud, but the park itself is great so it makes sense that it would be quite popular. Definitely would recommend!

V HS

A long drive culminating at mostly privatized beach. The place is best seen from a far off point. No need to waste your time travelling to the undeveloped park unless you are interested in hiking.

Joel Kirk

Maria Louisa Lake is nice. Great view of Sleeping Giant. Silver Islet on the coast is gorgeous. Much of our campsite was gravel, perfect for parking an RV, not good for those who tent.

NH Navi

Spent a great time swimming at Marie Louise Lake, then we went down to see the silver islet General store. Finished off with the thunder bay lookout, friendly and knowledgeable staff and all facilities were decent for outdoors. Saw so much wild life and was such a great way to spend the day with my family :)

Michelle K.

They say the hardest hikes are always worth the best views. Boy, it was a tough climb to the top of the giant trail. Then again, I like to welcome a good challenge and push myself hard. Now, I'm officially pooped! Lol.

Nicole Garden

This was one of the most beautiful parks I've visited! Although I camped at kakabeka (also a wonderful park with AMAZING staff) I came to Sleeping giant to do *the hike* as well as a few smaller ones & the lookout. I enjoyed every single minute that I spent here and can't wait to come back & actually camp here in the future!

Burugudunstun Stugudunstunstuy

A good place to hike, camp and enjoy a breath taking scenery. We went there unprepared so we just had to go to the shortest trail (30 minutes) which is the way to the sea lion, and that place is awesome. The lake was clear and cold, and the view was worth it.

Daniela V

The views are breathtaking!! The park is clean and well maintained. We did the main trail to reach the top of the giant (approx. 8h). I would recommend you to really prepare your body for a hike like this one. I was not prepare (Im not a sports person), I didnt wear the proper shoes.. I was wearing normal sneakers and I hurt my feet really bad probably due to my flat feet... I have been more than a week recovering from the hike. Eventhough, it was just me the one who had problems doing this hike.. my husband didnt have any problem. After this experience, I really wont do it again.. no more hikes like this one for me ????

Tim Cruickshank

Beautiful park. Note that the campground is about 30 minutes off of the main highway. We stayed in the campsites on the west side of the lake. They're more private and scenic, but require a 10 minute drive on dirt roads in and out. The hiking is incredible.

Yinka A.

Completely loved my experience here. We will definitely be going back!

Exploring Destinations

The park offers many activities to do and its pretty huge. Some of the trails are so long that you need whole day to just reach the final spot. The wild life can be seen while you're passing through multiple point of interest - on road and off road. There are variety of things to explore at this unique park.

The Aviator

Spectacular location in Mother Nature’s cradle. Fantastic camping grounds. Awesome tourist friendly location with great staff. Make sure you carry bug and mosquito repellent, fluids, and a GPS navigation device, since there’s no cellphone within 20kms of the park, and thus your phone’s GPS might not work. Also mark and know where the phones are, since without cellphone reception, you can’t call for help. If you have handheld radios or walkie-talkies, bring them along. Enjoy and cherish Mother Nature at her greatest!

Mark G

There are some beautiful camping sites here, but you'll need to book way ahead to get them. A nice beach with a good playground. Clean and modern bathrooms and showers and laundry as well (laundry is $3). Many hiking trails in the park, some can be biked with a mountain bike. Sea Lion Trail is very nice and short.

Daniel Gabrian

We've enjoyed two nights in the camping, by Marie Louise Lake. First night was very windy, couldn't even enjoy a fire. Second night was awesome. Clear skies and a clear view of the sleeping giant. We took the Sea Lion and Kabeyun trail. We went all the way to the bird observatory and from there to Sawyer Bay and back to parking. I wish the trail was a bit more marked. Although there is no other trail, there were a few places where we got confused. Overall, a great experience. Looking forward to get the Talus Lake and the top of the giant trails

Susie Persaud

Beautiful beautiful spot. Only traversed a few trails, didn't stay as long as we would have liked. But it was gorgeous from what we saw!! Top of the Giant is amazing (but difficult. Bike the flat part!)

Tomasz Krawczynski

Great place for hiking with lots of trails to choose from. The scenery is amazing.

Andrea B

This is a fabulous spot with so much to do. There are scenic drives. We absolutely loved Silver Islet. They are working on restoring the general store. There are great hikes for all levels. There are deer everywhere. The sites are a good size. The beach is stunning too. You can't go wrong here. The long drive in is worth it.

Egor Shalvarov

A beautiful place to spend a weekend at. That is, of course, if you're into Nature. Well maintained trails, camp grounds and lakes. Just a beautiful experience overall.

