Up North Trip - Lake Superior / Northern Lights!

[Mina]

We are planning a trip to Northern Ontario for next month.
The main reason for this trip is to catch the Northern Lights.

I'm having a hell of a time planning this trip mainly because I don't know where to go and what to do.
Suggestions/recommendations are very much appreciated.

Thanks!

PS: Not making this trip on a motorcycle in case you were wondering. ?

 

[Evoex]

We are planning a trip to Northern Ontario for next month.
The main reason for this trip is to catch the Northern Lights.

I'm having a hell of a time planning this trip mainly because I don't know where to go and what to do.
Suggestions/recommendations are very much appreciated.

Thanks!

PS: Not making this trip on a motorcycle in case you were wondering. ?

Do it in Iceland!

Most amazing place I've ever been, and its so sparsely populated that its one of the few places I'd consider traveling to outside Canada.

Edit: think its easier to see them in November to early March there.

 

[J_F]

HWY 17 between the Soo and T-Bay would provide some good viewing opportunities

a little cold for camping and you need to be in a low light area
so towns/cities are out

prior to November there should be some good clear nights

maybe some ideas here?

Where to see the northern lights in Ontario

Catch a spectacular aurora borealis show in the beautiful solitude of Ontario’s quiet wilderness Here’s how.

caen-keepexploring.canada.travel

edit: too bad we're in covid times
or else the train from Cochrane - Polar Bear Express
up to Moosenee would be an interesting way to do this

way further north than you can drive
and some interesting tourist lodges up there

 

[Mina]

Do it in Iceland!

Most amazing place I've ever been, and its so sparsely populated that its one of the few places I'd consider traveling to outside Canada.

Edit: think its easier to see them in November to early March there.

Man... Iceland is on my bucket list for sure. But obviously with COVID and everything else that's going on, it's hard to travel that far right now.

 

[jc100]

HWY 17 between the Soo and T-Bay would provide some good viewing opportunities

a little cold for camping and you need to be in a low light area
so towns/cities are out

prior to November there should be some good clear nights

maybe some ideas here?

Where to see the northern lights in Ontario

Catch a spectacular aurora borealis show in the beautiful solitude of Ontario’s quiet wilderness Here’s how.

caen-keepexploring.canada.travel

edit: too bad we're in covid times
or else the train from Cochrane - Polar Bear Express
up to Moosenee would be an interesting way to do this

way further north than you can drive
and some interesting tourist lodges up there

Is that train running? Or is it the other one to Churchill I’m thinking about...

 

[J_F]

Is that train running? Or is it the other one to Churchill I’m thinking about...

yup, Polar Bear Express started back up end of June
still don't think I'd want to get on it though
for my sake and that of the Natives

 

[Brian P]

Earlier this year, someone had posted about a motorcycle trip to Pickle Lake, ON. It's not a ride that I would ever consider doing, but it does appear to be as far north as you can get in Ontario via public roads, and it's roughly the same latitude as Moosonee.

Anywhere along the northern part of Hwy 11 (e.g. Kapuskasing) is really just a couple hundred km south, and easier to get to (and find hotels).

There's a highway 634 heading north out of Smooth Rock Falls ... no idea of condition.

Google Maps ... 771 km from Toronto to Smooth Rock Falls ... day trip!

Pickle Lake is almost triple that distance but only gets you 150-ish km further north.

 

[jeff96]

Ontario Highway 634 (#2) History - The King's Highways of Ontario

I haven't been, but it looks like a neat ride

Sent from my Redmi 7A using Tapatalk

 

[sburns]

Cool photo opportunity

I thought it was possible to see them around Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve?
Obviously the more north you can go the better.

 

[Brian P]

Torrance Barrens (north end of Southwood Road) is probably the most easily accessible somewhat-north somewhat-dark place to see them; it's about 8 km from the bustling metropolises (haha) of Bala and Gravenhurst. The spot we're talking about that is north of Smooth Rock Falls is about 500 km further north and is potentially a lot further away from anything.

 

[boyoboy]

i've viewed the northern lights several times
never went looking for them; but they presented themselves
best I seen was while traveling between sudbury and n.bay at night- was sky filling huge and amazing green
no need for iceland lol, just need to spend some time outside at night in northern ontario

 

[Mad Mike]

Earlier this year, someone had posted about a motorcycle trip to Pickle Lake, ON. It's not a ride that I would ever consider doing, but it does appear to be as far north as you can get in Ontario via public roads, and it's roughly the same latitude as Moosonee.

Anywhere along the northern part of Hwy 11 (e.g. Kapuskasing) is really just a couple hundred km south, and easier to get to (and find hotels).

There's a highway 634 heading north out of Smooth Rock Falls ... no idea of condition.

Google Maps ... 771 km from Toronto to Smooth Rock Falls ... day trip!

Pickle Lake is almost triple that distance but only gets you 150-ish km further north.

I get to the Cochrane area periodically, nice show there 2 weeks ago. if you want to check for Northern Lights, check spaceweather.com, they map where / when the lights are present. They get the info from NASA

 

[boyoboy]

^ nice resource

cochrane ?! now thats north. beautiful !

 

[mimico_polak]

Was just about to ask how far north I’d have to go and @Mad Mike put the chart up. Guess I won’t be seeing them any time soon

 

[Mad Mike]

You can see them if you time things right. Here is a view I had in Porcupine (Timmins) last week around 1am. I don’t chase these things, just happened to be in the area visiting my kid.

 

[Evoex]

i've viewed the northern lights several times
never went looking for them; but they presented themselves
best I seen was while traveling between sudbury and n.bay at night- was sky filling huge and amazing green
no need for iceland lol, just need to spend some time outside at night in northern ontario

Of course icland isn't needed, it would be a 2 for 1.

Iceland has one of the most diverse environments on the planet.

 

[Mad Mike]

Iceland is a cool visit (no pun intended). I used to do a lot of business travel to Europe in my younger days. Back then if you flew Iceland Air to Europe, you always stopped/transferred in Reykjavík. You could arrange a layover between connections in Iceland for no charge -- I frequently took weekends there on my return leg.

Tourism wasn't that big in Iceland 20 years back, occasionally Iceland tourist board and Novotal provided 1 free night's accommodation if you arranged a layover.

 

[Mad Mike]

i've viewed the northern lights several times
never went looking for them; but they presented themselves
best I seen was while traveling between sudbury and n.bay at night- was sky filling huge and amazing green
no need for iceland lol, just need to spend some time outside at night in northern ontario

Same here -- they just appeared. The furthest south I have seen them is on Lake Simcoe, about 2 km north of Jackson's Point. We were night fishing on the lake when a faint but very visible display lit up the northern horizon.

It has to be a very dark area with and a dark moonless night to see them this close, but they are occasionally visible not too far from the GTA.

 

[Evoex]

Of course icland isn't needed, it would be a 2 for 1.

Iceland has one of the most diverse environments on the planet.

@Mina

We rented a car and toured the whole island over 14 days. I'd do it again.

 

[Mad Mike]

If you have travelled Canada, you will have seen landscapes like what you find in Iceland, with one difference - trees.

Before the Vikings found it, Iceland was about 1/2 forest covered, today it's mostly barren, tree stands are few and far between.