The scenic harbour and inland islands of Rossport provided inspiration to Lawren Harris and many contemporary painters to the Group of Seven. You’ll find an interpretive installation in Wardrop Park as well as the start of the Rossport Coastal Trail, which winds its way for 1.5 km along Lake Superior to the Roadside Park Rest Area. After visiting the park, stop by the government dock for a view of Quarry Island from a vantage point close to where Harris painted Rossport, Lake Superior in 1921.

Travel to the centre of town, just off HWY 17 and Simcoe Plaza Road where you’ll spot the Terrace Bay Lighthouse. After taking your photo while sitting on the artist stool at the Moments of Algoma interpretive panel, climb to the top of the lighthouse to view the islands that inspired the painting Slate Islands, Lake Superior, c. 1921 by A.Y Jackson.

Head to the Visitor Centre to chat with staff about the Group of Seven, and to access the awe-inspiring vistas that drew Lawren Harris and the Group of Seven back to this area for many years. Take a mid-way hike break with expansive panoramic views at the gazebo which is in the middle of the 9 km round trip hike on the Pic Island Overlook Trail. Find a Moments of Algoma interpretive installation which highlights even more details about the Group of Seven and their treks along this same landscape.

Trek the Lake Superior shoreline when you travel the Voyageur Trail from Pukaskwa National Park to Pic River.  While still within the park check out Horseshoe Beach where the Moments of Algoma interpretive panel features A.Y. Jackson’s painting Entrance to Puckasawa Bay, c 1960. Though spelt differently at the time than the current National Park name, this painting can be found in the permanent collection at the Art Gallery of Algoma in Sault Ste. Marie. 

Follow Michipicoten Harbour Road to the Sandy Beach parking area. After parking, a boardwalk will lead to the beach. Dip your toes in the crisp waters of Lake Superior and find the stunning sight of a Group of Seven interpretive panel. This location highlights the perspective A.Y Jackson painted in Shoreline, Wawa, Lake Superior, c. 1959, Art Gallery of Hamilton. Create your own Group of Seven moment here when you head down the shoreline and find a quiet spot to sketch or photograph this stunning shoreline scene. 

Learn more about the Group of Seven's connection with Lake Superior Provincial Park at the Visitor Centre and the Moments of Algoma interpretive installation. 

Stretch your legs at Chippewa Falls rest stop and see the same set of rapids that inspired A.Y Jackson’s sketch Stream Bed, Lake Superior Country, c. 1955, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Grab your camera and try a long exposure shot to see if you can freeze the fast-paced water with your own artistic flair.  

Seventy kilometres east of Sault Ste. Marie, appreciate the landscapes around the Bruce Mines area that inspired Tom Thomson’s View Over a Lake, Shore with Houses, c. 1913, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Head to the Bruce Mines Marina to find a Group of Seven interpretive installation overlooking the St. Joseph Channel. 

On the shore of Lake Superior, at Perry Bay, on route to the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park you’ll find a stone Sea Lion. The 15 metres of sedimentary rock that juts out of the mainland has been shaped by the waves of the Lake Superior to offer the region an attraction like no other. This site is a must-see while hiking Tee Harbour or camping at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. 

The Sleeping Giant, one of Canada’s seven wonders calls Thunder Bay it’s home. The view of the rock formation from the city of Thunder Bay appears that the rocks are a giant taking a long over due slumber. Many legends and stories have formed surrounding the Giant over time. These stories not only offer great insight into the past of the region but can also help strengthen your connection to the indigenous history of the region.