Sharon Silveira

Very beautiful. Quite busy with a lot of people backcountry camping. If you are hiking The Feet... Be warned that it is very difficult and climbers should be good physical shape. A lot of boulders and a steep almost 90 degree hike up the feet. Get there early if you want a backcountry site as they fill up fast :)

Egor Kapko

Loved this place! Hikes were unreal. We did two outlooks in 1 day (32.5 km) and it was amazing. The climb is worth the views. Just magical. Make sure to bring good shoes, snacks and water. Lots of places to camp, almost no service but beautiful nature, lakes to swim in and crystal clear water. Also great fishing. Will be back for sure. Worth a drive from GTA.

Karolina Szymkowiak

Beautiful place. Amazing views. Wildlife. Pour service ????. You can relax and admire the nature and its Creator. ❤

Matthew Gockiewicz

I had an amazing time here. This has to go down as one of my favorite all time provincial parks, due to what the park has to offer. This park has everything amazing hiking trails, a couple mountain bike trails and a beautiful beach on Marie Louise lake. This park needs to go on your bucket list due to how amazing it is

Iqra

I absolutely love this park. You can spend days in this park and still not see it all. The hikes and views are amazing. Must see the sunset from the cliff tops. There so many things to do and see! A must visit.

Carlo Franco

Great views from the gorge! A long and strenuous hike, but well worth it. I would advise against the North Bakeyun trail as it turns very rocky further in and the trail is much harder to keep on. As soon as you come down from the giant trail, head back the same way you came from.

Sepideh Rezaei

The park was so gorgeous with virgin nature. Some parts of the trail looked like Lost series and I couldn't believe my eyes of the sleeping beauty. The trail to head took 7 hours in total and it really worth it.

Joelle B

The campsites were amazing! Views gorgeous. Super kind park staff. If you're hiking talus lake, don't plan on using those campsites though unless you plan on being eaten alive by bugs / there isn't really a flat space for a tent.

Zsófia Halmai

I would give even more stars if I could. It's a must see. The hiking trails are not easy but they worth the effort. The Top and the Head trails are the best. Plan one day for each. The camping sites are great, the washrooms and showers are clean. You'll have hot water and washing machines. The nice little Visitor's Centre also worth a visit and you can rent bikes and canoes. Closest store at Pass Lake (15 minutes).

Maggie Q

Nice clean well maintained campground, very quiet but we were there early October. The Top of the Giant hike was incredible - a must see. We got there just after 4 pm and there was nobody around to sell us firewood which was inconvenient.

Andrew Deegan

Park that is renowned for a series of mesas which from afar, make it look like there is a giant sleeping on its back (best seen from the Terry Fox monument, in Thunder Bay however). Park has ample parking on site for day hikes, and you can book online to reserve a camping site. We camped in site 314 which while taking a bit further to get to, was a great experience because it gave a "back country" experience while being able to drive up to it. Some of the staff are not as knowledgeable as others (given that most are hired for the summer season), but they give quality advice on the park. Highlights included the "Thunder Bay lookout" road, which is only accessible by driving through a tough road. Pays off as you can get some truly incredible views of the surrounding area, and it's a fun yet challenging drive

Katie Mummah

Hiking to the top of the giant is a must. I showed up here with a friend on a road trip with almost no searching beforehand- only enough to check there was a campground, and we were blown away by this park. A ranger told us we probably wanted to take the top of the giant trail and he was right. It is over 22 km total, but very worth it if you have the physical ability to walk that long combined with climbing up and down about 300 m of elevation

Jehan Perera

Words cannot simply describe the beauty of this park. Whether you camp here or not, it's worth visiting for the day. Plenty of hiking trails with varying difficulty. Bring plenty of snacks and water when going on the lengthy trails. The difficult trails have the best views at the top. I went to the Top Of The Giant trail and while it was difficult as mentioned, it was very much worth the climb.

Cuyler Wainwright

HUGE park with lots of campsites, all of which seemed quite nice in terms of privacy and shelter. Very quite all around, no blaring music or parties that we could hear. A quick and simple hike to check out Sea Lion outlook, and the drive to the Thunder Bay Outlook were both great additions to our trip. We also drove around the Silver Islet cabin community for sight-seeing, which was very cool!

Kait Scott

This is a beautiful park! Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to do the top of the giant trail, which I hear is incredible. The seal lion trail was gorgeous and definitely worth the rocky hike to get there. I would recommend good shoes as there is a bit of climbing up larger rocks involved. There seemed to be lots of kids on the trail which I would not suggest since the trail is definitely moderate to difficult, and families with young kids seemed to be struggling. Overall amazing views!

Ruchi Shah

We started our trek pretty late and hence couldn't reach at the top. We completed The Lehtinen Bay and OMG it is sooo beautiful! Can't get over it. There are so many lakes, camping points and hiking places that one trip is not enough

David C

Beautiful park with various hike options I did Sawyer Bay trail followed by Head trail as well as Sea Lion trail. Sawyer Bay trail is a series of rolling hills with mostly boring forest views until you get to the end, where you can see the lake. Head trail, however, was very exciting being the steepest trail at the park. Definitely challenging - especially coming downhill - but well worth it with an amazing view at the top of the giant’s head. Sea Lion trail was quick with nice information panels. I car camped at the sawyer bay trailhead parking lot and got a parking ticket. Make sure to register your plate!

Takiah Ebbs-Picken

Campsite was big, clean and had some privacy. Lots of great hikes to do in the park. We did the hike to the top of the giant and the views were incredible, would definitely recommend doing the hike if you have time (it is long - about 22 km - so make sure you are prepared).

Ritwik Bose

Would recommend! - Fitbit said 27km to the top and back on the main trail - do NOT recommend when it has rained. Today the puddles were more than ankle deep! It’s all the rain from the last few days - pretty moderate hike; mostly flat with 1-3km uphill one way. Not too bad though if you power through - Parking is $15 for the day - AMAZING view from the top. Just mind blowing ????

Sarah Cellini

A big beautiful park, with a variety of hiking trails (difficult, moderate, easy) and a large lake for swimming. Perfect for a device free stay, as there isn't many places in the park with cell service. 10/10 would recommend :)

Daniel Chung

Roughly 15 hr drive from Toronto, but definitely worth it. The hike to top of the giant will take roughly 6 hrs round trip(walking), but the view is just simply amazing. Rent a bike at the visitor centre!!! The first part (6km, 12km round trip is what kills you), but you can avoid that by renting a bike and will save you at least 2 hrs.

Doug Gilmour

Great hiking spot with multiple trails. Did the car ride to the Thunder Bay lookout. Although it was cloudy still a great view. The road is bumpy so take your time. The Park store had no water or vending machines so bring extra Stop at the Flying J gas station on your way into the park. Sea lion trail is nice and relatively easy to the the top.

Chantal Marie

It's a nice park but very dusty since it's very dry in northern Ontario currently. There is a fire ban in effect currently which I wish I knew about prior to booking since campfires make the camping experience better. Also there is NO SIGNAL in the WHOLE valley except at the beach which is not great either. Keep this in mind if you need to be connected for whatever reason. Other than that, the beach was great. Not too crowded. There are a lot of beautiful trails in the area but expect to take dirt roads to get to some trail heads.

Matthew Brown

Love the park, tons to do and it is kept very clean. Would recommend cemetery trail, the sealion trail, and (if you are up for an 8 hour hike) the top of the giant trail. Loses points for unclear trail markings and overly expensive park store. Overall a great place to stay with tons to see :)

Ryan Paul

Great park. We stayed at the camp cabins which had everything we needed plus the one we were in was dog friendly. Perfect place to really get off grid as there is little to no cell reception in the park.

J

By far, one of my favorite provincial parks. Plenty of hikes and trails. The staff are kind, courteous and pleasant. Obviously not all sites are as great, however, you kinda know that based on photos and use of the map. However, the campsite the party I was with, was fabulous.

Drew G

The park is very cool and is on beautiful water. The hikes have great views, but the hike to the top is challenging and very rewarding. We did the hike with two dogs, they were able to handle the 26km hike, we brought close to 10 liters of water ensuring we had enough.

sewer chef

Must come at least once in your life! And I prefer Autumn so you view the breathtaking colors all over the mountain! Do not stop at the top but trust yourself and continue the rest not so difficult 2km to reach the cliff!!! Only one thing, strongly recommended! Bring your bike!!! The 8km walk back to the parking lot will kill your legs, your knees, your feet and your energy, you may even lose your mind,lol:) Good luck! Photos taken-Oct 1st.

Jaivin Dusseault

Wonderful hike up the mountain. 2 rather fit people and a dog took us 6.5 hours for the full 22 km out and back. Alot of fog on the morning we went, but the views we did have were wonderful. Worth the climb if you have the time.

Kristina Koval

Great park with a lot of nice trails! I hiked the top of the giant one to see the gorge. 22.5 km hike but it was worth it. Great views and to be fair, the trail is really well-maintained. It is a climb but you are technically climbing stairs (a lot of stairs). Great signage in the park. The first 8 km you can bike. There is a place where you can leave your bikes. My recommendation is to hike in the morning. I saw quite a few deers and rabbits, as well as birds, squirrels, chipmunks.

Matthew Montgomery

Started at the South Kabeyun Trailhead and spent three nights backcountry camping in the south end of the park, hiking a loop through Lehtinen's Bay and Sawyer Bay, including trips to the Top of the Giant, Thunder Cape Bird Observatory, and the Head Trail. All told, approximately 45km. The scenery is worth the drive and the hiking distance. Some of the trails are overgrown and the campsites along the west coast are not the best (no thunder boxes, limited tent pads) but would definitely recommend this trip to anyone looking for a backcountry hiking trip.

Todd Stakenvicius

some of the best views and campsites I've seen anywhere. make sure you do the back country hikes tho. the mild to moderate trails are basically roads. was clean and we maintained.

Jackie Verhoeven

Had a large waterfront site with a view of the Giant. Great trails! So glad we put in the miles to get there. So many things to see and do in the area!

Frank Whitestone

Our favourite park on our summer park tour of Ontario. Amazing hiking and trails well maintained. Great campsites out on the point with minimal mosquitos. COVID cleaning is a bit of a joke tho, kids drive by on buggy and spray door handle of toilet without even getting out (and not cleaning the back which is most touched area).

Jessica Hon

Amazing views and a few lookout points at the end of the trail. More shaded area than I thought so that’s a plus when there’s a heat warning!

Adr amorim

Really nice place. Preserved wild life. Hard and quite dangerous hike to the full top. On the top the views are amazing and worth the efforts.

Sam K

Where to start with this park... this park has it all. Great hikes, good campsites, and amazing natural scenery. If you haven't visited, I would recommend taking a week vacation to visit the park as there is much to explore. I am happy that I made the 15 hour drive from Toronto.

Ryan Attwood

This is a great park . The staff is friendly and helpful. First time coming to this park and I would definitely come back. The hiking is unbelievable as well. ( Big surprise right) well worth the trip . You have to climb the giants head. It's a grulling hike but well worth it. We took our big puppy with us (Lab/St. Bernard) so if he can do it at 140 pounds you got no excuse........

Alanna W

The Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is like a hiker’s paradise! It has a variety of trails with different levels of difficulty. The best easy trails, in my opinion, are the Joe Creek Nature Trail and the Sea Lion Lookout trail. The Nanabosho Lookout trail is long yet worthwhile. The Sifting Lake trail is okay, but it’s not very scenic until you reach the lake.

Avijit Sinha

What amazing views from the head of the giant! Be prepared to sweat it out if you are doing the 22 km top of the giant trail and carry lots of water and food. Also wear proper footwear and a trekking pole really helps.

Zohar Kuperman

Second time there , camped at Marie Louise campground, beautiful , no words.(site 318) , definitely worth the drive!

Sam deZ

A great stay. Much to do. Marie Louise Lake campground and beach was great. The lookout had great views of the giant. Beach has a volleyball court, basketball net, 2 play scapes, washrooms and picnic tables. Water was warm enough and refreshing. Thunder Bay lookout is a must. No hiking just a 9km slow drive one way. Sea lion is around 1km one way. Top of the Giant was a hard 3 to 4 km climb one way out of the 10.9km. Get an early start. Takes around 7 hours with stops. My campsite was small and not private enough. Visitor center hours are 9.30am and 3.30pm.

Irene Lee

Fantastic trail - long but not too steep except for 2 parts. We saw groups of families with young kids (6-12) running up, so it's really not that bad. Expect to take about 6-8 hours. View up top is astonishing; we flew to Thunder Bay from Toronto for the weekend just to hike it. Worth all the time and money... just bring enough food.

Traci Luongo

such a big park but so many things to see and do if you are a nature buff!

Comment Comment

The scene is not bad. But this is the place to share review for "Sleeping Giant Provincial Park" so 5 star cannot be given absolutely. There are multiple things to be pointed out: 1, no cellphone signal for Koodo. very weak for Rogers. thus no data, no internet. which means very hard in case of emergency like flat tire or medical issues. also cannot contact families, cannot identify location, cannot know weather, cannot call park office... 2, fire ban in Aug 2021 but there was camp fire in a site for 2 nights - no park officer show up 3, trail does not have garbage cans. there was a toilet sign but no toilet. 4, trailer that paid for site cannot park in parking lot 5, comfort station got cleaned too early and too long, 8:30 - 11:00, not convenient. 6, less grass in campground, makes dirty dust in wind. 7, for trail - not only no cellphone signal, but also - trail map not that clear, and road signs are also not clear 8, no park store - means cannot buy anything 9, garbage can has very little opening at comfort station - hard to throw into 10, comfort station shower room has poor design and build, small, no ventilation, some rooms lock not working

Ridzyr R

Didn't get to explore a whole lot.. only went for half the day or less but totally worth it! Love the views and trails. If you are short on time or don't want to hike as much, you can drive to the thunder bay look out for a spectacular view! The Middleburn bay beach is nice too though I probably should have checked out the sea lion trail instead. Saw some wildlife too.. a different Ontario up here compared to GTA!